The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-06-07

O00OCFhCy aou AitoFAfy Moh-
Among the late foreign appointments made by Presl.
dent Pierce, notice the OF two gentlemen well
known in the literary world as scholars and writer's
Nathaniel Hawthorne. of Massachusetts, consal TO Law
srpoo and Donald G. Mitchell, OF Connecticut, consul
TO Venice. We glad 10 these marks OF oHical
favor bestowed upon those who have won high
and honorable place in American literature for they are
certainly deserving OF H. Authors, general thiDg,
not noted for possessing superabundance OF this
worlds goods and their pecuniary circumstances are gen
orally far from being easy desirable They are not
usually gifted with the art OF acquiring money in very
eminent degree by their unadrd exerlions aud,
unless they are placed in positions almost certain 10 re-
suit in pecuniary prosperity too often condemned to
life OF poverty and literary drudfery Nothing is more
certain than that pecunary dependence upon The whms
OF book publishers and sellers has injurious effect
upon authors. who, order to attain the highest emil
nence the Loble profession OF letters should be able
TO follow the beat OF their own genius and ncinaons
without being feered by their wants 10 the composition
OF works that shall panaer 10 corrupt and vated TASTE
simply because larger pecuniary cons dsfaton can De
realized from their sale al the present time. lie who has
made any valuable cfedabe contributions to Ameri-
can literature has conferred great benefit upon the
country ard public official distinction bestowed upon
him is not inappropriate national reward.
The democratic party has been much more liberal
in the distribution of patronage to literary when has
been in power than lis wing opponenprObaby LOT Inc
reason that nearly all Of those who have acquired any
distinction in literature have been democrats We
cannot recall al the present time the name OF any dis
nguished whg writer; and certain il is that the great
est American poet, VIM. c. Bryant, the greatest Amer
can novelist, j. Fennimore Cooper, and the Creates,
American historian, George Bancroft, all thorough
going democrats, and in 1914, when party lines were
most strictly drawn, they supported James H. Polk Tor
President against Henry Clay, then the Embodiment Of
wing principles Mr.. Bancroft filled two high positions
in the government during the administration OF Mr.
Polk, being Secretary of the Navy and minister 10 Eng
land and Mr. Bryant is the di,Or OF the New York Eve
ming Post one OF the ablest democratic papers in the
country Mr. Paulding, another of the stars in Ame-
can literature Secretary OF the Navy during the
administration OF Mr. Van Buren,, and Is democrat of
high standing and influence. MIR Hawthorne, we be.
ieve, held position in the Boston custom house during
the administration of MIR. Polk but removed from il
by the wing administration of General Taylor Mr..
Neal the author of Charcoal Sketches" which
sidered by good critics be equal those inimtabe
productions of Dickens called the Pckwick Papers,
formerly democratic editor in Philadelphia. Mr.. Mitch
ell, the lately appointed consul TO Venice, is known 10
thousands of his countrymen ak Marvel" in that
popular book, the Reveries OF Bachelor, which has
been very generally admired excellent work OF its
| Kind.
American writers, appointed minister 10 Spain by
John Tyler after his administration had assumed de-
cded democratic character, and think he is also
democrat in his political opinions The party in favor OF
equal rights and the greatest liberty TO the can
point with pride 10 the literary talent il has in its ranks
and when it is in power it does well bestowiDg some
of it's official lavors upon that class of its supporters
There be but lille sympathy between the literature
of the day, which is generally liberal in its aims and
dencies and ncucaes the docrne OF human progress,
which upon the and bgoiry OF the past and
is aayed in favor OF reform, and political organization
like the whg party, welded to the unfolding of all poit
ca mistakes and abuses, which takes hopeful and
encouraging view of the future, but looks It's approach
with little fear OF its consequences The fact that
nearly all of the who have any distinction in
our literature have been members OF the democratic
party attached TO its principles. is excellent
menary upon that false and arrogant boast, sometime.
made by opponents, that they enjoy monopoly oil
the intelligence of the country; and they should be oc
casionalIy reminded of il. il will have tendency to
lower their ridiculous pre,ensions in that respect.