The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1853-11-14
Incompetency and Weak ness.

Incompetency and weakness.
En- the course of un editorial in Fridays
Journal the following remark was made, and
in Saturdays Enquirer quoted with COM
ments:
"Less than nine months Of Frank Pierce's
term have expired, and he has succeeded in
nothing so we'll as in convincing the people
of his incompetency to discharge the duties
Of the Office Of Chief Magistrate.
The Enquirer takes an eccentric method
Of proving that the President is fully compe-
tent, by giving the results of several State
elections held during the past six months
Admitting that the Wings were badly beaten
in some States, as they most emPhatlcaily
deserved to have been, for their lukewsrmness
and negligence, yet we cannot see Tor the HE
Of US, what that has to do with President
Pierce's competency or incompetency. when
the present administration had not given to
the world a single measure belonging to or
peculiarizng itself-when it had not origna'
ted nor adopted any particular polcy-when
it had distinguished itself for no single act,
but had occupied in pretty much oil things a
negative, do nothing and dare nothing posi-
,ion-we are at q loss to know how these
elections could be taken as decision Of tie
people or Of any portion of the people on the
merits of the administration, much less on the
competency of the President. Perhaps the
Enquirer is luxuriating in secret information
not belonging TO the public, and perhaps this
was only an urtlul dodge to escape the real
issue.
Certainly our President has had abun.
dant opportunities of exhibiting himself as
something else than mere party puPPet oc.
cupying the Presidential Chair. He has had
abundant opportunities of proving himself
eient--an hundred occasions Tor signal
izing himself as in some great degree the
man for the place-but we would ask of the
Enquirer, for information as to anything he
has written, said or done, that might no,
have been as well written, said or done, by
any other lawyer ofonly very ordinary ability
We spoke of his inc5mpetency, however,
in connection with The recent difficulties be
tween members of his Cabinet and different
State factions, in which by the letters Of
these gentlemen, he was directly involved.
He has exhibited weakness probably worse
than mere incompetency. He has permit.
ted himself to be made tool of, by those who
should be his adv isers. He has permitted
two members of his Cabinet, at least, TO use
his mama oxnraas onipiops apI hi.,ato
ton in his name, and thus has been crimina-
ted to two directly opposite positions, either
OF which he might not honorably occupy a:
President of a people, whatever he might q,
President of party. He appears to have
lost all sight Of national affairs, to give biz
personal supervision, through certain Secre
taries, to State factions. He has degrade,
the high position he occupies, more honorable
than monarchial thrones, to dabble in Stat
politics; and lost the respect of those VIII
were earnestly seeking to cultivate an affec
ton for the man, who, however undeservedly
occupied the position of Chief Ruler of tbi
potency or weakness. There should certain
ly be some word in the English language ,
signify his unfitness for the elevated plac
he so unfortunately occupies, and probabl
we have mistaken the word.
Succeeding an administration so admrabl
and dgnifed in every particular, and so poi
ular with the people, as that of Millard FIJI
more's, the weakness and inefficiency
President Pierce, is probably more apparen
At all events, from some reason, there neve
was a President OF this Reptile more palpa
bly, untitled for his position than this man =
Even the press of his party, who have alwsy
heretofore tied themselves in hard knot
the skirts of party and of the party's Pres
dent, have not been able to remain Quie
and we have indeed felt called upon to con
pliment our amiable neighbor on his irdepei
dence in this very particular. We begin
think, however. that his independence ";
all a sham, and We have lost confidence in
already. 1t would be too blessed a virtue
aLocofoco paper, to be of long endurane
QTThe play of Uncle Toms Cabin is e:
citing immense attention at The Nation
Theatre, New York. 1t is attended by hui
dreds of persons Of the strictest piety-sye