The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-05-31
THE NEXT PREsIDENT-THE PROGRESS OF
OPINION.

"The National Era of this week has long
and elaborate article on the present state of
parties, in which it reproves the Ecening Post
for having spoken kindly of the position which
General Houston occupies in regard to the
| question of Slavery, and construes what we
! said into declaration in his favor a candi-
date for the Presidency of the United States IN
the next election. "-Ner York Erening Post.
We are not aware that we reprored the Post
in the article alluded to this was not our pur-
pose. AS one public journalist, differing from
another on what seemed important question,
we frankly expressed our dissent, without in
tending to censure anybody.
The Post expresses surprise that we should
interpret its articles on General Houston, as
recommending him for the Presidency, or i'm
plying purpose to sustain him for that Office.
"What is praiseworthy in his political course"
it says, "what is liberal in his political senti-
ments, We hope We may see and commend,
without being suspected of desire to make
him President" In all that the Post says of
the propriety of discriminative praise and GEN.
sure, of commencing in public men what is
commendable, and condemning what is blame
worthy, without regard to section or party, we
most cordially concur and we accept the
Posts disclaimer of an intention to bring forth
or recommend General Houston as fit candi-
date for the Presidency. But, we must be par
doned, if, like many others, we were led astray
by the language of that paper. at is hard"
said the Post, last March, "to name another
cho has not so Thoroughly identified himself
,cah one party or the other, an the late Slavery
controversies, as to hare parted soith the adrian
tage phich, IN the present state of the country,
belongs only to a neutral; to one who can do
what the people wish done upon that or any
other subject not only without reluctance, but
cheerfully, and with conviction that it is best.
General Houston, we believe, has left the i'm
preston upon the country that he occupies such
a neutral position, and that he has no political
esdsss CT EaSaaees 60 he wishes s ID The
country" Having thus singled out the Gen.
eral as occupying almost alone this advantage.
Gus position of neutrality, it added: "Me North
'c'H require nothing more cfa future candidate,
as regards the Slarery question, for the Presi-
dency, than this attitude Of neutrality; ii viU
Meier again be content nth less."
This seemed to US equivalent to saying that
he was about the only one who could be SUD-
ported for the Presidency-certainly, that his
position would be satisfactory to the North.
Some time subsequently, recurring to the
subject, the same idea was presented in an ed
itorial, alluding to the General as candidate
tor the Presidency and specifying his peculiar
advantages:
" But the chief recommendation of the Gen.
eral, in our view, is his announcement of a com
nonsense policy on the Sldcery question-a
policy achich as truly National-and the onlv
one on 'ohich the people Of this country, North
ana South, can permanently unite--the policy
Of liberation No man is more exempt from
Abolition a6nities than he; no man better rep.
resents Individually the acreage Southern no
lions Of the rightfulness Of Slarery, as aoas
sho'cn IA has late discourse an Boston, Nor is
he under the necessity of clearing up his posi-.
ton to satisfy either section. All the conces.
sion that he has made to the North, if conces-
sion 1t may be called, is, that under his Admin.
istration the Executive Department shall not
be diverted from its legitimate business to serve
the propagandists of Slavery. A more striking
illustration of the liberality of the North. con-
sidering the aggressioh9l which they have suffer.
ed, could not be produced, than the fact that
they are content with an implied assurance of
this kind"
If, in constituting such remarks, repeated so
emphatically, into declaration in favor of
General Houston as a candidate for the Presi.
dency, the only candidate on whom North and
South could unite, we erred, the editors of the
Post, on re-examining their language, will, we
are sure, think the error quite natural.
But, to leave this point, we have a word or
two to say on organization Our friends of
the Post remark:
"Of political organizations we make far less
| account than the National Era. We regard
them as sprnging naturally from the state of
pubhc sentiment; our duty is to aid in forming
that sentiment rightly, assured that when once
strong conviction of any kind has taken pos.
session of the minds of the people, they will in
some way express it in the elections"
We presume there is no difference of opin-
ion between us as to the power of /" Organiza-
tion." Mayors, Members of Congress, Presi-
dents, are elected by organization. 1t is an
instrument social beings cannot dispense with.
Under system of free thought and free suf
frage, great questions will give rise to differ
ences of opinion, and opinion, to be effective in
legislation or administration, must operate
through organization. Practical men, who
have opinions which they deem of paramount
importance, will hardly content themselves
with talking them, while they leave others to
form or strengthen organizations against them.
Theorists, dilletanti DISCLAIMERS, crying out,
7" Great is Truth, and it shall prevail" will
contine themselves to talk, glad to shun the
responsibilities of action. But the editors of
the Post believe in the application of theory
TO practice. Abstractions need organization
to give them body and life. What would Dem.
ocratic ideas of finance and trade have been
worth, if not embodied in legislation and ad-
ministration- how could they have been
SO embodied, unless through the machinery of
organization2
The Post was stanch supporter of the
Democratic party, when it fairly and honestly
represented the questions it held to be of para.
mount consideration. Those questions have
been for the most part settled--at all events,
superseded by the great issues of the Slavery