Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-05-16
From the Boston Post, May s.
AVAILABILITY OF PRESIDENT PIERCE.

THAT sagaciuus, wise and sar-seeing u'cuI;, NJ
avanbility'-as Mr.. Webster deriSvely 'eF'i' s, INV
Marshfield in lS4s-shoud be secuted al ni le de.
Democrats as heretical aud corrupl"Eii Gca,;on
should be- obsolete, that such compe'" sk.. him the
of political leader with principles a, as him from
.aseel OF tneir enenes D." ,he;r friends The doctrine
and its results tile whole policy nas wben
illustrated by Wing nsn onI ;dentided with Wing
statesmen VINO Md aside for This reason, and bril-
P, pt,.rv LEADERS, who we're never hea'u VI w
as,;nm With distinctive poitica. measures. Hels
,J simply because the belief was entertainer
h'u .t'a, could get the most votes How much the
W srty gained in the long run. by such HAT de-
ssrtion of its champions, let It's present CONDITION
testify. go. h orr,r n.
trs. 1t never os,racised lis leaders because they
were identified with great measures, right IN tne'ii
selves but unpopular in sections or Inc country u
never allowed obloquy to cool their supper. 10
worthy champions of their cause We may aiaue'
MS instances OF this party fidelity, to the renom'ha-
tiuns of Jefferson Madison. and Jackson' Nan ''ie
aunnls OF partizanship show greater a,uoun, '.
cAlumny, of perversion OF fact OF neliitein"i' Vi
talen; and character, than We're eAniD1eI III ''o p
iitical warfare against all these ilustrous Dem"crac
leaders? They were held up before the community
as hardly respectable i'll point oil aoly or oeeen. I'D
point OF character. Thousands lived ahu aleu III Tue
| belief that these ornaments OF our country were
among the most unworthy politicians thar ever dls
sraced Gods footstoo Did all tins outpnur OF lu'
sane partzanshp from their support me masses
OF the glorious Democracy Ihe good sense anu H.
tegeuce OF the people IN the measures they ma
tured and maintained what was 1T for the condition,
the interests and the glory Of the couutry and they
knew that in sustaining the men they were sustain
ing the cause. The argument was that the obloquy
poured out ON Jefferson for his fidelity to the repub
| can principles; ON Madison for his devotion to the
freedom of the SEAS Jackson for his bold mantle
nance OF Democratic principles against bank mono
| poly, was unjust for the measures were right and
The support Of the measures required an endorsement
| Of the iuen.
A striking instance OF the manly way in which this
great national party acts may be found in the 1910
re.uomuatiou of Mr.. Van Buren, The theme Of pop
ular clanor then the independent treasury meas
ure, a policy that was ridculed and denounced Us
measure never was before; aud by class Of men
who, if sppbaed to to-day, would support the very
policy they then condemued. But this dsuuncatiou
did not deter the democratic party from clinging to
| Mr.. Van Buren, and though clamnr and availability
defeated him, yet the measure that was held up in
such indignant terms, still lives, and nothing could
| induce the country TO part with it.
| Nor was the nomination Of Mr.. Polk any exception
this policy. Bitter rival personal contests distract
ed tue 1874 democratic navual conventions bat this
body never thought of such expedieut selecting
| Tor the standard bearer politician who had never
beeu identified with political struggles nor OF dod
ing political issues. The great Question in the lmIne
diate future was the annexation Of Texas Mr. Folk
had boldly avowed himself for this neasure and, be-
sides, was we'll known to democrats by many partl
Fan struggle and the boldest among the support
| Z Jackson.
| he was selected. His mere name was not tower OF
strength 10 the party; but the party rallied around
him to sustain tower Of strength It's CAUSE and his
administration proved Que OF the most able, far CHIT
ed and successful administrations under which this
| country any other country ever prospered
The Democratic party has in this VIZ, distinguish
I'd ITSELF and maintained ITSELF by ralying about prn.
