New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-04-21


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OUR TERMS
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President Pierce Ills Coup d'Etat-
To conduct successfully q compromise Admin
istration, demands either the very highest de-
scription of character and talent IN those en-
trusted with it, or rarextraordinary conjunction 4
which will draw the popular attention and criti
cism from the acts and bearing of individuals to
the consideration OF eseHts Of mnch greater inse
rest and Importance, Even our greatest Presi-
dents have found ii necessary to present GONE
salient points, to attract popular interest and
engage popular sympathies, in order to avoid
the seontents and disparaeements which must
always surround those having large patronage
to bestow. Atub must be thrown to the popular
whale, especially by the Executive which comes4
into power by coalitions and compromises, that
involve sacrifices and personal preferences
There is a natural tendency in all those whp
have had to make these sacrifices, to view
such an Executive with distrust, and seize the
first occasion Of jnstifying the original sagacity
and wisdom which had to be coerced into sub
mission to party necessity and political COM
| promise
Such are the embarrassmenta of compromise.
Administration. Take what course it may, and
hosts Of enemies will spring up against it, How
10 conquer these enemies is the great question
which perplexes the minds of our most sagaeious
old politicians. A man of vast intellect, and
national renown Of established greatness, may
| maintain himself serene and confident amid all
these clamors and difficulties Even if his
| course be not in accordance with the popular
tendency, the respect and admiration enter
tanned for his capacity and character viii
secure him, ultimately, a POSITIVE victory, or at
| least, respectable exit from his embarrass-
ment. Clay, Webster and Calhoun have more
| frequently resisted than concurred in the pre-
valent tendency Of our people--they have been
reviled and denounced on occasions, but still
| their influence was greater than that exercised
1 by any other politicians in our history, and
| they leave names which are held sacred in the
memories of the people. This result was due
to their great characters, and to the popular
esteem for exalted abilities The people will
excuse errors in great minds. The spots on the
sun are soon forgotten if ever observed But
place mediocre, inferior talents, amid the clam
or and difficulties which at varpions periods in
their career have surrounded these distinguished
| characters, and but a short struggle will ensue
before the waves of oblivion will whelm the hap
less adventurer 1t is the old story Of Phaeton
| fiery coursers of Ph9bus.
4 These observations will suggest their applica-
ton to all our readers. Franklin Pierce was
nominated President by the dominant party as
a pis aiier, party necessity. His personal
| character, modesty, and the circumstances of
his position, enlisted in his behalf great deal
/ of popular sympathy and kindness The people
had grown tired of old names, and painted for
something new. Pierce was their toy and diver
tisement for the hour. But toys soon grow
/ wearisome, and unless available for some prac-
1 tical end, are apt to be discarded and thrown
| aside. Besides this natural tendency Pierce
had to meet great issues, upon which divisions
of his party were irreconciably dscordant He
had been chosen under hollow truce, which
would be kept until the distribution Of patron
age commenced. As soon as that took place, it
would have demanded much greater abilities
than Pierce ever pretended to, to suppress re-
bellion and aliay feuds and dscontents And
so, indeed, it happened; the old factions were
revived as soon as the division of spoils commen-
ced both parties contended for the supremacy
and the President, honesty keeping the pledge
which he was elected, became the object Of
the hostility of both. Compromsers and Free
soilers were alike clamorous and violent against
him. Hence the virtual failure of the Admin
| istration at the first session of the Congress
elected to support it.
The only measure which could be regarded
as a test of the strength of the Administrations
the Nebraska bill, q measure SO just, equitable,
and necessary in itself-has been sent to the
tomb of the Capulets, and its very discussion
has produced a clamor and opposition at the
North which threatens TO throw the Admins
tration into hopeless minority. Even treaty
securing for the country most valuable terri
tory. and also rights of more value than iceland
obtained, has been placed in great peril if not
actually defeated, by an opposition which, in
rtn .t,,,N foo1, 41u,n Al. A
tion, appears to be identical with that of the
Anti Nebraskaites These factsindicate grow
ing weakness, rapid decline, which must be
arrested promptly, or the Administration will
soon be placed in condition of irremediable
imbecility. How is this to be effected: how
may President Pierceredeem himself, his party,
and his Administration, and regain his popu-
larity! 1t will never be done by any halfway
measures, by any compromises; it may be done
by some decided and brilliant act, some coup
d'etat, which will arouse the national feeling,
and draw the minds of the people from domes.
tic broils and the quarrels which politicians ex-
cite for their own advancement, to matters
wherein the people are certain to stand harmo-
nions and united. Thus it was the compromise
Administration Of Polk was saved, and instead
of sinking under the influence of political fac
tions and intrigues became conspicuous in our
annals for the brilliancy of its achievements
and the grandeur of its results
| The Mexican war was the great Panacea fol
the evils which began to display themselves in
Folks Administration. Pierce has an even more
brilliant, and far less hazardous opportunity O
achieving like results, and thereby relieving his
Administration of the present embarrassments
and the consequences of domestic factions. ant
of rendering it one worthy to be associated witt
| the glorious eras of Old and Young Hickory
That Opportunity is now offered indeed, it i.
urged upon our Government and people, by
events that are constantly chiding our dilatori
ness and timidity. For years past Cuba ha.
stood before the eyes of our people, q ripe pear
ready to be plucked. The interests of humanity
Of civilization, and our own political and nation.
al interests have constantly demanded the oc-
cupation of this Island. Why has this act OF
plain and evident expediency and of selfpro
lection been so long delayed? The answer is
evident. The fears and intrigues of temporary
politicians, who are always o long distance in
the rear of popular tendencies, and who live
by keeping up the old issues and petty disputes
into which the people fall when their minds are
not engaged in great questions involving this
national honor and advancement, have alon,
prevented some decided movement towards tn,
consummation of this desiderated object
As Pierce has little or nothing to expeetfron
these politicians, he would display the highes
political sagacity, as well as true national feel
] ing, patriotism and sympathy with popular i'm
pulses-to say nothing of other higher nationa