The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-08

1852 was in favor OF the Unien. This man the
Cabinet tried to bully into its views. But
Judge Bronson was impervious to menace and
cajoery. He would not appoint free sellers to
Office. A Cabinet composed of honorable men,
however much the Collectors firmncss might
have annoyed them, would never have stopped
to interfere between a collector and the tide
walters and weighers in his custom house.
Not SO Guthrie. He had no qualms of con-
science to overcome. He wanted the petty Of
fees, and forthwith the refractory" officer was
dismissed. This constitutes the third illustra-
ton of the character of the Cabinet.
A very short while afterwards, elections or
nominations took place in five States Of the
Union. The spirit Of the constitution plainly
prohibits the interference of the federal govern
ment in similar contests and up to this time
the rule has been faithfully observed. The
whole of our history does not afford parallel
to the conduct pursued by General Pierce's ad-
ministraton. In the most open and direct
manner it espoused the cause Of the Van Buren,
free sellers here, endorsed the Massachusetts
constitution, and styled it an administration
measured" employed Gushing to write letter
for the purpose of defeating Gen. Foote in Mis-
sissippi took an active part in securing the
triumph of Mcdonald, the secessionist leader, in
Georgia; and threw its whole weight into the
scale of the disunionist candidates in Alabama.
In short the Cabinet determined to have hand
in every State election, in every post Office, in
every custom house throughout the country.
We know what rebuff they received from the
manly independence Of the men Of the North;
but the intention was there, and it is enough to
add another item to our budget of materials
for history of the Pierce administration.
Up to this time, as will have been seen, the
tendencies of the Cabinet as expressed in it's
acts were unequivocally on the side of disunion
It's members had not, however, openly stated
that such was the case. The session of
Congress approaching, they thought mat
tiers ripe for disclosure; they could not
go on for ever preaching one thing and
practicing the reverse; and SO the Union
was directed to throw off the mask, and
to tell the people bluntly that they had been
duped. Astounding as the fact will seem, the
order was rigidly obeyed. The citizens who had
voted for Pierce in consequence Of the ninth re-
solution of the Baltimore platform. affirming the
compromise, were calmly told that they had
been humbugged, and that by private agree
ment among the leaders Of the party it had been
understood that that resolution and the two fol-
lowing ones meant nothing, and were to be re-
pudiated as soon as convenient after they had
done their work. So atrocious an example of
political dishonesty will scarcely be credited
abroad It's occurrence cannot, unfortunately
be questioned here; and it throws world 0
light on the character of the men who were its
authors.
Finally-for we are approaching the present
day-the administration capped its career with
an act which, inexcusable as the others were,
left them far in the shade. 1t brought forward
as its own candidate for the clerkship Of the
House, man stained with one of the vilest
acts of which human nature is capable; one who,
with corrupt insinuations, had endeav ored to
induce his friend to suborn false evidence from
a tipsy man, in order to ruin woman's charac-
ter The Cabinet boldly adopted Forney. and
declared to the world that it saw nothing obec-
tionable in the Forney letter. 1t endorsed the
trade, and made common cause
with suborners of false evidence. This is the
last of our speaking facts.
They will supply the deficiency in the Pres-
lents message with regard to the policy OF the
Cabinet From them we learn that the admi-
listration is prepared to violate the independ
mt rights of the States, and to exercise tyran
1ical sway over the whole country; that it
neither regards personal character nor political
experience as qualifications to be weighed in a
candidate for Office; but that men VIGOROUSLY
ignorant and VIGOROUSLY disreputable are more
likely, all other things being equal, to secure
it's favor than others; that fidelity to the Union
will be, under its rule, bar to preferment,
and disunopism, in whatever shape, claim to
It's regard; that it will promptly repress and
crush out" any symptoms Of honesty or indie
,endence among it's officers; that it will not
sickle at duping the country if anything is to
,e gained by it, and that, having done SO, it will
acknowledge the fact and laugh
It its dupes; that it cares not one straw for
private morality or honor, and would as soon
it down cheek by jowl with One-eyed Thompson
IS with any citizen in the land. Such is the
government of the United States.
rhe Last Financial Movement or the Cabi-
net.
During the first era Of the Van Buren, dynas-
y the politicians, oficeholders, and jobbers
obbed the country Of some thirty millions Of
dollars. About five were taken openly, in
manly, straightforward, burglarious manner
.he balance was pilfered in all sorts of ways,
which have never been thoroughly explained
up to the present time The present admins
tration- which is serving out the second era of
he dynasty-has also some thirty millions to
dispose of, only very small portion of which
las been stolen as yet The balance still whets
he appetite of the members of the Cabinet and
heir friends. We all know how the sight of
cod obarnapo hupoor Thase odd nillions in