Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-09-23
Labor Lost.

1t does seem to us that very many Of our cotempo-
Taries. both Democratic and Wing. expend at times
much useless labor in the discussion of the policy of
President Pierce; useless. because arising out of
issues acts which have not received the sanction
of the President far, norare al likely to do so
in the future. The affair of the Pac fc Railroad is
in point. A great deal was said about This, which,
in fact, issue point in the Presidents poll
cy. The recommendation of any direct govern
mental interference with IT, or the creation of any
vast governmental corporation for the purpose of its
construction, would be opposed to the known prin-
ciples and antecedents of the President and long
since gave expression opinion to this effect =
We need hardly remark that such is now the known
state of The case, although at the time we so ex-
pressed ourselves. it simply deduction from
known premises. Again In the matter Of arpoint-
ments to Office the President has, of course aimed,
as much possible at doing away with the factions
which distracted the party; and, in his efforts to do
so, has Known no tests of faction wing sought
to go beyond the Baltimore platform and the COM
promise Misunderstanding these the basis of
organization, and an adherence to, and support and
maintenance, of them The essential, and the only
essential qualification, SO far the ional diff
cules intended to be settled by them are concerned
and all his appointments whatever the antecedens
of the apponte2s may have been, have been found
ed upon this consideration. As we have before re-
marked, ii would be nonsense to expect any mere
man, depending as he must upon the information
of others. to make, in all cases. the very best posi-
bic appointments This would he to require some,
thing beyond human power. But that the attempt
has been made and generally with marked success
few but fictionsts will deny that adherence to
the sectional Observation-Disclosures things being right
has been required, is susceptible of proof Where,
then, would ask. is the ground for all the attack
and defence with which the papers TEEN? Now, as
regards Mr. Dix, whose rumored appointment as
Minister to France has long been kept back and
may never take place. all who know anything about
the matter know that the want of publ, open
and authorized adherence to the compromise. Fngi
tive Slave Law included has lain at the bottom of
the difficulty, and without that, the Presidents de-
termination to oppont no man of so much prOmi-
hence to so responsible Office has been immovea-
BILE. How far Mr.. Dixs letter to leading citizen
ofGeorgia, which seems to have been satisfactory to
the States rights of that State, and to the
Charleston Mercury may place him rectus IN curja,
cannot pretend to say. at first, it would certain
ly have been sufficient to remove all difficulties, and
even now few would impugn Mr.. Dixs motives in
replying a direct call made upon him in regard to
matter in which his name had been used against
the Democratic party in the election pending
in Georgia. for it is worthy of remark that in
the wars of scurrlity and detraction which have
dsgraced politics in New York. Mr.. Dix's personal
honor or character has never been attacked-even
where his public course has been most blameworthy
Things must take their e, and be judged
when kn0wn-not be condemned in advance and if
candor would require this much from political oppo-
ncnts of the President, how much is it incumbent
upon his political friends Durable and influential
contemporaries of the Richmond Enquirer and
Charleston Mercury will, hope. not resent the
liberty take in commencing these desultory con-
sderalions to their attention. And above all things
we do hope that the Washington Union will not a.
gain deem it necessary, in its defence of possible
Presidential appointment in the person of MIR. Dix,
to aim side blow through it's correspondents at q
gentleman universally and deservedly popular at
the South as Daniel S. Dickinson. Ifthe Union had
really designed to injure the it advocates, or
the act it would defend. it could not have hit upon
Il adrot expedient.