The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-08-25
The Presidency.

we nave been favored with the following
extracts from letters addressed by gentlemen
in VIRGINIA to their friend in this city, touch
ing the Presidential election and candidates.
1t is remarkable, as one Of the writers sug-
gests, that General PIERCE alone, of all the
prominent Democratic candidates, omitted to
reply to Mr.. Scorr; and it has been said that
this omission was the result Of generalization;
that it was the result of a scheme, and not
OF an accident. This we believe. We doubt
if it was intended that this correspondence
should ehure to General PIERCE's benefit; but
the General had the sagacity to be silent, and
thus avoid all manner Of positive committal
against Freesoil or Secession. We think that
gentlemen concerned in the plot intended and
expected an answer from General PIERCE;
and were disappointed. In the Republic of
the first of June we suggested that the letter
Of Mr.. SCoTT was designed as regular "dead-
fall" to kill off at one blow all the candidates
then before the country, with view of bring
ing new Richmond into the field, and we
said that success was likely to attend the en-
terprise. We supposed and intimated that it
was trick which the Richmond Junto sought
to play upon the Albany Regency, and that
the benefit of it would probably enure to Mr..
Mason or Mr.. HUNTER.
The rationale of the movement we thus ex-
planned. 1t was obvious that large proportion
of the Northern Democrats would not vote for
an advocate Of the Fugitive Slave law. The
Richmond Junto, having an eye to man Of
their own, had determined, by new cate
chism, to commit not only "Old Fogyism" but
"Young America" also to this measure, and
thus to kill them off by alternating the northern
wing of the party from them. BY this process
it was rendered almost certain that no one of
the responding candidates could command the
vote of two-thirds necessary to insure the no
| mination. "rhe coast" we continued, "wil
thus be left clear for new and uncommitted
candidate; and after the old stagers shall
have exhausted themselves by worrying
each other, he will be introduced, and
under such circumstances that there ,cilt
not be TINA TO catechiSe him. But, as
6 he will be Southern man Of the POk
school, it will be taken for granted that he is
sound on the Compromise question; as he is
| of tho State Rights class, he will DO orthodox
in regard to the resolutions Of 1873; and as
he has enjoyed the favorable regard of Fan
Buren,, he will not be obnoxious to the disci-
pies of the northern man with southern prin-
cples! He will thus, in the opinion of the
Richmond Junto, unite many elements of
success, and amidst the noise and confusion
Of turbulent convention, he may be nomi-
mated without questioning as a Compromi Sc
candidate, or as candidate on whom the con-
vention can compromise. This is certainly
an ingeniously -contrivcd plan, and by it the
party may yet be able to dodge all COM
initials, and the candidate of the Richmond
'Junto bear Of the prize :"
The result, we think, demonstrates that we
were right i'll our general idea, but that by
General PIERcE's silence it was rendered a
drawn game between the Junto and the Re-
gency.
The candidate scas nominated at the time
and under the circumstances we anticipated.
He was Democrat of the Polk school
| orthodox on the resolutions of '0S--pericctly
acceptable to the VAN BURENs-bqt was not 4
Southern man, being only Northern man
with Southern principles.
But we have detained our readers longer
than we intended from the letters of our Viz
ginia correspondents:
| GENERAL scorT-THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN
VIRGINIA.
Extracts Of Letters from Gentlemen of Virginia 10
u friend in Huntington, dated Virginia, du-
| gust 81.
! Gas Mister PIERCE would never have been nomi-
| mated as President had he not been general in
Mexico, we have considered an investigation into
his military exploits fair subject Of inquiry We
| Of tho South. who have scarcely ever heard his
name mentioned before his nomination, and may
DO regarded az having known nothing of his his.
tory, look with suspicion at the certificates pub
shcd about him by strangers to us, under the i'm
preston that the dispatches OF his commanding
oficers and such certificates as do not come from
reliable witnesses, or those that contradict each
| other on important points, have not yet gone to
| the extent Gas far | Gun discovery That any one
| crediahle witness has ccer seen General PIERCE
exposed to the fire OF the enemy.
| al see cause, however, - question General
PIERCE's courage; bit see evidence Of his hav-
ing rendered any service his country by his share
in any battle in Mexico, or by any civil service.
| Chow different is the case with General ScorT!
He is national man, and his iamc belongs to the
| whole country. II cannot DO assailed without
wounding the honor OF the nation We kno,D him
to be n of the highest honor, Of unimpeached
integrity, of the purcst morals, Of high order o
talcnts aud one who has done the State more SER
vice than any man now living. These facts are
established by history. Neither letters ccrti
fcatcs arc required in behalf of General ScoTr
He may spurn all the abuse hoapod upon him thai
malice can invent. To the insult put upor
him by the Democracy of the Senate, Genera
sooTT might reply somewhat like the great scIprc
on kindred occasion: This is he month of tn,
anniversary of Churubusco.'
"Supposea Wing Senator had suggcsod an inquiry
about the payments made to General JACKSON
Has lie not been pnid much more oU OF thu
National Treasury than General SCOTT has been