Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-02-05

j. L.
agent in that section of the State.
svIn recent debate in the United States
Senate, Mr.. Borlaud, of Arkansas, took occasion
to speak of the Wing party as miserable mi
nority." In reply to this, Mr.. Underwood, of
Kentucky, said:
II shall turn the tables upon him by few
plain facts, showing that his party is exactly in
that situation. Now sir, how many votes did
Gen. Pierce receive Look at the tables which
have been published, and you will find that he
received less than 100000 How many voters
are there in the United States? Sir, for ether
purposes applied at the Census Bureau to as.
certain the number of free white males over the
age of twenty-o one years, and found there were
in 1850. the date of the census, upwards of
q, SOC, 900. You have, then, less than Que third
of the voting population of the United States,
who elected the candidate of the Democratic
party. Aud yet, we are perpetually tainted
. with the declaration that we, the Wings, have
| been overwhelmed with defeat and that you, the
. Democrats, arc ina triumphant majority. Thus
the Democratic party contrive to make a tranm-
| ahaat majoritq by electing their candidate with
the votes of less than third of the voting popu-
lation of the United States. Such is the state of
facts. Sir, you might get every electoral vote,
provided you could get a majority of one In the
popular vote in each State in the Union-and
of State-I say you might get every electoral
vote those of one State, and yet be in con-
siderable minority of the people of the United
States. rose to state these facts, and to show
this boasting party, which isso Constantly taunt-
ing US with being in miserable minority, that
when the amount of support which it received is
compared with the whole voting population Of
the United States. that party occupies the very
position which it SO constantly attempts to assign
to u.s.
The fact that the Wing party has twice in the
last twelve years elect ed its candidate for Presi
dent furnishes a sufficient refutation of Mr. Dor
lands assertion that 1t forms only "miserable
minority of the American people. There il
probably but little difference in numerical strength
between the Wing and Democratic parties prop
err. Of that class of persons in our country VIII
read and reflect and who entertain fixed poiti
cal opinions and prejudces it is probable that q
many are enlisted on one side as on the other.-
But there is another large class who do not beon
strictly to either party who swayed to an
fro by every passing breeze and whose votes i
Presidential elections influenced by tn
circumstances of the hour. These are the per
sons who hold the balance of power between tn
two great political organiza lions of Union
and that party which is fortunate enough to Sc
cure their support is sure to triumph. Thes
men do not vote with reference to preconceive
notions, but array themselves temporarily unde
the banners of thu party which happens to occu
by the vantage ground in the canvass. The fla
grant corruptions of the Van Buren, administra.
ton and the disastrous effects of its financial pol
icy on the business aud prosperity of the coun
I'll Jx,o
their opponents in the campaign of 1910. The
great facts of the day, and the excitement of thu
hour were in our favor and the bulk of thos
voters who were unfettered by the ties of party
allegiance, and the pride of political consistency
naturally fell into ourrauks, and the consequence
was that the Democracy sustained an oveI-
whelmning defeat. 1t was the union of what il
called the floating vote of the country with the
Wing vote, and not defections from the De-
rnocratic ranks, that accomplished .ha overthrow
oil Mr.. Van Buren,.
In 1914 the tab,es turned upon the
Wis., The prejudices against Mr.. Clay, which
mad been is'tilled into the popular mind by long
continued misrepresentation and calumny, Of
iectuay cut him Oil from all hope of supper
from The class OF voters Of which we are speak
ing. lie great statesman OF kentnciy' ~os' U
all the men in this Union .,e least cacu lated II
command the floating vote of the country. But
to say nothing of this, he occupied the unpopular
side of the most exciting question of the day
the Texas annexation question. The no party
men of that time all went for the acquisition oil
Texas.
In 1913 the Wings entered the field under
propitious circumstances and consequently
experienced better fate. The splendor Gen
Iayiors military achievements had dazzled al
eyes; his we'll earned laurels were fresh upoI
his brow aud the noble simplicity of his characte
strengthened the hold which his warlike deed
had given him on the affections of his country
men. Moreover his opponent Gen. Cass w,
known in war only As the hero of surrender, an
in peace only as an inveterate shuffer and ca nj,
ocater on important public questions. The cor
trast bstween the two men was too striking NJ
to operate seriously to the disadvantage of th
latter in tie eyes of the neutral voters.
In respect to the last presidential election II