Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-02-12

/
themselves arrayed in two earnest and sanguine
conflicting parties, each contendng for the eleya-
| ton of its fayorite candidate to the Presidency
of the United States. The present session OF
Congress, though grave and important subjects
are demanding its attention, is being chiefly de-
voted to the designation, not only of the Presi-
Dental candidates, but also of the men who may
surround them as advisers and co-workers; of
the principal issues to be made by the new ad
ministration before the people; of the extent to
which the new President will carry out the work
Of ''reform !" Of the classes of persons who are
to receive the rewards Of their political serviliy
and craftsmanship and of the persons presenting
the best claims and making the highest bids for
the next succession. All these matters are I'M
dergoing discussion with as much matter-of-fact
earnestness rs ever characterized the proceedings
of meeting of the board of managers of a turn
pike company during the last century.
Before the people of the country there are now
many candidates for the Chief Magistracy, while
before the politicians of the capital there but
| few The people judge by their own feelings Of
partiality, but the politicians by the progress of
give-and- take sort of bargain, as distinctly un-
derstood as the terms of wageFon n scrub race !
| In due tmea candidate will be eliminated from
the hocus-pocus medley Of the knowing ones in
| each party, and brought before the country
shining sleek with the JUNCTION Of clique and
caucus putting and patronage.
The people will of course attach themselves in
good faith to the two candidates thus presented to
them, and I'M very brief time become excited, en-
thusiastic and furious in their advocacy of the
one and denunciation of the other There will
be the usual routine Of speeches, dinners, meet
ings, conventions professions, newspaper gaseous
ness, dissipation, fighting, and generalimmorality
together with sundry instances of bargain and
intrigue and " bribery and corruption"
In all this affair the people will act very
good natured part, and ''let on" all the time
that they really believe they electing Presi-
dent and governing themselves! But they have lit
tie more to do with it than the subjects of Queen
Victoria (God bless herD had in choosing her to
preside over them Here in the city of Wash
ington, about four or five hundred paid and lobby
members of Congress decide the whole matter for
them, and will, on the approaching occasion,
know as well before as after the election the name
of the successful and of the defeated candidates.
When this little knot of persons really fall out
and quarrel the people have the privilege Tor
would have, if emancipated from their prejudices)
of selecting one out of the two candidates pre-
sented but such falling out is less frequent
than is generally supposed.
Can this state of things be obviated? Is it
practicable and expedient to prevent President
making at the National Capital? How else can
focal point be established for the will of all Sec
tons of the Union?
We believe that until the manufacture of our
Presidents by Congress ceases, this Capital will
never cease to be the theatre of perpetual bar
gaining, corruption, and intrigues; that Senators
and Representatives will not give the proper |
degree of attention to the business of legislation
and that Executive patronage and Congressional
votes on laws of national interest will continue to
bear the same relation toward each other that
are sustained in the commercial world by money
and merchandise.
Previous to the Congressional caucus nomina-
TONS and their ratification by National Con-
vention, the newspapers and the people do not
manifest sufficient independence in entering into
the examination of the merits of the various per-
sons who are from time to time named as eligible
candidates for the Offices of President and Vice
President. All are overcautiOus, lest the advan-
tage of being original friend of the successful
candidate should be lost in each particular in
stance; and the certainty of the impotence of
such manifestation, in view Of the Congressional
dictatorship, encourages this irresolution. This
is very wrong, and thoroughly subversive of the
true intent and spirit Of a republican constitu-
ton.
How then can the common consent Of the
people Of the nation be ascertained, in order to
make up an issue between the most prominent
candidates who may be presented for the first and
second offices of the government The answer is
readily suggested by the glorious agency placed
at our service by the skill and enterprise of an
honored citizen Of our country. Let the Mag
netic Telegraph be the medium. Let represent
atives, chosen by every State, assemble on GER
tain day at the capital or commercial metropolis
of each State. Let central point be agreed
upon and let each State, by her representatives
thus assembled, speak out her honest wishes, and
defend and maintain them, in an honorable con-
aict with the rest, until, by repeated balotings,
there shall be general acquiescence in the selec-
ton Of particular person.
By this means, not only would the intrigues Of
the National Capital be avoided, but the State
delegates would be free and uninfuenced by the
personal solicitations, informal contracts or
promises, and intimidations that constantly beset
them in the national conventions. As a measure
of economy and despatch, also, this mode would