The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-10-24


most lucrative office next 10 that OF Presdenand this
TOO an Office for lifeof the sake OF only four years n
the White House He again. therefore, for The ihird
time in the letter. proposes 10 amend the conshiu
ton--lus this were easy as 10 wheel DIVISION
of his army parade ayso as TO extend Tue pfesi-
dental term six years Four years too short term
for General Scott II must be prolonged The people must
be deprived OF the power OF choosing iheir PRESIDENT al
the end OF so brief period four years But such an
amendment OF the constitution, he ought 10 have known,
all moonsbne The General then declines to pledge
himself 10 serve but for term and this for the most ex
traordnary reason. | shall quote his own words he
says But do not consider respectful TO the people,
nor otherwise proper, in Candidate TO solicit favor on
pledge that elected be will not accept second nomi-
nation. Il looks 100 much like bargain rendered To-
other aspirantsyied to now shall soon be out OF
your way-too much like the interest that sometimes
governs the cardinals IN the choice OF Pope, many
voting for themselves first and j without success hnal-
for the most supeannuied. in order that the election
may sooner come round again"
He was then you may BE- sure, still native American
To say the very least this mpuiation OF selfshness
and corruption against the cardinals in the election OF
Pope is in bad taste in political letter written by
candidate for the presidency II was in exceedingly bad
taste, In such eps,e. inus 10 sigmatse the highest
dgnaries Of the ancient Catholic church in the perform
ance OF their most solemn and responsible public duly
TO God on this side OF eternity. From my soul
abhor the practice OF minalng up religion with poll
tics The doctrine OF all our conshtuhons-both led
eal and States that every man has an inueieasioie
right TO worship his God according TO the dictates OF
his own conscience. H. is both bgot and a tyran
who would interfere with that sacred right When
q candidate is before the people for ONCE the inquiry
ought never even 10 be made what form OF religious
faith he processes; but only in the language OF Mr. Je
feTson. lis he honest; Is he capable" Far be II from
me to charge nsnuae tina, General Scott would
desire to introduce religion into party polilcs; and yet
consider II exceedingly improper Tor HIM, IN poitcal
letter. when candidate tor the presidency, 10 have made
this charge against The venerable cardinals OF the Saho
lie church. Such a charge, emana'ing from SO hgh
source, could not fail 10 wound the feelings OF large
and highly respectable Christian community. ms has
necessarily to extent brought religious discussions
into the presidential contest
pad mas al 10
gress" This is the next head oil General SCOTS epse,
to which advert He swallows all those leading meas,
ures at single gulp .'If,' says he, " had had the
honor Of a vote on The occasion. il would have been
given in favor OF the land distribution BILL the bankrupt
bill. and the second bill for creating fiscal corporation,
having long been under conviction that in peace as IN
war, something efficient in the nature OF Bank OF the
United States not only necessary and proper but IN,
dspensabe TO the successful operations of the treasury
The land distribution bill This is emphatcay nigh
toned wing measure which had been crushedby Gen
Jacksons message OF December, 1888 Mr. Clay It's illas,
trious author, was the very essence the lille and soul OF
whggery proposes TO distribute The proceeds oil the pup
lie lands among The several States proposes 10 surrender
10 the several States that immense and bounu fund pro-
vided by Cur ancestors which is always our sures re-
source In times OF war and danger, when our revenue
from imports fails In the days of Jackson, Van buren,,
and Polk the democratic doctrine wasl fear is not SO al
pesen-o preserve this fund IN the common treasury
sacred trust 10 enable Congress to execute the emu
meraed powers conferred upon them by the constitution
for the equal benefit of all The States and the people
Should Congress give away the public lands to the States
they will deprive themselves OF the power OF bestowing
land bounes upon the soldiers and the sailors who night
the battles OF your country, and OF granting liberal terms
oil purchase TO those hardy pioneers who make the will
derness to bloom and to blossom as the What will
become oil this policy if you distribute the proceeds OF
these lands among the Siatesl Then every State will
have direct interest in preventing any donations OF the
public lands either old soldiers actual settlers, be-
cause every thus given will much lessen The divi-
dend to each OF the States interested Should this dsi
button bill ever prevail II will make The States mere de-
pendencles upon the central government Tor large por-
lion OF their revenue and thus reduce these proud demo-
cratic soveregnes to The degrading position OF looking
10 the treasury OF the United States for their OF
support in the language OF Gen. Jackson, more d..
rect road 10 consolidation cannot be devised" Such
state OF dependence. though exactly in accordance with
the cenralizng wing policy has ever been abhorred by
the democrats. But the distribution bill is one OF the
principles one OF the convictions" OF Gen. Scott. and
20 let IT pass.
We come now to the bankrupt bill, purely wing
measure, 10 which Gen. Scott gives his adhesion And
such bill In no legitimate sense OF the word was this
bankrupt law. Ii was merely new mode oil paying
old debts and the easiest mode which devised
for this purpose in any civilized country. The expan.
slons and contactons OF the Bank OF the United States
the inundations OF bank PAPER and Of shnpasers which
spread over ibe country had given birth wild and
reckless spirit OF speculation that ruined great number
OF people The spectators wanted TO pay their debts in
the easiest manner and the wings wanted their votes
This was the origin OF the bankrupt law. 1t ruined
great many honest crediios il paid of great many hon
est debts with moonshne II my memory serves me,
debss 10 the amount OF 100000 900 dollars dis.
charged in this manner. The law, however, from lis
PRACTICAL operation, soon became odious the people
tncy III was stricken from the
statute book amidst the execaons OF the people, by the
very same Congress which had enacted IT, in one year
and month from the day on which il went into effect
And this is the bill for which General Scott declares he
would have voted had he been member oil Congress
Next IN order, come 10 the Bank OF the United
States II General Scott had had the honor of a vote
would have been given for the second bill creating
fiscal corporation"
Surely the General could never have carefully read This
Dill 10 derIson II was termed al the time tie kle-Hy
ing riscallty II was mere SPECTATORS bank, and no
person believed II could ever become law In truth, IL
was got up merely for the purpose OF heating John y
jer and when reported 10 the House. il received ac
cordIng TO The National Integencer, with shouts OF
laughter
II orig a,ed 10 this manner: bill had at first passed
Congress TO Great regular old fashioned Bank of the
United States This bill vetoed by John TYLER
Afterwards, the second BILL kite. nyIng Fiscality :"
was prepared by the wings 10 some portions of Mr.
Tyers veto message, and il possible, render il ridcu
lous The bill was passed, and vetoed by President
Tyler, as everybody oresaw 1t would be. But how Gen
Scott got his head so befogged 10 prefer this thing TO
The hrst bill IL matter OF wonder. venture TO say he
was the only whg the United States who held the same
opinion
This closes General Scotrs confession Of whig faith
and surely il is sufficiently ample and specific 10 Crafty
the most rabld wing in the land But the General had
another string 10 his bow. Ii necessary not only
that he should be good wing Henry Clay but that
he should be something besides, something over aud
above mere whig, IN order TO render himself more
available than his great rival. Hence the concluding
head OF hls famous epstle, which, like The postscript oil
ladys letter., contains much OF the pith and marrow
OF The whole. II IS entitled Secret or Oath bound
Socieues In It he declares, although Mason, that he
had not been member Of a Masonic lodge for thirty
a VIE of ptngtra