Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-08-17
The Administrator and its supporters.

! The New York Journal of Commerce, one o
| the ablest and most influential Democratic paper
in the Union, speaks in the following terms o
President Pierce's policy:
| Sin electing Gen. Pierce to the Presidency, i
was supposed that prominence and influence hat
been given to the national sentiment which hao
so conspicuously trumphed over sectionalism.-
The country did not understand, in electing Gen
Pierce, that the union of factionsts, held together
by the spells, would constitute the Government
and that those who had been conspicuous in CIV
ing controlling direction to public affairs at great
juncture, should occupy only subordinate part in
its machinery. In our Judgment, Gen. Pierce has
gone counter to the public intention, and has COM
mitted capital error We express this opinion
with deep sorrow We have no personal disap-
pointments of any description to avenge.
SHE has been liberal with sentiments favorable
to the national idea, and has bestowed power and
command on its antagonists thus holding out an
inducement for treachery and deserton to the con-
stution and holding it out to the leaders of those
who feeling that they had committed great er-
TOR, ready to return to their allegiance to the
country by asserting to the supremacy of the class
who throughout the contest had shown their abil-
ity to govern. The appointment of Mr.. Sickles,
recently made, intended as an exception to the
general policy, is one of those mistakes which,
under sudden conviction of error, is often COM
mitted The national feeling of the country sick
ened at the display of mere sentiment in its favor,
has arrived at the solemn judgments, that the
President has come short of the duties which
great position imposed, and of the high distinction
which its performance would PROFESSIONALLY have
conferred"
The Journal also admits into its columns COM
municated article, crticsing the course of the ad-
minstration of which it says edtorially that sit
is written with great ability, and represents the
views of most national Democrats here" The
article thus concludes:
"We have thus examined at length the Presi-
dents apology for his course, and we leave the
subject with the remark that if he is satisfied with
his position, let him enjoy it. But taffords les
son which will not easily be lost upon the Democ-
racy. 1t will teach them the Importance, not less
than the honest duty, of standing by those who
have been fully tried, and the folly of running af-
ter new names and new men. 1t will teach them,
too, to look for something more than the candi-
dates certificate of his political principles and
character, circulated under very suspicious crcum-
stances, on the eve of convention, and none the
less so that it protests that his name will not be
before the Convention"
The opinion expressed by the Journal that
Gen. Pierce has "come short of the duties which
a great position imposed, 1--WE have not the slight.
est doubt, is the general sentiment of the De-
mocratic party. great majority of them may be
10th, it is true, to admit at this early day that
they have been deceived in their man, but it is
easy to see that such is their conviction The
lame and feeble efforts Of a portion of the Demo-
cratic press to justify the course of the Admin
istration show that these organs feel sensiby the
weight of the task they have undertaken If they
had only to repel the assaults of the Wing press,
they might easily persuade their followers that there
was nothing wrong going on at Washington, and
that Gen. Pierce had fully discharged the duties
of his position. But when expressions of dis
satisfaction heard from the ablest presses and
politicians of their own party, they may well
despair convincing the people that all is right
Rich. Times.