Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-07-19

were the majority, but parayZed oy the two thirds
rule and cheated and out-manoeuvered in the pre-
lminary steps on which the result may often be
made to depend, by the old intriguers who had
everything "cut and dry" for the occasien--COm-
mittees packed, officers fixed, rules prepared,
platforms drawn up. Ii not until ii came to
the dead vote that they stood for anything. Then
they gave their votes for Buchanan; but the minor
ity held veto upon that nomination in the nulli-
fcation two,thirds rule, which was invented to
able the minority to govern the majority; and that
game so successfully layed before, was intended
to be played again. That was the inside of the
Convention; the outside presented different spec
tacle and one to gladden. the patriotic heart Tens
upon tens of thousands of the yeomanry of the
country kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and other States)
were there-farmers, mechanics, merchants, pro-
feSsiona men, patriotic in their spirit intent upon
the public good-and come to prevent packed DEL
egates from betraying the people. Fifteen hun-
dred, they told me, came from one district in
Ohio to attend one of these ecamps, struggled in
by the administration officials; and they did gov
ern hm-made him toe the mark, and vote the
will of the district; and of many others. Seven
ty thousand was the estimate of the number of
these patriotic citizens; their weight Of character
was still greater than their numbers. They were
for peace-peace at home and abroad-and for
Buchanan as the best chance for saving this peace
They expected the nomination to have been made
on the second day; il was delayed until the fifth
by the management of the minority, who had the
working of the machinery, and STAYED off the BUSH
ness; but the farmers would not be tired out
They would not quit the ground, expensive as it
was to remain at their cost and to the neglect
of their private business, while oficehOlders were
all on public pay, aud neglecting, not their own,
but the public business From the first, Buchanan
had the majority on each ballot fourteen times
successfully. An adjournment was had, and the
utmost anxiety prevailed on the subject of what
the night might bring forth. The most sinister
rumors prevailed; it was clear that the old game
was to be played-the majority bafied, worried,
tired out; and then some pet, held in reserve by
the old intriguers, suddenly produced as the COM
promise candidate. The majority in the Conven~
ton and still more, the many ten thousands Of
good citizens on the outside of it. determined
that that game should not be played; and the re-
solution was taken to defeat it by a decided STEP
1t was resolved that if the minority persevered in
this game the next day, resolution should be Of
fered declaring that Mr. Buchanan having received
the majority of the votes, duly nominated ac-
cording to the democratic principle that the major
ity govern; and to proclaim him accordingly
This was the determination, and the balloting open
ed on Friday morning in way to bring that deter
mination to the test. Mr.. Pierce withdrawn,
and his vote of sixty, which would have nominated
Mr. Buchanan, was given, not to the majority but
|
game was to be played out-that Pierce and Dougs
las were in concert and that the majority were to
| be defeated
The excitement became immense. Several bal.
| lettings were had, when the inside commotion and
the outside pressure became irresistible. Douglas
was Withdrawn, as Pierce had been, and Buchanan
was nominated in a hurrah. 1t a complete
take in to the ofice-hoders Especially those from
Missouri, who intended, if they could not kill of
ala IN vnta fOrh laet
when voting against him would no longer keep
him down-crossiDg over like the Saxon army at
the battle of Leipsic deciding the fate of the day
and claiming for reward their own continuance in
office The sudden explosive nomination irustrat-
ed their pan-put an end to the attempts to kill
off Buchsnan-and left the trimmers without the
merit of saving him. But they could not give up
the chance for the spoils, and shouted oudest and
were the first to run into the streets and proclaim
his nomination; and will be among the first to des
mand reward. The defeat Of the Administration
has been complete and overwhelming, and of the
most Notifying kind. 1t is a defeat by his own
party, a Reputation by his own friends. No Pres
ident seeking a second election has ever been so
repudiated before. Several, SO seeking have been
defeated by their adversaries, but has been
defeated by his own party. the elder Mr.. Adams
defeated by the Democratic party then called
Republican; the younger Mr.. Adams was defeated
~
by the Wings. But each of these gentlemen had
the consolation OF having preserved the respect
| and confidence of his own party. Not so with Mr..
Pierce. He is repudiated by those who bad exalt
| ed him. After four years trial, he is condemned
| and thrown away-the victim of his advisers Ii
| IS the most humiliating termination of public Ca
| reer that ever Witnessed. His whole vote was
some sixty-Only five dozen out of near three hun
dred; and if from these deducted the intrusive
| inh tn ha ad If III
oice-hoIders, the packed delegates, the straw del
| egates, the members of Congress, and the compli
| mentary votes which were begged for him to les
| sen the shame of the miserable defeat-if all these
were deducted, as they ought to be, he would be
left without single vote-left to go out as he came
! in; with the unanimous consent OF his party. What
! fate for a man who came into Office upon twenty.
seven States, with two thirds OF each House o.
| Congress, aud the united Democracy Of the Union
After all the result was due the place where the
Convention WAS held. If it had been in Baltimore
! where the outside pressure would have been OF
the other side the oihce-holders would have car
! ried the day. Let it not be forgotten that tn,
! place governed the nominatiOn-the place conVen.
lent to the solid men of the country; but that can
not be relied upon to save the future nominations
! The old intriguers-the permanent professional
| President-makers-w not be caught in such a
| place again. They will 90 where the farmers can
|
amendment Of the Constitution, and giving to th,
! people direct vote for President. Already il il
! reported that they 60 next time TO Charleston, S
! c.. where no western farmers can get at them. |
you ask how can this be known now? l answer
very we'll Each Convention now appoints a com
mttee OF its own body, thirty-one in NUMBER Il
sit from four years to four years. and manage every
thing These committees do the cheating 10 tn,
recess OF the conventions. Such fall announces
| ,ka dD,ip -
try has ever seen; aud such IS the fact At hons
and abroadin all its acts and policy, both foreigI
and acknowledgement misconduct has been tht
order of the day. The field of its bad acts is
large TO admit of a full survey on an occasion k,
the present; ! can only seize and present the mos
| prominent, taking those which concern our home
affairs frst-the foreign afterward; but, first,
| must show who mean by the Administers tion, fo
it by no means consists Of all whose names conn
pose it. In the first place, then, | do not meal
| Mr. Pierce. / leave him out entirely. He is
kind man, tender hearted, and will cry for any
body's sorrows; but he has neither head nor nerve
and is as helpless in the hands OF his managers
babe 10 the arms Of its nurse. / have TO give
signal instance of this hepessness, which concern
| yourselves well myself, and which admits o
no question, because | was party to it and know
what say Mr.. Pierce sent for ME soon after biz
Inauguration, desiring me TO call upon him tn,
next evening at O'Clock. ! went according to tbs
request He told me be wished TO speak TO ms
about the Missouri appointments, aud know i
they could not be put for of q while. l answered
yes-that they were all four years appointments,
and TO be out Of themselves in the course Of the
spring and summer-thAt despised the business
Of removing men who were doing their business
well, and whose terms would soon expire, and haC
rather wait for the vacancy to come Of itself liz
replied that these exactly his sentiments; anC
it was readily agreed that the appointments shOul'
stand over until my return from Missouri, which
would be in six weeks. On this agreement thus