The true Democrat., 1856-09-16

So Rufus Choate goes for Buchanan! Upon the zeal of those Know Nothings who were lately whigs--those sOAigs that claimed to be leaders in the party--and who, as all whigs did, looked upon Rufus Choate as becon-light of the first magnitude-this decision of his will be the heaviest damper yet They might have consoled themselves with the persuasion that such men as Jones and Watkins, of Tennessee, and Walker, of Alabama, etc., were aspiring politicians hunting the streng side though that explanation would be rather discouragiug consolaton-but Rufus Choate, they know hey teel that he is statesman in the most con- prehensive sense of the term-who had pledg- ed himself before the altar of his country to SUD- port no man for the next Presidency whose prin- clples did not keep step with the music of the Union." These cratic gentlemen, I have DO doubt, feel as if they were left out-a hundred miles frem any place, in the bleak cold wea- ther, with the bag to hold. They have an aw- full foreboding that the first thing they know they will kno,v nothing sure enough.
 The truth is, Mir. Fillmore is not tue man he is |" cracked up'' to be, as is sometimes the case with other men. Circumstances have conspired to place him before the public in a favorable light; and as generally happens in such cases, he has not sustained his reputation. Mir. Fill. more happened to be President when some ve- ry important and exciting public measures were under consideration. There were, at the same time, in Congress, belonging to both the great palitical parties, a number of the most able statesmen the country ever produced, and they agreed, by way of compromise, upon the terms upon which those questions should be settled, and Mir. Fillmore or any other man in his po- sition, with ordinary capacity could do nothing less than acquiesce in their decision. Then there were certain lines of duty to be observed with regard, in certrin contingencies, to our for egn policy which every President finds him. self bound to pursue, notwithstanding the po- pular clamor of his friends before he took office may lead people to believe lie would do other has sworn to uphold leaves him no choice of policy in those things. It is said that Mir. Fill more proved himself to be a national man- SO did Mr. Corwin as one of his cabinet min- isters In fact as have before in effect stated the conduct of men while discharging the du- ties of the highest executive offices in our go- vernment affords but poor evidence as to what their principles are. Banks, Campbell or Hale as President, with regard to their decision upon those plain constitutional points may be trust ed, however distasteful 1t may be to them as northern politicians, and however it may seem to conflict with their antecedemt professions The same Is true with respect to ultra south. ern statcsmen-n such cases as making efforts to carry out the constitutional provision with regard to fugitive slaves, putting down fiibus- tering, etc. ltis to their efforts mantested when they are untrammellcd with the great respon- abilities of those official stations, that we must look for their real proclivties. Mr. C,rwin and Mir. Colamer were rabid free-ssilers be- fore they became cabinet ministers s-whle oc- cupying those relations they seemed to be na- tional men; since they have left office they re- turn to their free-solism.
 The circumstance which, more than any other, broke the Fillmore charm, spoiled all his acquired dignity and dissipateA the a,oe with which he had inspired his admirers for his character, Was his putting on the Know N oth- ing "cap ant beNs," the grips and signs, the oaths and all the mummery of the order, which was an extremely loa0 graie of politics for one of MT. Flllmorc's pretentons to go into. Whilst he was in the line of secret orders he might have took another step--into another secret or der, without doing much greater damage to his glass and have "seen himself as others see him."
 Many of Mir. Fillmore's parizan friends who countenanced Know Nottingham, and who had not half the character in the public estimation for statesmanship he had-had too much self respect-placcd too just an estimate on the act Ito go into the solemn bufooncry, and they are careful to have 1t kuown-Mr. Bell, Mr. Clayton and others take care to state that they do not belong to the order. Yes, this move oi MT. Fllmore's into the order of Know Moth ingism made the national portion of his admir- CTS stare at each other with conferences that said as plain as countenances could say, with out speaking" are sold."