The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-03-08

that the respective districts should not each
select their delegate, is Of no force. The argu-
ment that il was to secure the union Of the en-
tire State delegation in the Baltimore Conven-
Maryland and Virginia and in the South as all
sufficient. And, besides, il seems that Messrs.
CAMERON, DAwsoN, FRASER, BREWSTER & Co.,
so hostile TO Mr.. BUCHANAN in Pennsylvania,
were soothed, and conciliated, and satisfied, by
the nomination of WILLIAM Starlight as Canal
Commissioner, he being good CAss man. 1t
is believed, since those proceedings, by many
heretofore in doubt, that the nomination of
JAMES BUCHANAN as the Democratic candidate
for President by the Baltimore Convention may
be regarded as a "fiXed fact" No other can
didate can bring into the convention strength
equal to the votes of Pennsylvania, New Jer-
sey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia. aud Ala
bama, all of which States are certain for him, as
his friends say.
Under these circumstances, we shall take
pleasure in presenting the country with such
expositions of his political course and character
as we can find among the writings of his
political friends, and among his own writ
ings. And in this connexion, in redemp-
ton of the pledge given in its February
number, we call upon the Democratic Re
rie,c to aid us in the enlightenment of the De-
mocracy of the Union. The Democracy of the
South may perhaps by this means be enabled
to conjecture why it is that every prominent
southern candidate for the Vice Presidency is
at this time in Mr.. BUcHANAN's favor. The
Democracy of the South may also be enabled to
guess the motives of Mr.. BUCHANAN for art
fully blinking in his recent Baltimore letter any
reference to his opinions as 10 a protective
tariff, to national system of internal improve
meat, and the system for the improvement of
rivers and harbors, and why he did not avow
his opinions on the subject Of land retorm-the
distribution system or the railroad donation
system. He voted for the tariff of 1912. 1t
was understood that he was opposed in 1916 to
the WALKER tariff then adopted, as were some
Of his friends in Congress. What all his senti-
ments and opinions are now he keeps to him
SELF The prominent themes of his letter were
his military services in 1914, in going with a
Lancaster volunteer company to Baltimore after
the British invaders were repulsed, and the
peril that overhung the present prospects of the
Democracy. That his fears are not idle we
admit With such endorsements as the DEM
ocratic Rerier and the Harrisburg Keystone,
both leading and efficient Democratic organs,
Mr.. BUCHANAN ought to have no fears for the
Democracy, except that they may fail to select
the right candidate.
We annex an article from the Harrisburg
keystone, an orthodox Locofoco journal.
MIR. BUCHANAN AND THE SOUTH.
The Savannah Georgian, and some other south
ern Democratic papers, express decided approba-
ton Of Mr.. Buchanan's views of the SID very ques-
tion and say that ''his has been altogether
too southern-that is to say, too just-to make him
acceptable to the North for the Presidency" They
thus regard him a martyr to southern rights,
and, as a natural consequence, some sympathy is
manifested in his behalf.
We are sorry that our southern friends have
fallen into such grievous error. Mr.. Buchanan's
opinions upon southern rights would not probably
lose him vote in Pennsylvania. There other
reasons why the great body of the Democracy OPP
pose him; why he can never get the vote OF the
State; why he can never be elected Presidents and
why it is manfestly improper TO obtrude his name
before the Democracy Of the nation for It's support
We regret that there are such formidable objcc.
tons to one Of our most prominent citizens; but ss
they exist, VIC cannot but regard it a duty, at
time when Presidential committals are being made,
A.
Democracy is this due, that prevailing misappre-
hension may be removed, and that they may esti-
mate in some degree how far they could rely upon
the new born zeal for southern rights protested by
Mr.. Buchanan, were ne elevated to the Presiden-
cy. 1t lie also well to feel the ground under feet
in so important matter as the selection Of Pres
idcntial candidate, examine the vulnerable points
of asprants and see what our opponents can truth.
fully say of them after their nomination.
In the fret place, Mr. Buchonan's political life
has been remarkable, principally, for fcklcncss;
insomuch. that here in Pennsylvania his opinions,
pro tsmpore, carry with them very little weight.
To illustrate on subject peculiarly interesting at
this time: He has lately planted himself on
Missouri compromise line, and has become very
decidedly opposed 10 the Frcssoilcrs. At the time
the Missouri question before Congress, when
the nation agitated Ivy the conflict, and the
issue was in doubt, Mr.. Buchanan offered the fol-
lowing resolutions at public meeting in the city
of Lancaster
"Resoiued, That the Representatives in Congress
from this district be, and they hereby most car
nesty, requested 90 use their utmost endeavors,
members of the National Legislature, 90 prevent
the existence Of slavery IN any OF the Territories
States which may be erected by Congress
"ResoiUed, The. in the opinion of this meeting,
the members OF ,,ngresJ who at the last session
sustained the cause Of justice humanity, and pa
triotism, in opposing the introduction Of slavery
into the State then enGcayored 90 be f6rmcd out Of
the Missouri Territory, are entitled 10 the warmcst
thanks Of every friend Of humanity"
In a letter to the Central southern State Rights
Association Of Virginia, written April 10, 1851,
Mr.. Buchanan speaks, with becoming rcvcrcpcc,
Of old republican ErnciE'ss; the Virginia platform
Of State rights prescribed by the resolutions Of 795
and '99, and Mr.. Madson's report, &c. In a 9TH
of July Grafton delivered at Lancaster Just after
the close Of tho last war with England, Mr.. Il.
styled Mr. Madison "a man who preferred bis pri.
vnte interest 10 the public good'-callcd his policy
"timid and time.serving," "wenk and wickcd''-
in tho 49,, aAr,f,{s