Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-05-01
The "NOrth American upon the Cond nc I
OF the City Councils OF Philadelphia I'm
Refusing 40 Extend 10 MIR. Buchanan
the Hospit aIities of the City.

The 'North American" upon the Conduct
OF the City Councils OF Philadelphia I'm
Refusing 10 Extend 10 MIR. hue hanan
the Hospit aIities OF the City.
"Mr. Buchanan.-The course of The CITY
Councils of Philadel phia towards Mr. Buchanan
was an indignity which could hardly have been
expected from that city. 1t illustrates the i'm :
propriety, or nfeicty, to say the least, of carry
ing national politics into municipal councils.
1t was hardly possible, in the present aspect Of
things, that an attempt could be made to ex-
tend municipal honors to Mr.. Buchanan with.
out exciting the rancor and illblood of party
politics to such degree as to lessen, if not
entirely to destroy, the value Of the intended
compliment 1t was not possible, in fact, to
pay him any special honor at this time without
creating suspicion as to the motive. In suffer
ing their partisan feelings to influence their
votes upon the simple question brought before
them, however, the City Councils of Philadel-
phia have dishonored themselves, and not Mr.
Buchanan. The insults of enemies are less
vexatious, sometimes, than the iudscretions of
friends"
1.-The sentiments expressed in the foregoing
paragraph, which we extract from the Boston
1fdoeller, a paper which supports the election
OF Mr.. Fillmore, is undoubtedly the sentiment,
OF respectable and thinking men in all parts
OF the Union. There is, however, in addition
to the general view here presented, local
aspect IN which the action referred to is not
less censnrabe. The ruling party in the City
Councils, so far as partisan aims we're con-
cerned, committed great blunder in denying
an ordinary courtesy to political oppopent;
but they also committed great wrong upon
Philadelphia by attempting to stigmatize an
eminent citizen from the interior of the State.
Every man who has had occasion to visit
Harrisburg for the purpose of promoting legis-
latlon IN favor OF our municipal or commercial
interests, knows that chief difficulty he has
had to encounter, has been alleged hostility of
the city to the country which, however I'M
founded IN point of fact, is made PLAUSIBLE by
just such scandalous instances as that recently
perpetrated.
"'We trust our friends in other parts of the
Commonwealth will not confound this action
of a majority of the City Councils with the ac-
ton of the great mass of the citizens of Phia-
delphia. Among the latter, without distinction
Of party, and equally without reference to any
future movements in regard to the Presidency,
or any committal on that subject, there was an
anxious desire to do honor to Mr. Buchanan
on his return from abroad, because his diplo
matte conduct, under delicate and trying cir
cumstances, was universally approved; and
this desire was materially strengthened by the
fact that he was Pennsylvania. In proof
that such was the case we need only refer to
the letter addressed to Mr.. Buchanan by some
eighty or more of our most intelligent and in.
huential citizens of all classes, large majority
of whom have always belonged to those politi
cal organizations to which Mr.. Buchanan is
opposed. That letter expresses the genuine
feeling of Philadelphia on this subject, and to
it, and not to the misguided course of uuscru.
pulous politicians, we direct the attention of
our fellow Pennsylvanians.