Washington sentinel., 1856-03-22
HON. JOHN sLIpELL.

HON. JOHN sLIDELL.
We give place to the following just tribute
to this distinguished gentleman from the Baton
Rouge Adrocate:
"If it be true, as all experience proves that
death loves a shining mark, the same know
ledge that cometh with years establishes the
fact that envy and destruction are the shadows
Of greatness, inseparable from its possessors
No man of mark, since the crucifxion of the
Saviour, has escaped the penalty of elevated
position conferred through the force Of com
manding talents, high character, and honest
ambition and to suppose the converse in this
our day and generation, would exhibit senility
and pitiable vagaries seldom encountered out
side the stricken idiots cell.
"A case illustrating this eternal truth is now
before us. For years past the opponents of
Democracy in Louisiana have cherished but
one idea, or given it prominence over every
other consideration, and that is, war upon the
Hon. John Slidell to the knife, and from the
knife to the hilt. His manly charatVr is to
them gall in the daytime and wormwood at
night. Others they are prepared totolerate,
but the name of Slidell breaks in upon them
something supernatural; and to crush him
ment of their chequered destiny.
"If any one should institute an inquiry as to
the cause Of this sleepless political malignity,
he would discover but one ground for its mani
festation. He would be told that Mr.. Slidell
has all the high and ennobling qualities of
statesman in an eminent degree, and that in
point of ability he has few equals among the
most accomplished sons of the Republic 1t
would be admitted, that as a Representative of
this State In both branches of the National
Legislature and in the capacity of Minister
abroad, his services have been invaluable.
The fact is upon the record, that he has secured
more good for Louisiana than the efforts of all
predecessors combined, it may be said, contri-
buted to her general interests; and few are
aware of the fact that he wieds in the Senate
Chamber of the Union, and with Representa-
tives coming directly from the people, an in
fuence never excelled, and rarely equalled by
any one, perhaps, in the history of national
affairs. We have mislaid a list of the number
of highly important bills passed under charge
Of Mr.. Slidell, for the benefit of the commerce
and agriculture Of our State, providing for ex-
penditures of large amounts of federal money
within our borders, and promising the most
beneficial results in every point of view. 1t
seems incredible that he should have been thus
ouNSCooiui, III tut idCt VI tue Idcb bldI LneT6 Is
determined and organized opposition by the
Freesoilers of the North, TO expenditures for
Southern works Of improvement, simple Justice
being almost uniformly denied that portion of
the confederacy.
"That such positive, incorporating char.
acter as Mr.. Slidell exhibits in his every act
should have bitter, unrelenting aenemies, is by
no means remarkable, nor filter theme for
wonderment than the upheaving of the ocean
under the influence of a gale: that he has
friends, numberess as forest leaves, and warm
as their ripened verdure, is incontrovertible
His proclivities and impulses we're cast in an
iron mould--to falter upon the confines Of
principle is with him to be damned-and this
happens to be perfectly well understood by ALL
His opponents political know full well that the
hand of resurrection cannot reach them while
his voice is potential and his strong arm free,
and there are Others not unmindful Of the same
admitted truth. He has the hand Of a soldier
for friend, and the hand Of soldier for an
enemy.
"At the present moment, the old and stale
leaven is visible. The Great Democratic Con-
vention had not brought its labors to a close,
before lying telegraph ann bounced the defeat
OF John Slidell, who was not before the Con-
vention in any position, but calmly and zeal
ously attending to his multifarious duties in
the Federal Senate. The cry, we see, has been
taken up by the Know-nothing press, and we
wish them "a good time" in their rapturous
merriment. To the end, however, that the
truth may go before the world, we will state
that the action of the Convention had about as
much reference TO Mr. Slidell as to the Emperor
of Japan. We we're certainly an attentive locker
on and listner in Vienna, and did not hear that
distinguished gentleman's name coupled with
the Convention proceedings, directly or indi-
rectly. The question was an honest straight
out and Democratic division of opinion as to
the pretensions for the Presidency of two pro-
minent statesmen, Judge Douglas and Mr..
Buchanan. 1t bad this extent-no more No
collateral issues we're brought to bear upon
that truly ehivalrous family dvision--no one,
we are quite sure, was authorized to say Mr..
Slidell desired the choice to fall upon one or
the other-and the fact was notorious that
number, large number indeed, of Mr.. Slidell's
most devoted political friends were warm and
energetic supporters of Judge Douglas. What
his own individual preferences may have been,
is matter foreign to the facts we have stated
such preference rests in his own bosom, or may
be known to some of the few with whom he
eutrusts important matters; it certainly was
kept out of the Convention from first to last.
Sand to place this beyond cavi, and at the
same time demonstrate that the genuine spirit
of Democracy presided over and directed the
deliberations of the Convention, we may say
that so far from any outside pressure being visi-
BILE, which would, undoubtedly, have decided
The action OF the majority, number Of gentle
men, the well.known friends Of Mr.. Bucbaean,
were selected as delegates to the National
Convention. The disposition appeared TO be
general to select good men to act free from
and such knowledge only, of a
preference as was familiar TO them. Extraneous
personal considerations we're not brought 10
bear, even by inuendo, in any direction; and
we may here say that remark in our editorial
Of yesterday appears to have been misunder-
stood by some, or misappied We intended to
refer to the friends of third candidate for the
presidency, most worthy national support, whose
name, contrary to general expectation, was not
mentioned in connection with the nomination.
Dur duty as a Democratic journalist in posses.
lion of the truth requires this exposition, that
alse impressions may not obtain circulation
abroad. Another duty we recognize, is to
lafand any afarl;no nornoorat ,,ho, ,,r..an.