Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-05-03

before been honored with such tokens of popular
enthusiA ssn should, for The first time. be crowned
with laurels and hailed with the acclamations of
the populace when he is returning from an un.
suooesssul mi sson and deserted post OF duty
Gratitude has been cynicaiy defined 10 be a.
lively appreciation Of favors to come-and so in
Mr. Buchanan's case the displays Of admiration
we have witnessed may be supposed to relate
more to the future than The past IL is not that
he has been Senator, Secretary. Embassadof,
and sAatshe has discharged the duties ct each
with pass able skill that aduiatory speeches have
been.made him, and mobs have huzzaed at his
heels in New York, Philadelphia and Laneas-
ter but because he is looked upon as possible
President and contingent distributor of seveni,
millions of federal patronage. Should he not ro-
ceive the Cincinnati nomination we may look for
no more noisy demonstrations in bis honor. Ills
life has not been fitted to excite and sustain a sent
iment Of enthusiasm. Possessing fair abilities and
much experience in state craft. he has never ao-
oomplshed any thing brilliant, bold original,
but has been rather noted for certain pliabty
of principles. which has enabled him 10 ajnpt
himself without difficulty TO all the fluctuations
of public sentiment and the revolutions in party
creeds. His is not one of those strong wills and
mastery minds Oh at dig out channels for the mind
Of people; il has better suited him, like Sand
wich swimmer. to mount the wavo aud DO borne
onward by it, Now that his political life is nearly
ended itmay be said Of him. without injustice,
, that he has never had the genius to invent or tho
courage to oppose any thing that has been favor
cd by the bulk of his party A Pennsylvania
H. nj Tu,n,sh.u
following sketch Of his politieai career:
JAMES BUcIANAS's soMERsErs.
No man in the United States has turned hispo.
litical coat as often as James Buchanan. He las
espoused the principles Of every party that has
had an existence since the memorable. Hartford
Convention. and has been all sides Of political
questions.
A brief reference 10 his history will establish
conclusively our assertions.
HIS FEDERALISM.
He entered political life in 1914 as a rank
Fedsralist. and by the Federal party he was
elected to the Legislature of the State. lie WAS
reelected in 1915. defeating Motion C.. Rogers,
the democratic candidate, and afterwards one Of
the Supreme Judges Of the State.
In 1920 he WAS tho Federal candidate for Con
gress,. and was elected over Jacob Hibsman, tho
democratic candidate, by o76 majority In 1922
he was,re elected over the same man by Sl3 mn.
for Congress and elected over Samuel Houston.
the democratic candidate, by sig votes. In 1896
he was re elected over, Dr. John McCamant. tho
democratic candidate, by 453 votes. His ina jor-
tiles becoming less each time, aud in order
to satisfy his federal friends of his fidelity to tho
party, he had to declare that i" if he had drop
of democratic blood In his veins he would open
them and let it out"
HE BECOMES A DEMOCRAT.
Two wears nfter this he changed his coat and
became afull blooded democrat, and ran for Con
gress as the democratic candidate, and was
elected by virtue Of General Jackson's populari.
~. He WAS afraid 10 run n second term and he
declined.
HIS TEN CENT SPEECH.
In lS43 in the United States Senate. he made
a speech advocating the principle that Ten Gents
was sufficient compensation for days labor.
Hence he Is called Ten Cent Jimmy"
In lS45, he became Secretary of State under
Folks Administrations and consented to give away
about half of the Territory Of Oregon TO the Brit,
ish government, after he had proven that they had
not spark Of title to it.
He extolled the federal Administration Of John
Adams. and endorsed the abomnable Alien and
Sedition laws OF the federal reign of terror He
bitterly denounced the Administration of that
pure Democrat James Madison. and ridicued
what he termed the iollies of Thomas .Deffer-
son.
HIS SLAVERY soMERsETs.
la 1919 at a meeting in Lancaster,h he reported
resolutions favoring resistance TO the extension
of S|averyand the admission of the State of Mis-
souri, as Slave State.
In lS47 he wrote to the democracy Of Berks
County, saying that the Missouri Compromise had
given peace tn the country, and that instead of
repeating il he was in favor of its extension and
maintenance.
In 1850 in letter to Col Forncy, rejoicing over
the settlement of the slavery agitation by the
passage Of the Compromise Measures during
Fillmore's Administration, and hoping that be
fore a dissolution of the Union he might be
gathered to his fathers. and never be permitted
to witness the sad catastrophe.
In 1852 he wrote TO Mr.. Leake, of Virginia, con
corning Fillmore's Compromise Measures of 1850,
which had been passed by Congress. and said,
that the volcano has been extinguished. and the
man who would apply the firebrand to the com.
bustible materials still remaining will produce an
eruption that will overwhem the Constitution and
the Union"
BUcHANAN's LAST SOMERSET.
On the 28th of December, 1855, about three
months ago, Mr.. Buchanan, in a letter to John
Slidell. of Louisiana, says: 1.-The Missouri Com
promise is gone, and gone forever. 1t has de-
parted. The time for it has passed away. and
the best, nay, the only mode now left of putting
do0n the fanatica aud reckless spirit of the North
Is to adhere TO the existing settlement without
the slightest thought or appearance of wavering.
and without regarding any storm which may be
raised against it,
WHAT JACKSON AND POLK THOUGHT OF HIM.
The Washington correspondent of the New
: York Evening Post makes the following state
ment which he says can be proved by unques-
etionable evidence
ION the night before leaving Nashville to oc-
.cupy the White House. Mr.. Polk, in company
with Gen. Robert Armstrong called at the Her
mitage to procure some advice from the old hero
as to the selection Of his cabinet. Jackson