The Nevada journal., 1856-12-19
C5t sNebaoa yournal.
FRIDAY MORNING, DEC. 10, 1856.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

ton of James Buchanan to the Presi
dency. 1t is now considered settled be-
yond cavil that the administration of
government for four years to come is
wholly fixed in Democratic hands. AS
it was long since established as fact
that both chambers of the national legis-
lature were controlled by Democratic
majorities, we would not be remarkably
sorry that the result has so terminated
as to insure harmony between the
Executive and Legislative branches of
government, had almost any other man
but James Buchanan been favored with
the chief magistracy by the people. His
political character, which is that of a
popular weather-cock veering to every
gust of public opinion, had rendered his
name with us particularly odious. Nor
does his recent Endorsement by the peo-
pie render him more acceptable. Purge
him with hyssop, and still he will not be
clean The old odor would linger yet
Why he should have been selected as
the chief ruler of mighty nation over
such a man as Millard Fillmore, is left
to be solved to the time when the inscru-
table ways of Providence are evolved.
1t is mysterious and past finding out
Yet it is not so passing wonderful, con-
sidering the preceding events made
preparatory to this. But it was not
fitting that the crowning act of contume-
ly should be given to the name of Clay
by rewarding the enemy to his fame,
and verifying the proverb of the in
gratitude of Republics. The first vile
draft upon the credulity of the people
was presented and paid when the repu-
tation of the current coin of the Repub-
lie was tarnished and pronounced bogus
by James Buchanan in 1S24-the
second has recently been produced and
honored with compound interest. The
former DETAINED the living, and left us
but little wonder when the latter painted
the libel upon the monument fame had
erected to the dead.
After all, it is, perhaps, better for the
country that the law-making and law
executing arms of the government can
not paralyze each other. Even the
election of James Buchanan may be a
source of congratulation. There will be
no interminable differances between an
tagonistic branches, unless the Presi-
dent, as some of his supporters hope and
believe, should be caught by some
popular wind and prove truant to the
platform Douglas set up. Thousands
of Northern men voted for James Bu-
chanan, believing that promises and
professions made before an election
were worthless, and put him in power,
let him reach the goal of his ambition,
and he would return to the anti-slavery
principles of his earlier years. 1t is not
without the range of possibles that such
anticipations may be realized. His
changeable politics in the past may be
an augury of some portent of the future
There is, however, but little chance of
a want of concert between the President
and Congress, so long as Democrats
predominate in the latter; but inaugur
ate revolution in politics, based upon
some misdeed in the action of the now
dominant party, from which the Presi-
dent can absolve himself from blame,
and his facile political temperament
easily fits him to second the favors of
fortune.
If the unhappy affairs in Kansas are
brought to peaceful close under the ad
ministration of the President elect by
the admission of that now distracted
territory into the Union as free State;
if the national good name is sustained
in our own consciences aud abroad, by
checking the grasping selfishness for
more territory, of which we have little
hope; if no sectional encroachments are
fostered, but promptly rebuked by the
general government, the Democratic
party may be said to have perpetual
lease of office. There is, however, Sc
much antagonism in the elements Of
Democracy existing in different lati-
tudes-so many unsatisfactory phases
of policy liable to be assumed as this
stripe of man or that enforces his views
in the national councils or before the
people, that the success of the party
hereafter is not insured on a firm and
reliable basis. Prudence, foresight ant
frmness in the Executive might secure
an uninterrupted succession to Demo
cratic Presidents. These essentia