Washington sentinel., 1856-04-10
From the Pennsylvania.
aThe Democratic Candidates for the
Presidenlial NOminNliOns.u


"The Democratic Candidates for the
Presidential Nominations"
| The NeD York Daily Times Of Thursday
occupies full column in a running commen-
tary concerning Presidential Candidates, under
the above head. AS matter of course, Mr..
Buchanan, being prominent Candidate of the
Democracy, and perhaps considered the most
| formidable adversary with whom the opposition
could have to contend, has been brought in
the foreground of the canvass, for the purpose
of assa!ing his antecedents This is all per-
fectly in accordance with what should be
expected from SO good an organ of the oppo-
sition as the Neao York Times But we cannot
think that the editor of that journal, or any
other respectable opposition paper, would
knowingly violate the truth of history, even if
they could hope, by such disreputable means,
to accomplish their object.
| The first two sentences of the Times article
serve as tert from which the editor discourses
| SO complaisantly, and read as follows: "The
hitherto placid career of the favorite son of
| Pennsylvania has terminated in the perls of
candidacy. The Philadelphia Pennsyluanian
| formally presents his name to the Democracy
in an elaborate biography" The assertion
embodied in the last sentence might be taken
| by US compment-but we cannot so appro
pirate it, for the reason that it is not true. 1t
was the Democratic party Of Pennsylvania,
speaking through its chosen representatives on
the fourth day of last month, assembled in
convention, who formally presented Mr. Buch-
anans name to the Democracy of the country.
The Psnnsylcanidn assumes to be nothing
more than the humble and faithful exponent
OF the principles, views, and aoiu, of that great
party. In that attitude alone we desire to
stand, and will maintain the position assigned
US against all assaults made-either openly or
coverty-by avowed opponents or protesting
friends. The Geography" referred to-we
called it an "appeaW made by the "Democratic
people Of Pennsylvania" to their political
brethren of other States-does not contain a
single declaration or assertion of fact, that is
not sustained in letter and spirit by the written
history cf the country. We challenge denial
Of the truth.
The Times has been among the first to
undertake the laborious and Improbable task
of pointing to flaws in Mr. Buchanan's political
and public career, as it has been sketched in
the Rnnsyloanian. "O,ae George Creenaer"
says the Times, "a Pennsylvania Democrat,
made the charge, after the election of Mr.
Adams, that Mr.. Clay had been induced to
vote for that candidate by the promise of the
the seat in the cabinet which he afterwards
obtained. General Jackson assumed the
responsibility for the report, and being called
on for his authority, gave the name Of Mr.
Buchanan. Mr.. Buchanan Immediately pub
lished letter, protesting the highest respect
for General jackson, but stated that in this
case he was mistaken; that, in short, he had
never made the assertion imputed to him"
| We really cannot perceive what the Times
intends to make of this array of words, as
charge against Mr.. Buchanan IF it were all
true, it would at most show nothing more
i mn tn I'M, than fhaf la Al
! honesty and nerve to tell Andrew Jackson that
he was mistaken with regard to the substance
OF conversation. But the Neio York Times
IS not well booked chronicler Of the times and
scenes which he has undertaken to resnscitate.
| The affair alluded to was dragged forth in the
con est of 1928, when General Jackson was
| candidate the second time, then running
against President Adams, and when Mr.. Clay
was Secretary of State; and the battery was
silenced before it had well opened its fire.
Mr.. Buchanan was in Congress in 1924 and
1873, and during portion of that time Gene
raj jackson was member of the Senate. His
last two years as member of the House Of
Representatives embraced the two first years of
President Jacksons administration; and within
year after the expiration Of his Congressional
term, on the 4th of March, 1881, he was
selected by the President to gil an important
foreign mission. 1t will be difficult, therefore,
to give currency to a belief that "a question of
veracity" existed between General Jackson
and James Buchananl The old hero never
endorsed or gave his confidence and friendship
to man whose veracity he doubted, or who
had dared to assail has character in that
respect. The Times cannot make much head
way in the attempt to disturb the repose of
Mr. Buchanan, on account of an alleged dis.
pute with General Jackson, and may as we'll
give it up.
With the very laudabre object Of making
mischief between other Democratic candidates
and Mr.. Buchanan, the Times leads off with
the following paragraph:
Pennsylvania presented the name Of her
favorite to the Baltimore Convention in 1914,
but his claims were soon overshadowed by the
fresher pretensions Of General Cass, and both
were eclipsed by the superior fortune Of Mr..
Polk"
There is one very material objection to this
assertion Of the New York Reviewer in refer
ence to Mr.. Buchanan's political GEOGRAPHY"
that is simply-H is not tr1tei Pennsylvania
did not present the name Of Mr.. Buchanan to
the Baltimore Convention in 1874 He was
unanimously nominated by a State Convention
on the 9Th of January, ls43, but in January,
1874, he publicly withdrew his name from the
canvass and on the 4th Of March Of that year,
the regular State Convention presented the
name Of another candidate for nomination
| hpfora the Raltimnro Convant;op