Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-08-29

ton offers too much for an article, however
gratifying his bid may be to the sellers, it is apt
10 iniure his credit with the mercantile community;
so we think Mr. Douglas may have injured his
credit with those not directly benefited by the
proposed sale: which class we believe to com
prise the whole human race.
We don't know how great sacrifices diherent
men might deem the Presidency worth making 10
obtain. but creeping through too many low aven-
ues to reach il, would seem to be attaching a
very enormous value to it,
Tho life of the distinguished Illinois senator is
not wanting in variety of incidents: but he has
met with no startling adventures:
.No disastrous chances,
q. M, Ing accidents. by nood and field,
such as the great Texan can boast.
William II Seward has come 70 nts Of resem-
hI,rra w;.h three of the distinguished men whose
lives and characters we hive SO hastily touched
upou. Like Everett, he is an elegant and pro-
f6aul scholar with greater love for meta
u,ys:cs however, like him, too, he has filled
prom. n.nt places in the country from boyhood;
ike Houston he is the free and-eas haii-feiow-
wel-met. bland end atlabe gentleman, with eve
rs one he meets. Like him, too. ne never loses
his temper. is always calm and cheerful. and par
tculariy polite and courteous to his opponents
When. in the coarse of events, it used 20 become
his turn TO be made 4 victim to snappish IN
situations and Paul Pry hints as to the motives
of his con iuct BY the high minded and dignlleu
Footc, he smiled oomplacenly upon the common
petty tormentor while the inhiction lasted, and
bowed gracefully at the close of it.
There is no link in the chain connecting M
! H. Seward with tn, human family that is II non
conductor Every ink in it will ,ibrate to warm
and generous impulses. 1t is common remark
| to hear applied to Il man who takes we'll with the
multitude. that she knows how to play the dema-
gogue.'' The man who is not popular with the
masses, does not know how 10 play the .iema-
gogue. The fault, however, is not IN the BRAIN,
! but in the heart. .'My friends, cure yourselves
of cant'' 1t is nature that makes man what
is called demagogue; and without a liberal
! contribution from her Of good-nature and animal
spirits no cunning contriyances OF his intellect
will avail much.
What sort of spectacle would William Pitt
or John Quincy Adams have made, playing the
demagogue at a husking frolic or turkey shoot
inc? TO play the demagOgue well, man must
have strong, hearty and earnest sympathy with
his fclow-man and every look, every express
sion Of the countcnance, every motion OF the
body. at once tell people whether man has that
sympathy or not. Chesterfield was a very be-
nevo!en, man, or he never could have been so po-
lite q Ora for, one has sad, ''pOiiteneSs
is benevo!cncc in little things" Seward has
three invaluable qualities statesman, IN Meth
er of which. we think, is he supposedly any 9th
or man in the country: prcscience, sagaclty, and
command Of temper. These qualities all con-
duce largely to availability, although neither
Jackson Harrison, nor Taylor had one of them.
These men had more comprehensivcncss of heart
than of intellect and hence their great popularity.
The world finds it very hard to forgive man the
possession of great talents united to ambition;
but genaitv Of nature and wide ranging sympa-
thies do much to obtain that forg vcness for him.
Seward possesses these qualities, and so does
Van Duran, although in a less extraordinary de-
gre, than Clay did. But the latter lacked the
command Of temper which the two former are
celebrated for.
1t is amusing to observe in what different lights
the world looks upon the same actions in different
individuals. "Dorset can do what he pleases,"
said Wimot: she is never in the wrong" We
suspect if either Seward, Houston, or Douglas
nd been caught in that imperfect condition OF
the toilet that Scott was Oh the Ono, ana mad
spoken Of the circumstance in the same way he did,
it might have added to their popularity; but We
think it detracted from Scott's. We would not
be guilty of supposing that Mr.. Everett could
have made of such an expression, for the best
pair of brooches the city would afford.) What
ever ridiculous scrapcs the good-natured, free
d-easy Nell Gwynne was detccedin, she always
made fun of them, and every body laughed wiM
her about them. When the more prim and stiff
ladies about the court were caught in awkward
situations. Gas they often wcre,) every body
laughed at them. a prudish old maid reaches the
corner of IA street in high wind, and all of
sudden finds her skirts blown up over her head
Forcing them down in passion, she makes q rush
for store Or an omnibus, and looks Indignation
and defiance at all within sight. A young and
blooming widow, for instance, meets with the
same mishap; she quietly pushes down her skirts,
smiles goodnaturedly, and continues unconcern-
edly on her way.
IL the heads of Houston and Seward happen to
be cnveloped in skirts by sudden political gust,
they arc guilty of no unscemly haste in pulling
them down; and, instead of being irritated by
the affair, laugh it of with apparent gnsto.
We came near, little way back, pulling Mr..
Samuel Weller rather unccrcmonously on to the
stand from which we were examining the condi-
ton Of certain famous racers, previous to their
start upon the course. We think the presence of
Mr.. Weller can be made scrviccable in still farther
illustrating the peculiar tastes and dispositions of
the distinguished gentlemen whose characters
have been considering. If he should be introduced
to Mr.. Everett, in his magnificent library in Bos-
ton, which Mcssrs. Putnam and Company have
given such fine engraving Of, i'll the 8 Homes
of American Authors he woudno doubt receive
Il kind and cordial welcome: but we are inclined
to think that Mr.. Everett would be a little uneasy
from an apprehension that Sam. mi ght spit on the
cirpct, sit asride his chair. call for ''a pint of
half and half
But if Sam. should he unexpectedly introduced
into the Senate of the United States while Houston
happened to be descanting, for instance. on the
State debt of Texas, he would leave the debt to
take of itself, On course of proceeding. BY
the way. not wholly unprecedented in some States
of the Cnion,) and rush upon Sam, throw his
arms around his neck as the first salutation. and
his fidelity to the temperance pledge would UNDER
go vc,y severe test, if he could refrain from
taking SAM off, and having "a convivial time.''
If Seward happened to be cxpatiating on the
higher law. Tor instance. when sam. made an uli-
expected entrance into the Senate chamber. he
would leave the higher law to take care of itself,
Ga thing, by the way, that good many statesmen
are in the habit of doing.) and go forward at
once, without stopping by the WAY to get a pinch
of snuff of Bcrricn, and give the younger Weller
a hearty welcome. Douglas would be likely to
be II little jealous of Sans fame and would
take an carly opportunity to insinuate that he
WAS not much ahead Of a good many facatious
Young men on the hat-hoats Of the Illinois and
N ;S>inpi.
In forming our estimate of availability. we have
considered rough-and- tumble'' career as one
of The principal Ingredients CT which it is CON-
posed. And if It be true that
..Ire that hath baa,aed with stern Adversi.y
Best knows 10 shape his to favIrins sfeezes,
Houston ana Douglas should always have wind
in their sails and if the latter should occasion
ally have Il superabundance he is so skilful po-
litical navigator that there would be no danger
of his coming upon his BEAM lends.
1t is by no means imp obablc that the votes
at the next Presidential election may show that
our spcculations on availability are worthless
The "many- headed is nrovcrbially curious
and unreliable monster II elected Polk over
Clay when the former had Motive have no time