Washington sentinel., 1856-05-15
WHO CAN ANSWER .-wHo WILL AN
SWER:

Why is it that Judge Douglas, Senator
Hunter, Mr.. Buchanan, General Rusk, Gov
ernor Wise, Daniel S. Dickinson, and all other
Democrats, good and true, are subject not only
to the most free comment, but that the covered
sewers ofcalumny and misrepresentation should
be opened, and the stale ISLANDERS upon them which
have roted for forty years, are greedily fshed up
to taint the political atmosphere? We daily see,
moi only in papers having no official connection,
but in papers that fatten on Executive patron
age, alike the most open structures, and the
reproduction of the fragments of exploded ca
lumnies. Why is it that all these gentlemen
can be assailed, not only with fair criticism,
but must be dedaubed with all the filth these
scavengers can gather from the ancient cess
pools Of calumny, and yet no thunder come
from the political vatican?
These gentlemen may be assailed with i'm
punity, and the political pope, who SO freely
dispenses "indulgences" to the traitors in the
Democratic ranks has no bulls of excommu-
nication for the bastard calumniators of these
gentlemen, although uttered by papers living
on Executive patronage. Why is it that these
gentlemen are fair game for every hunts
mans arrow? Which of all these slandering
sinners has been, by the Washington Union,
impaled? Where is its "strict neutrality?"
Where is its strict impartiality? There is an
| old adage that "a cat may look at a king"
But SO do not the Union and its colaborers
think. Now, if cat may look at king, it
must mean that the cat can see that he is blind
and lame, if he be so and seeing that the king
is blind and blame, the cat may say so, or
wherefore the privilege of looking at the king?
The Union insists that the cat has no right to
see that the king is blind and lame.
In sober earnest, Why is the distinction made
by the Union and kindred prints, that any one
may abuse and falsify these other gentlemen
to their hearts content, but that General Pierce
is exempt from comment, other than commen-
datory for such is the notorious truth-we
repeat here what we have hitherto said:
What divinity doth so hedge this man that
nought but the incense Of adulation must rise
to his nostrils? while all these other gentle
men are habitually regaled with the odor of
putrid stale ISLANDERS?
Is not their reputation as dear to the Demo
cratic party as that Of General Pierce2
Would not the elevation Of either OF those be
but a reward for long and faithful serpice al
ready donef Has not General Pierce received
that high honor for services which he had not
already done? Admitting that he has done All
that the partiality Of the Union itself can claim
has he not had full recard in adpancef
IT. then, he has bad full pay in advance, the
accounts stand balanced. Then what is the
position Of affairs
His claim for reelection must be again for
future services TO be rendered.
But, having had full honors for service up TO
this time, can any proposition be more reasona-
bic, more Just, more invincible than that those
other gentlemen should also first receive honor
for their services to this time; and, having
that, then they would stand upon equal terms
with General Pierce in claiming new honors.
So far from believing that, because General
Pierce received honors in advance OF service
rendered, he has claim for preference over
those who have received no honor for many
and important services rendered we think it
gives TO those gentlemen so unquestionable
claim as inevitably to rule out General Pierce
oven from consideration.
We ask for these reflections the considerate
attention Of those who seem disposed to forget
that justice and honor toits distinguished leaders
should ever be Characteristic Of the Demo
cratic party.