Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1853-07-06
A Pierce once Holder.
Er uuo diaeS

man is known by the company he keepa-
This Ia good old rule and in the Of person oil
whom nothing else is known the very best to which
he can DO subjected. Previous TO Gen. Perces nomi
nation, oven his name had never been heard by one
in thousand OF .he people of this country outside
New Hampshire. few curious in marvellous
narratives, may have read ard admired accounts
Of the wonderful dextcrity, which he displayed in
ground and lofty tumbling during his brief military
experience" in the valley Of Mexico. But in genera
terms, he was total stranger to the great body o
the American people. The only means they have
had since his accession to the Presidency of making
his better acquaintance has been his official conduct
and that has consisted almost entirely in selecting in
divduas for official station. According to the char
.cter of these then, will be the estimate they must
form Of him. These his socii his intimates, his
famliars-thc kind Of men, whose morals he approves,
and whose sentiments in accordance with his
II they be men Of disinterested patriotism of useful
talents, Of good morals and unblemishcd lives, and
devoted to the Republican institutions of country
II would argue favoraby for the taste the patriotism
the morals and the Republcanism Of their chief II
on the other hand, they be mercenary Adventures,
disreputable oafcrs Free Sellers Abolitionsts
Disunioniss convicted liars, it would justly give
rise to the suspicion that his standard of morals and
politics was not very elevated
Some of his Cabinet have rather battered reputa-
tons large number of his appointments no.
torous Free Solers-and his undisguised partially
for Dix and the Van Buren, faction, which in con-
junction with the Abolitionsts in as first gave con.
sstency and vitality to the hostile movements against
the South, prove him anything but friend to South
institutions The cruel neglect and knocking dis
psragement with which he has treated the illustrous
sf,t ~ hi,
writ that either his morality is too high theirs is
too low, or rice rersd.
But our purpose at this time was not to 60 into a
consideration of the undue good fortune of all his ap-
pointees, the unmerted usage of all whom he has
sighted. We design merely to select single case
that very strong illustrating the qualities
which find favor in his eyes.
The case to which we refer is that of the Hon.
WIN. j. BROWN, of Indiana-whose appointment to
highly important and responsible post-that of spe.
cial agent and confidential supervisor of the mails in
the Northwestern States, has just been announced.
Rumors Of this appointment have been bruted about
for several months-but they were held incredible,
until now when the official publication removes all
doubt
Who Mr.. WIn j. Brown is is not matter Of con-
lecture. He has performed very conspicuous part
acter upon the page of history. His deeds were not
enacted in corner, or in the dark. They transpred
in the face of the world and preserved among the
imperishable records of the Republic. They were
known Of all at the tine and were of character
not to PASS readily from the minds of mankind 1t
may, therefore, be fairly inferred that the President
in bestowing upon Mr. w. j. Brown an Office of high
trust-in virtue of which he will have unlimited cor.
frOlo the Of
of the Union, designed signify in the most cmphat
&c manner his approval of his moral and political at
tribltes and to give the widest possible proclamation
with respect to the qualities which, in an especial
manner, attract his favorble regards
The circumstances to which we allude occur cd in
the House of Representatives, on the 18th December
1s49 and were Of so shocking character that even
Gen. Bayly's moral suscepibilties were rufied, and
Col McMullcn loudly proclaimed his unutterable as.
tonishment The House was, as 1t had been for neal
ly afortnigh engaged in the effort to elect Speaker
Mr.. VIM. J. Brown had received 112 votes-only two
OF an eection-and it supposed that on the next
ballot, his triumph would be complete Mr.. Stanly,
in making motion, threw out some insnuations Of
m understanding between the Locofocos and Free
Sellers Gen. Bayly repealed these insinuations with
a becoming and most virtuous indignation This
precisely to tie reported coalition Mr. Bayly repealed
1t still more yehemently-and appealed directly to
Mr.. Brown-who responded approvngly to his de-
NAL Mr.. Bayly then stated that he was authorized
to say that there not word of truth in the rumor
A short time afterwards, however, having had con.
versaton with Mr.. Brown, he stated that there had
been q correspondence, but Mr. Brown assured
aim that he refused to pledge himself In less than
half hour after this emphatic and authorized denial
Of any pledge, Brown himself was compelled to read
to the House his own letter 10 Free Soier, writ.
ten two days BEFORE in which he explicitly pledged
himself "to constitute the Committee Of the Judi.
oiary, de-, in such manner Gs shall be satisfactory TO
you and your Jriends"-the Free Sellers. There never
was such an exposure-never a more direct and pal.
psbe conviction Of falsehood Gen. Bayly. over.
come by the development, thanked Stanly and Ash.
mum for making the exposure-and growing devout,
M he proceeded, thanked God that they had been
saved from load Of obloquy.
Mr. McMueu stated, that Brown had that morning
made the to him that he had given no
pledge Mr.. Burt for all the Chivary protested that
htheso facts had been known he would have copsid.
sred request 10 vote for Brown as an insult Other
gentlemen were quite as emphatic, and Mr.. Kauf.
n, OF Texas, coming from a country where they
g aPlnlsehood.
And this man, thus convicted-convicted by him.
self In Che presence Of the American Congress and
In tho eyes ofthe whole world Of deliberate faschood
falsehopd, repeated and persisted in until the writ
40 exposure was forced from him. is selected by the
FssslaeHt for high and delicate trusts
copy from che Enquirer Of that day some com
.,e"'eon the subject and portions Of the debate in
oonstess-conhning The extracts mainly 70 the 70.
ns'As OF Virginia members We choose 70 cow
.0'a 'oe snq'irer, that no exception may be taken
me su'hor'e We ask an attentive perusal Of the
esos'e-and let svery man say what ne thinks Of
sn r'erce and histest Of fitness for Office as exhib.
n'a IN u'e case Of tio Hon. VIM J. Brown. Brown
seonuo.ed har-he led twice or thrice to Gen.
W. Ana ne not only lid himself but he nvepled
Bayiy and others to lie for rim he ala ,bo go -
Col hchullen-he repeated his falseboos 10 ,b, e..
Of The Houee-and this mar. ~ III Al. -, !, :.