Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-05-08
Memo me impune lacessit."
A PROBLEM FOR THE HOUsE-A FILE
FOR THE VIPERs.


From the sum. total of General Pierce's
claims, deduct the value of his last annual and
special messages, and what capital remains to
secure his nomination?
It's solution will demonstrate to the wise the
true position of General Pierce; and if those
vipers, pretended indicators Of Mr.. BUCHANAN,
once get this problem into their NAV and keep
silent until they shall have satisfactorily dgested
it, we have heard the last of them.
We have omitted the inaugural, because it
was a splendid programme-in the estima-
ton of the Executive, like lovers VOWS, made
to be broken. Take the inaugural, with all the
bright hopes it held out for the future-take it,
we say, and compare it with the long list of
broken promises, and then say whether the
illusory brightness of the promises counterbal-
ance the dark shadows of unredeemed pledges.
The last annual and special messages are
productions of very great ability but some
what of the value of obituary eulogies-they
we're er post facto. The Kansas Nebraska bill
had been passed the precious session, and there.
fore these messages did not aid its passage.
Thespecial message did no more than carry
out the behests of positive enactment; but it
did most nobly and lucidly vindicate the true
principles of the Constitution. All honor to
it for this.
Now, in regard to the Kansas bill itself,
take it as it first came into the Senate, Invested
Of the repeal Of the Missouri compromise, and
give to General Pierce, if you choose, the en-
tire credit of ito what would it amount
What capital would that give him? Would
that secure his nomination?
The repeal of the Missouri Compromise was
conceived and ripened by Messrs Toombs,
Dixon, and others, and was proposed by Sena.
tor Dixon in open Senate.
What, then, was the course of the Executive2
His organ, the Union, came out with furious
denunciation Of the amendment, but Demo
cratic Senators had better idea Of consist
and they adopted it. 1t was not until he found
himself alone that the Executive, through the
organ, gave in his slow adhesion.
We will not here follow the vacillating course
of the organ during the progress of the bill
through the two Houses of Congress, of official
indulgences to treason, but we will simply ask:
With these facts before us, hon much of the
credit due to the Kansas Nebraska bill inures
properly to the Executive? Who will solve
that problem and give the result2
Of what value an the passage Of tie bill
were these splendid posthumous messages2
What wounds and scars did the Executive
receive in the fight of the Kansas Nebraska
bill2
They were all in the back. He received his
first wound in his retreat from the Missouri
amendment. He received another when sell
ling TO traitors official "indulgences" to war
upon the bill. As the Union pocketed the
price OF the treason, the Executive received
that wound whose scar will never fade He
may cry" out damned spot" but the ineffac.
able spot will not out"
We wished to have done with Execnt;ve
claims TO nomination, but its minions call
ppon us for our reasons.
They have them. Are they satisfied? or do
they wish for more Of the same sort?
From the shreds which will be left, let him
who can weave web in which to catch the
delegates to Cincinnati We opine the meshes
will be so large that only those will be caught
whose feet are logged with the Executive
honey with which the meshes are baited.
In what we have said, there is nothing origi
nal our. sources have been the columns OF
those papers now so virulenty assailing us.
We have but the merit of compiler string.
ing hastily and not very methodically together
the sayings Of these converted assailapts.
The odor Of this article is the mere distillaton
If their own theoretical fowers-a bomelier
,hraseology than theirs, but perhaps as intel
igible.