The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-10-26
HON. LEWIS CAss.

Some time since the Telegraph, which Is noto- |
rious for being somewhat careless as to whether
truth Oh falseh ood goes over its wires, announ-
ced that The French Mission had been offered to |
General Cass, and had met with refusal The
less be true, if the first were. But we have no
hesitation in rejecting the story as improbable
and untrue. Not that we suppose it would be
any insult to tender the French mission to
suggested, bat because it must be evident to all
tina, the Democracy Of the Union have more
need Of his powerful abilities at home, than they
possibly can have at the court of the quasi
French Emperor. There was day when he
,cas needed abroad, and never did an American
more nubly aud admirably fulfill high trust, as
the American historian shall long and gratefully
remember
One by one, our great men pass away. The
calm student who shall in future times trace the
progress of our nation during the last hall cen
fury, will be ready to admit that :" there were
giants ,nthose dsys." How many of them are
nov in their cold and silent graves Cass yet
remains. In some what different sense than
Berkcly meant it, +" Times noblest offspring is
his last
The fortune of Benton may be called I'M
fortunate. OF undoubtedly great and varied
powers as well as weaknesses, his long life is
drawing to a close amid the fierce fight of fac
tons, in whose contentious he has made " his
IA \. r. 60 Il
is the custom among our people to seek English
counterparts for our statesmen. X we were in
clined to initiate the fashion, we might see in
Benton an American Burke A versatility of
genius; never-tiring industry, copiousness
Of illustration in writing oratory, singular
impulsiycncss of character may be traced i'll the
livesof each. 1t is to be regretted, too, that
later circumstances in the life Of Benton too
much remind us OF the mournfal remark CT the
English statesman's candid biographer, that "he
lived too long for his fame"
Gen. Cass was born under happier STAR
Towards the close of an eventful life, his great
name gathers round it the full glory of splen-
dad career, and the fervent love of great peo-
everything else has left no blot on all the Past,
and even without power or place, he would still
be the acknowledged lender of the American
Democracy. While we say this, we are not for
getfal of the canvass Of AZ. We trus. we shall
not be able soon to forget the malignant treach-
cry of one faction and the shameful I" no party
deception Of the other. We shall remember. But
these were bat born for the moment, and no
more indicated the popular voice than does a
transient eddy the sweeping current Of the Mis-
sssppi. We areperiec,ly mindful too, how in
one short year, when The eei1 of Buenavista
had passed away people. in more .obered
thought, reconsidss eeir verdict, and reversed
it, by making Nasional Council, composed
almost entirely Of those pledged to the princi-
Piles and policy of our great statesman.
/ 1t is good to " let by -gones be by-gones," ant
the freside phrase of s.least said, soones
mended' has much reason in it. We do no
intend to speak Of the action Of the Baltimore
Convention of 1852. l,s result was grea
victory, but the causes of that result escap,
no ones notice. Amid all the rejoicing, il was
very easy 10 rec III the celebrated reply Of Ma
poleon to the Congratulations Of Haugwiiz, tn,
prussian minister, after the battle OF Austerlitz
"This is compliment said the victor, "design
ed for others, but Fortune has transferred th,
address TO me-" How far the ill.timed and un-
availing ambition Of new man, contribute,
in the convention, to " transfer the address" lie
the annalist decide.
Gen. Cass has not been President But he
does not need Office to give lustre 10 his name
Pyramids are pyramids in -vsiss. Tlsough de-
feated in "a, and not nominated ia ssASs ne y
not the less the head and front of the Crane
Army Of the Democracy. To him. in his defeat
nlsy be applied with the most perfect truth, tn,
6ne comparison Of Bailey;
s.-The thunder bolt which rushes downward,
Is nobler far than any fire which soars!"
This is not the place, nor are we the fit com
mentators to depict the character and trace tn
influence of that great man. But the futur
historian, linking cause with effect, and free
from the partisan feelings of our day, shall tel
on his ripened page. Of the Scholar, the Orato
and Statesman. who by diplomatic action, equal
wise ndbold. effsctualIy guarded the interes,
Of great nation abroad, and how in her nationa
councils, he eminently assisted in guiding he
safe through the whirlpool Of domestic dissen
sion and the storms Of faction at home. 1t vii
then be shown how, catching the spirit Of tn
best days Of the Republic, he propounded doc
trines equally at variance with the insane actiy
ity Of Red Republicanism, and the inertness Q
Conservatism, and FIRST pointed out the pat
which leaves its glowing marks in the refusal o
the Tripartite Treaty and the Koszta letter.
is course Of which we may say, sic ,tay a,
astra, and for its development, more than t
any other single cause, we are indebted to tn