The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-10-21
TIL E r EP U BLIC
WASHIN GTON:


pcct.
The pending contest will soon be ended
Practically, perhaps, it is already over, and ,
whether lost or won. is now beyond the reach
or need of argument and eloquence. The pen
and tongue have done their work, and nought
remains but to reveal the force of its issues and
to concentrate their results.
With the case as it stands, the Wing party
have every reason to be satisfied. Their can
dldates not less than their principles gain i'm
mensely by comparison with Those of their
opponents, and suggest grounds of hopefulness
and zeal too numerous and too strong to tally
with any thing beside success. To cherish
doubt upon this point is to impeach the intelli-
gence, the judgment, and the gratitude of the
American people.
Of the merits Of the Democratic nominee for
the Presidency it is difficult to speak with be
coming seriousness-so utterly al variance are
they with the characteristics properly pertain
ing to the representative of great party.
Nominated in part as a General, his friends
long ago consented to abandon all title to dis
tinction as growing out of military service
AS statesman, he has no record beyond that
of his presence in both branches of Congress,
having no name as an orator, as an author or
exposition of great ideas, or even as the possess
sor of more than an average of practical talent
His votes were an almost unbroken range Of
Nays, prompted by rigid partisanship, and of
character which his most reckless advocates
dare not now defend. Such an one could never
have received the suffrages of convention in
which national interests, principles. or feelings
preponderated. His nomination was the result
of an accident, involving the sacrifice of the
great men Of the party, and indicating more
plainly than words the sectional character of
the influences which controlled it.
The subsequent course of the Democratic
leaders has been in perfect keeping with this
proce eding. Their platform, adopted under
doubtful circumstances, has been repudiated in
two important particulars by their own ad-
herents in Congress. Indirectly, though not
less certainly, its Compromise declarations
have been nullifed by the open and avowed
formation of an alliance between factions whose
policy is inlmical to the maintenance of that
series of measures. The Compromise Demo-
Gratis are silent members of the party-outvoted
in conventions, outwitted in maneuvring, by
Secessionists and Freesoilers. Deduct the
strength which these factions lend to him,
and FRANKLIN PIERCE would be unable to
make decent show of strength in any State
Of the Union.
In nominating WINFIELD Scorr, the Wings
gave effect to the wishes of a majority of their
own number, and paid tribute to the character
and services of one who knows no party except
as type of the honor and interests of his
country. Having faith in public virtue and
they believed that the occasion
required a known and tried man-not one de-
void Of recommendation except the supposed
availability which springs from the public g
norance Of his character. In this respect Gen.
eral ScoTT was presented as the antipode of
the nominee of his opponents. The excellence
of his character and his ability to undertake
the highest civic duties were like his military
servces-known to all men; and needed neither
certificates nor romantic laudation to impress
them upon the mind and heart of the country.
Great as General Scorr's merits and claims
are, they form but part of the
ground on which the Wings rely for success in
the contest. They present their principles as
the basis Of a policy adapted to American
rights, interests, and duties; and upon that
policy, as the measure Of their usefulness, they
seek the popular verdict. They invite sup
port as the party most thoroughly devoted to
the building up of American industry and the
development Of American resources. They
regard republican freedom as but half achieved
50 long as we are inundated with the products
Of the pauper labor, and are made to pay tri-
quite to the mammoth capitalists of Europe.
They look upon the growing greatness Of the
West as an incentive to exerton in behalf of
improvements which can only be undertaken
by the General Government, and which are
to Western progress and pros
perity. They believe that the enormous addi-
tons that have been made to our territorial
wealth render expedient change in the man
agement of the public domain, that East and
West may have an equitable interest in pos
sessions purchased with the common means of
both. They believe, further, that in the
present aspect Of our foreign relations, Wing
policy is best calculated to preserve foreign and
domestic peace. They deprecate the dema-
,ogism which would plunge the nation into war
10 subserve the interests of faction; they pro-
lest against the course Of those who, to crafty
ambition or to promote corrupt ends, are ready
% rush upon crusade for conquest, at the cost
# peace with other nations, and with GER
ainty that that conquest whether East or West,
North or South, will revive throughout the
Mon the bitter and the perious issues from
which Wing administration has but just re-
eased US. The Wings allege that, while ever
to vindcate the honor and to assert
he rights of the Republic, they desire to curb
he lawlessness which demagogues are ex-
,iting in our midst, and as far as possible to
maintain peace and amity with other powers.
IN all these points they challenge investiga-
ion and comparison. They have no sym
athy with party which under the guise Of
)em ocracy would encourage foreign industry