Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-03-11


mand the reelection Of General Pierce. It win
be guilty of suicidal ingratitude." To say no
thing Of the arrogance of the South making
so unreasonable aud unreasonable "demdnd'
to say nothing of the implied insult it would
be 10 her oDn prominent public men--and no.
statesmen Of the North and Northwest who
have battled right valiantly for her rights and
honor, to leave these things out of view for the
present, al least, we say that in the nature of
things such demand would find little favor
North or South, East or West; Ind simply
because Franklin Pierce is the only man in the
Democratic party who would risk the success
Of that party in the next Presidential contest.
But we propose retrospect to our friend,
and we will see together. how far the present
Executive has entitled himself to the nomina-
ton Of the Democratic party, and particularly
to this most exuberant gratitude Of the South,
which should impel her, in his opinion, to 'de-
mand" his reelection.
We viii begin with that bright day when
Franklin Pierce was inaugurated into office,
greeted by the smiles and plaudits of the great
and then harmonious and united Democratic
party. His inaugural on that occasion was
grand, and even our Wing friends gave to it no
stinted commentator. All parties seemed
under the magical influence of the enunciation
of the sound principles contained in it, to con-
slider the country safe with Franklin Pierce at
its head, and there promised almost to be q
political millennium claiming of the political
devils for four years
| This confidence was scarcely impaired by the
announcement Of his cabinet, who, like the
| Chameleon, was Of all political hues. Peace,
quiet, order, confidence reigned throughout the
land, and the great Democratic party flushed
with victory, but wearied with the labor Of its
| purchase. laid itself down to rest. The patro-
mage power had to be welded. and soon was
discovered that absurd ambition If the Presi-
dent to unite the FreeSo and New York con-
stitutional men in common brotherhood; an
attempt which proved not only futile, but fatal
to his administration. New York was the
theatre where the exercise of this sage concep-
ton was first applied. We all know the history
of that controversy. We all know how com.
and his followers were fiat of their backs, and
the foul spirit Of fanaticism was web nigh
strangled. No sooner, however, did they snuff
the spoils for which they painted, and which
4 they hoped, ard Us the result proves, with too
much truth, would enure 10 them under this
place, than they began again to breathe freer,
and, from gasping corpse, under The galvanic
battery Of Government patronage, it leaped
/ forth into its full stature. The constitutional
Democrats all over the country lifted up their
voices against this injustice. Instead Of re-
lenting abating the outrage, New York be.
came great slaughter-honse for all good and
! trne. sound and constitutional Democrats. At
| the head stood Daniel S. Dickinson, who, by
his pure patriotism, had inundated himself in
This brave defence of the rights and honor Of
the South All the offices Of influence and
profit were given to the Freesoilers, and the
best men in the party we're made TO give place.
10 them. Does this enttle Franklin Pierce to
this extraordinary demand" our friend would
Was the honorable gentleman himself thankful
for this farorf Did he at the time, and does
he now, endorse the action Of the Executive in
this matter? We know he did not and does
not. Apart from this atrocious outrage, We
know him TO be too good State rights man to
have justified the interference Of The Federal
Government IN State electionsi Why is il that
Van Buren, 4 Co. are yet SO devoted to their
precious Benjamin A freesoiler and sboli-
Zionist is not apt to cling to an outlaw upon bis
hereses, without there is something behind.
What cares he for well.rounded messages-the
"glorious messages" Of the President, if his
acts run not along with them? What cares be
If the poor South get the shell and be luIuri.
ates in the kernel?
But sgain--for we can only glance at the
points, and must leave much, in their discus.
sion, to the intelligence and generosity Of our
friend-was il very consistent thing in the
President, this great deliverer Of the South, TO
commit not only the South, but the whole party,
as far as an administration could do it, TO
the construction Of railroad TO the Pacific
with government means and under government
direction Il is no answer TO say that it was
afterwards abandoned under the lash OF an in.
dignant party. The cloven foot was shown.
Will the honorable gentleman commend this
to his constituents and to the South as worthy
OF their gratitude?
Will the honorable gentleman tell us If he
approved the report Of the Secretary Of the
Treasury, in which he Incorporates the protec.
tive feature in our revenue system, and against
which his State has warred almost to the knife,
and has given TO the South and to history, such
able champions Of free trade as Calhoun,
McDufie, and his own not less distinguished
| relative, now in the United States Senate, from
South Carolina2 Will he claim tribute from
the South for this too? Must she kiss the rod
here also7