The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-10-02
PRESIDENT PIERCE ON THE STUMP.

No circumstance could more clearly show
the desperation of the sham Democracy, than
the resolution of President Pierce to make
Northern tour, just on the eve of the Presiden-
tial election. 1t will be in vain that he and
his friends assert that his object is simply to
visit his home, in order to superintend his pri-
waite affairs. Everybody knows how to appre-
ciate such pretexts, made by public men. He
is fully aware that he will be waited on by
crowds of his political sympathizers, who will
expect him to address them on the exciting
topics of the day and it would be absurd in
him to be dumb spectator on the occasion.
He must speak; and being something of
harangues, coming from such high quarter,
cannot fail to produce an effect upon the Peo-
pie. But he and his friends mistake the public
sentiment. The good sense and good taste of
the People condemn such interference on the
part of the President in the elections. There
is a gross improperly in that line of conduct
which CRATES upon the public sensibilties !;
and which every mans common sense tells
him is a lowering of the dignity of the Presi-
Dental office.
The same objection lies against the interior
ence of Presidential and Vice Presidential
candidates in the election on which their politi.
cal fates depend. There is an indeIicacy in
such interference, which no examples can re-
move or dignity; and the history of the country
shows that such experiments are never attend.
ed with success. 1t was admirably said by Mr..
Lowndes, of South Carolina, that "the Presi.
dency is an Office which should neither be
sought nor declined" He but gave expression
to the thought and sentiment of his country.
men, (which oft was thought, but meier so
we'll expressed"
Mr.. Clay, gifted as he was, injured himself,
| in 1874, by his Southern electioneering tour.
He made splendid speeches, and was listened
| to by admiring thousands, who for the first
time were charmed by his eloquence; but
| there was not rustic with an ounce of brains,
in all the crowds that heard him, who did not
| carry away an impression that there was some
| thing improper or indecorous in his coming
forward to speak for himself The same mis-.
take was made by Gen. Scott, in 1852, and with
| the same result. 1t will be remembered, also.
thst in both cases, the Democratic competi.
tors OF these distinguished men, though much
their interiors, remained in digniied silence,
and thus commanded the respect of the People.
We regard the interference of Mr.. Brecken-
| ridge as an augury of his defeat. He has been
on q stamping tour through the Northern
States, thus showing his lack of confidence in
the success of his party, and by his improper
interference contributing to its overthrow. We
might make the same remark Of Mr., Fillmore,
who commenced the campaign by two or three
disunion speeches at different points in his ma
tive State; but, independently of such omens
of defeat, his case is, as they Say, "past pray
ing for"
REFORMS IN CoSTENPLATION-The leading
newspapers of the South have openly proclaim.
ed that Slavery is the proper condition of the
laboring classes, without distinction of color /;
and while they admit that it is premature to
enslave the white laborers of this country, they
insist that freedom is great misfortune to
them-that freedom is a failure in Europe, and
even in the free North and the REIMBURSEMENT
OF the poor is to come, among other good things,
in the not distant future. They say that the doc
trine of the Declaration of Independence, I" that
all men are created free and equal" SO far from
being selfevidently true, "is selfevident lie :"
and, in word, they ridicule the whole Decla-
ration SO far as it proclaims the doctrine of per-
sonal and general freedom, as false and specious
demagoguism. In conformity with this tory
theory, they denounce free schools in the most
unsparing terms. Last winter, the Richmond
(Va.) Examiner contained an editorial article
headed "The Modern Abomination of Free
Schools" in which "all the isms," and all the
ills of society, are traced to this free-State nsti
tuition. The article was copied with appreciation
by the Enquirer, of the same city, and thus re-
ceived the endorsement of the two great organs
of Virginia Democracy"
The election of Buchanan, we are led to be
lieve, is to inaugurate new era, commencing