Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-02-12

tency hare injured his prospects for the Cincin-
natl nomination.
For ourselves, if we had to say who Of all
Northern men most deserved the nomDa
ton by efficient service, we should award it to
the fearless Douglas but if we had to say who
most merited it by personal heroism of charac
ter, we should accord it to the glorious old
Dickinson.
We have said these things of Messrs Douglas
and Dickinson in no spirit of disparagement
towards Mr.. Buchanan. We have been more
marked in our declarations of admiration for
those gentlemen, because we feel bound to say,
that, policy considered, Mr.. Buchanan seems to
combine more CT the elements Of success in the
next canvass than any other Northern man.
There is no contest between the friends respec-
lively of himself and Mr.. Douglas, or of him
self and Mr.. Cass. With the great Douglas,
untrammeled by a nomination, and active in
the field advocating Mr.. Buchanan with all the
ability of his intellect and warmth and elo-
| quence of his nature, the Northwest will be
safe. With Douglas canvassing in the North
west with the ability belonging only to himself,
| and which makes his name legion wherever
| he goes, we cannot conceive more eligible
selection on the score Of availability in the
Northern section of the Union than that Of Mr..
| Buchanan. His nomination would secure
| Pennsylvania. He has had no part nor lot in
the Hard and Soft controversy in New York,
and it is said he would unite the whole conser-
vative vote there and carry that State with
ease. While sound and acceptable to the
| South, on the Nebraska question, his absence
from the country during the agitation of that
subject, prevented his taking any active part in
the Nebraska agitation; SO that, it is thought
the conservative vote throughout the North
could be more readily and universally rallied
upon him than probably upon any other states
man of first rate rank and abilities in that sec
ton of the Union. 1t must be confessed too,
that Pennsylvania deserves much of the Demo
cratic party of the United States. How often
has she decided the victory in our favor? How
often has she led the North as Virginia has led
the South and, arm in arm, and shoulder to
shoulder with Virginia, pushed on to victory
and to glory. In the recent elections of that
State, how CALAMITY did her Democracy, imitat-
ing the recent example of their brethren in
Virginia, rise in might and righteous anger
and curse the cohorts of Know-nothingism.
And yet, Pennsylvania, which has secured so
many victories to the Democracy of the Union,
has never had President, or even, we believe,
a candidate for the Presidency. AS to old
| Buck himself, we confess we have had weak
ness In his favor ever since the celebrated docu-
ment which emanated from the Ostend Con-
ference saw the light-a Partially that was
only enhanced by the shabby treatment which
the authors of that pepper received from Mr..
Marcy. Thus, laying aside all personal pre-
ferences and partialities, a calm review of the
field at the North leads us to conclude that
Mr. Buchanan combines more of the elements
ofsuccess that any other Northern candidate of
| pre-eminent talents and reputation. And here
we will just observe, that the selection of third
| and fourth rate men is policy not fit to be
| pursued by the Democracy of the Union.
We have not considered the claims of Mr..
Pierce in connection with those of other North
ern candidates, because, we frankly confess that,
entangled and complicated with Cabinet in
which, as whole, we have never had confidence,
we do not feel capable of doing him justice
Individually, we esteem and respect Mr.. Pierce !;
but, as part of dynasty which has destroyed
the Democratic party in every Northern State
and would have destroyed it in every Southern
State, if our people had been capable Of being
diverted from the supporter their cherished prin
cipes by any misconduct on the part of officials
we confess, frankly, we cannot regard with
| much partiality, at present, the mention of his
| name as a candidate for a second term. The
| nomination of him over other Northern men by
| Southern procurement and itcoud only bedone
L
be seriously and permanently prejudicial to De-
mocratic success-would seriously hazard the
longer triumph Of conservative principles of that
section of the Union. If the North WILL in the
Convention, declare for Mr.. Pierce, then his nom
ination could be seconded with propriety and
| prudence by the South but, If Mr.. Pierce is
thrust upon the North by Southern votes, we
should consider our success in the election most
imminently jeoparded. In his messages and Of
tcial papers it cannot be denied that Mr.. Pierce
has enunciated, and that with emphasis, very
oundtheories and safe constitutional principles.
Let the North decide whether the practices of
his administration have been in conformity with
the declarations of his State papers. That is a
subject on which we ourselves prefer to be 81
lent.
We shall reserve our reflections on the hypo-
thesis Of the candidate being taken from the
| South for another occasion.
l CONGRESS- AND THE QuEg.