Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-08-29
From the knickcrbocker.
a.aiI,hiIitx in Ca ndidatc rs for The Pre- Sideuc Z

From Knickcrbocker.
Availability in Candidates for The Presidency
Nature and circumstances have done much IL
the wav of availability as candidate for the pre-
sid,ncv for Samuel Houston. The probationary
state he went through to attain his present ex-
empary character rs statesman and either
was a irving one. lie has been dou.ly proved
and refined in the crucib!o Of experience. His
early life was dissolute and abandoned in the cX-
trerc. After he became Governor of Texas even.
there was Il shamelessneSs in his intemperance
and an indiscree disregard for the propricties Of
life, which have seldom been equalelby any pub
lie man of SO prominent standing III the country
His conduct of course exposed him to the severest
animadyersions, and no other public man probably
has met with more determined opposition, or en-
countercd tercer attacks and more bitter sar-
casms and invcctive in his public career, than he.
After passing through this ordeal, he comes ont a
moral reformer ana polished gentleman. The
most flstidious and exJcting. we believe, can
find no fault with his private character
His lectures upon temperance are said TO be i'm
pressivc and effective in extraordinary degree,
and the great ami beneficial influence he ex"rts in
favor of that cannot be easily oyerrated.-
Gen. Houston is one of the handsomt st men in the
Senate, mot quite so good looking rs Everett.
howeyer.) His figure is tall and commanding,
and he is exceedingly dignificd and graceful in his
Department. lie never loses his temper. but is
always calm, cheerful. and courteous. Taunt
:,nd inucn Toes from Foote, such rs unhn"ed the
senatorial dignity of Benton, Gen. Houston used
10 reply to with Il bland serenity Of manner and
gOod-natured Righteousness which covered the
mischicvous Footr with rldicuc. The struggles
Of his cyen!ful LIE have contributed much,
bici!v. 10 give HIM command OF temper,
and Indifference To TRIES, not easily shaken
The excess and proiiigacy Of his early life, whom
rontrasted with the irrcproachable conduct of his
later wears. Will have the effect to increase his
a. a for the
Very few mon. we presume, reach middle age
without having more or less youthful indiscrc
tons to be sorry for. IL man who has been
guilty OF very great ones is cevacdto high places
in spite of THIN, others feel that they receive their
pardon from the world for theirs at the same
time he receives his. On the contrary. if q nan
finds himself incapacitatcd for high Office in con-
sequence Of previous shortcomings in rcctitudc
and morals, others feel that the world extends
the same rc5ukc to them for similar dclnquencies
There Is, too, certain admiration in the masses
FOR a man whose passions strong some
times to lead him to break through wholesome re-
.yraintS, and commit errors which hc afterwards
rcpent~. 1t is deemed an indication of head
strong and m,'nlsi,c spirit, more frank aud gen.
crous than prudent and circumspcct. They look
Tor nothing heroic in the whose prudence
and discretion never forsakc him. The ungovern-
able bursts OF passion of s. Old Hickory were
drawback upon his popularity: and the suggcs-
ton Of General Taylor to Captain Bra@g. that he
should make the Mcxicans donation of some
thing exactly the opposite of Paradise, (althouch
the story is said to be wholly untrue,) we are in
clincd to think it procured him more votes than n
hundred politicians could have Influenced by cx-
patiatIng on the soundncss of his polit zeal views.
There is host of salient angles in the character
and career OF Gen Houston to hang popularity
upon and on the whole, we inclined to think
that he is chock-full of availability cand-
date for the presidency.
We will next examine a little into the qualities
for availability that the Little Giant possesses.
We make Seward wait until the last because we
know he Will do it with much polite patience.
blandncsI, and gool-naturc. Seward feels as
well assured Of his position, and is such perfect
gentleman. that he would never think Of feeling
impatient and irritable under either real or i'm
aginary negccts and Sights.
We do 40. possess many facts III regard to the
history of Senator Douglas. lie is said, however
not to he very high cultivated man, but to be
:. an original genius"
II is much -mootcd question, whether a rcgu-
lir education tends to cramp the intellect. AMI to
lcrrcss orr ginaltv, not. Those who advocate
the ali native side of it. we suspect are the min
GRITTY, il not in numbers, ut least in talents and
requirements. AS respectable and conservative
IN authority as any know among this sup
posed minority, is Lord Jeffrey. In II review of
the works of Franklin. is we'll known. he took
the ground that regular education is unfavor-
able to vigor Of originality of understanding !:
md he defended his position with all that acute-
ness OF discrimination, and kecnncss and force Of
logic, for which he was 80 distinguished. Ex-
;.mpieS can be produced to support any theory.
but no more striking ones en- be Afforded in IA
'Qr OF the Affirmative of the question. than Ben
llmin Franklin. Alexander Hamilton, and John
Marshall. We are Of thIt number. however.
who do not believe that Il regular and hi.hlv-in
ished educatonis amy drawback to the originality
of genius. We believe, with Lowell that
after polishing granite much as YOU VII.
The heart kce.s itS tough ID presidency Sill
We very much duubt If Senator Doucl:s re-
ccivcd from nature more acutc and comnrchen-
siye mind than Seward or Everett and we feel
very certain that he wishes he had rs much cul-
ture rs they have. There is. however. in the life
of vicissitudes that the ''Littlc Giant has led
much capital for availability, although much less
we suspect. .hau sold San Jacinto" possesses
Others beside pesaemona Ike a man better for
having been through strange and rough adven-
lures: and great men who in the course of their
lives have met with severe hardships and adver-
sites. and have borne up stoutlv-against them,
possess. in these circumstances, elements OF pop-
ularity for which no genius or requirements can
well compensate.
In early life. we believe, Senator Douglas
worked AT some trade, but by the force of char
acier and genius, he broke through all the tram
1nels ana restraints of poverty and humble life.
and placed himself beside the greatest in the lard
He is in consequence more identified with the peo-
pie than regularly educated man. = His working
ut n trade when yorng. and then becoming Pre-
sdent afterward, would be throwing another
bridge over the gulf that separates the wood-saw-
Yer from the presidential chair. The association
of Van Buren's ma ne with cabbage raising or ven-
ding. we have no doubt did more to elect him
pres deat. than his recommendation for the o.fce
from h,' Industrious predecessor" The Little
Giant, We believe, has been subject to occa-
si9nai irregularities of con duct, which, whether
7hey would cootuce much or no, ;o his populsr;:v.
We are not prepared 70 saw
We a.c Inclined 70 think a. 4 matter ~ nol,cv