The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-29

ing upon the heels Of General Harrison clam
orous and ravenous for the spolls." Old Tip
fell victim to his tormentors, and the great
whig harvest was nipped in the bud by Captain
John Tyler. He vetoed Mr.. Clay's bank bills,
was read out of the wing church, and was left
no other resource than to set up party on
his own account. This he endeavored to do
in the division Of the spoils;" but the ludicrous
failure of the Tyler Convention, at Baltimore,
in 1874, may be proftably remembered as illus
trating the contemplate weakness Of an admin
istration which may attempt to put in for the
succession upon the paltry capital of party of
ofice-holders.
The administration of Mr.. Polk was compare
lively brilliant and successful Excepting the
fighting line Of fifty flour forty" the Baltimore
schedule upon which he was elected was faith
fully carried out. But there was scarcely visi-
bic in the Baltimore Convention of 1913 the
slightest inclination to run him again. He was
dropped without ceremony or apology-and
whys Although he did as well, perhaps, as
could have been expected he had not satisfied
the democracy in his distribution of 1.-THE spoils."
So they could not entertain the idea of his re-
nomination. The outsiders could not be ap-
peased short of new shuttle and cut, and
a new division of the plumber all round
The New York barnburners, especially,
were Indignant and without forgiveness for
the appointment of Marcy as a member Of
the Cabinet and we find the same man now
equally obnoxious in the Cabinet to the hunk
ers. Is it not remarkable that this elderly
gentlemen, who contributed so much to the
breaking down of the democratic party of New
York. and Of the whole country, in 1S4s, should
be selected as the man of oil men best adapted
to reunite its discordant materials in 1853?
But, again. the administration of Gen. Taylor
furnished the most pointed rebuke to the spoils
system Of anything in the annals Of federal po-
litics. He was not party mamie would &C
cept nomination from any respectable party
he was wing. but net an ultra whig. But more
to the point He did not believe in party proscrip-
ton. He repudiated the idea of turning man
out of Office on account Of his individual politi-
cal opinions as monstrous heresy. wholly in
consistent with the teachings Of the early ia
theirs Of the republic. Upon this platform Gen.
Taylor was elected. The HERALD supported
him, for we believed him honest; and the good
old man was honest. He tried to carry out his
anti-proscriptive policy. He could not do it,
He was borne down by his Cabinet and the out
side pressure. He was bewildered-he was be-
trayed-he sickened and he died. But the work
Of prescription and of Galphinism sealed the
fate of his faithless ministry. They were
expelled by their own party in obedience
to public opinion. Such was the melan-
choly administration of General Taylor. 1t
had promised to bring back again the era of
Monroe-the 'era of good feeling;' but it was
proscriptive without any previous example, ut
terly reckless of the public money, and the
people would not have it. They whistled it
down the wind.
Mr.. Fillmore, on succeeding to the White
House, had but small margin left him upon
which to exercise his benevolence. The Offices
had been nearly all distributed; and yet in the
few dspensations of patronage which he made
he created an incurable fracture in his party
Let the votes of New York, Ohio and Pennsyl-
vania, in the Baltimore Wing Convention of
1852, answer upon this point. Very true, the
Compromise was the question; but the sore
place in New York was the displeasure of the
Seward faction at certain executive appoint
ments, such as a few triding deputy postmasters
and the like.
In the policy promised as contrasted with the
policy pursued by the late Taylor and Fill
more administration, in the distribution of 'the
spoils," we have the plausible apology for the
course adopted and carried out by General
Pierce. The wings felt that they deserved
the severest retaliation = they expected it
they have got it, and much good may
it do them. But a practice which in
itself is wrong can never be justified as
duty of retaliation. The plan of cementing
and holding party together upon the adhesive
plaster OF the spoils" is at best but sorry
delusion. And we are afraid although the pre-
sent administration has broken no promises of
mercy to the wings, that it will reap but few
thanks and little profit from it's official appoint
ments. The pabulum does not hold out and
there is inevitably much disappointment and
ranking discomfort in the party. 1t must be
so. 1t cannot be otherwise.
Gen. Pierce may have no other resource than
to distribute his favors to the extent of his
means. But the policy of thus reconstructing
the democratic party from the remnants of the
late ultra factions of the North and South may
well be questioned. In any event there is no
safety, no security, no reliable adhesion in 1.-The
spoils." A wise. energetic and popular sys-
tenn of measures connected with our domestic
and foreign policy, is all, in fact, that can save
this administration from falling into premature
decay. Experience is wise teacher. Her
lessons should not be lightly set aside
Important Movement for the Glory of New
York-Great National Instit ution.
A meeting Of our leading sarans and merchants
was held yesterday in the private of Grnnel,
Minturn & Co., in South street, which is destined,
perhaps, to have a most important Influence on the