| eiples and measures which, though unpopular aud
opposed in PORTIONS of the Union even to the verge
OF civil strife, yet sboveloca Interests and Sec
nnal nr1i
tiouaty. Now the most available leader III its ranks
should be QUE who has the moral courage 10 Identity
| himself with such cardinal issues one who dares
| 10 plant himsef Oh the ground OF right aud let
couseq ueuces take OF themselves; who dares in
such spiri. follow, boldly aud confidently where
Democratic principles lead. II political action OF this
nature, right In itself aud soundy constitutional,
makes him unpopular If il draws s!nary the hre OF
the enemy; if it induces the grossest personal ohio
uuy be il so. Let Democrats look well 10 tbs object
OF il ALL 1t is not after all, 50 much the man which
tho opposition desire to strike down as il is the cause
and this vruence Of attack Should 0e net by Ouid
defiance and enthusiastic defsnco
But at this day we have something very much akin
10 tho whg availability policy alleged against a re-
nomination OF General Pierce. The objection, in
plain words is, that he is identified In such way
with the great question Of slavery that he ID uupopu
lar at the North such degree not TO DO availa
bic rs the Democratic standard bearer i'll the coming
contest In plain words Is said, that be cuuot get
many at the North or In the Tree States, as
new candidate might
Rejecting the modern Wing test OF availability, let
us go back to the old test ot Democratic availability
as applicable A. i, s a sosud idea, that bold
and thorough Identification with cardinal measures
make a party leader available, who among Demo
Gratis has the most Of these qualities now II viii he
writing nothing in disparaSement OF Others To assign
the palm of true availability to Gen. Fierce. II IL
the natural consequence of the policy hs has pursued
in the lofty position in which the Democracy placed
him We assume that in all that makes al admins
trstion one Of efficiency, Of working power,
honesty capaby, aud fsithfulness TO the Consttu-
ton, President Pierces administration meets the APP
probation Of the country. There IS almost always,
in addition, one question towards which public opn
ion is direcedthat stands out az the test question:
on which opposition rallies just as It was III the war
question of Madison's day, the bank Question Of
Jackrons day, the sub-treasury question Ut Van bu-
rsns day. The question to-day is the slavery ques
ton. Now, this question, Cen Pierce stands to-
day before the whole country, precisely as IN 1897 he
stood before the people of his native State. No one
in New Hampshire took manly stand on ii
no one was more prominent mat for the opposition
no Que was r0umdy abused by treesoiilsm than
was Gen. Perce and be fairly stood, In this regard
on line with Gen. Cass, MIR. Buchanan and the other
distinguished names before the country. This was a
voluntary position; it was as private citizen that he
went out to against freesoillsm
But in 1852 the voice Of the united Democracy
called him from retirement aud placed him iu
allied position before The whUe country u tue course
of his term great issues this question of slavery
have come up. Has he not met them boldly, wisely,
we'll Has he not stood az an uny.eding barrier be.
tween the constitution and its assa;lans Take the
question that is in the fore front of ts question, the
Kansas question, and the princ pie Of the Nebraska
BILL aud is not the position which the President has
planted himself upon absolutely unassalable with
SUGGEST We assume that this is the settled public
opinion at least, of the Democratic party. Wr as
sumo that the judgment passed upon the executive
action will not be reversed and that it is, The eSt-
dent has been right al crcry point. Such action as
this. i'm the position to which he has been called has
,6.Y h .ryh final 7,lpuSu
uterng dmparaging word OF other candidates, It Is
such mannrss 10 standing on this high constitutions.
al ground that makes him the most available as the
standard bearer of the party
Now, with such array Of fanaticism and section
asn Us has been fustered into position OF political
power here at the North, It is impossible for any
statesman to take position as constitutional as Is
that of the President aud not find this abolition ee
meut arrayed against him. Was not for time JEFF.
fersou and Madison aud jackson unpopular in por-
tons of the North Did not outrageous clanur for
time deceive men Yet when truth got fairly on its
legs il dill is work Of intelligence and pronounced
lust verdict. SO it i'd with President Pierce We put
II to every Democrat isH nat has course the STARE
~ Issue that has been more successfully SctSsd on by tie
opposition than any Oter7 Measure right III ITSELF
that rs sure rs the shines will result in incacua
| BILE good to our common country; that the country
will sustuin; that to-day is stronger than the party
prevented to his injury and for time clarnor
was successful.
| But look at the a!tc, e position Of hngs-at the
advancing course OF the Democracy in New England
and the other free States. Little more than u year
ago fannticiSm ran riot in them; maddcued zeal SEEM
ed to rule the hour: aud Misrepresentation aud pas
sionate appeal bewiIdered great numbers of the vo
ters But the sober second thought of the people dis
nailed the illusion, and cool examination O facts
and arguments resulted in return Of patriotic action
an action which every day is gong with increa.-
ed impetus This in November next, will recall the
people of these free Stares the North aud Northwest,
10 their duty to the Union, and place them III that ma
touu and constitutional position which tue Demucru-
| cy has ever labored 10 m'intnin.
lu proof Of this We might cite the results of the
last elections in the free States. In every one OF them
the Democracy have just cause for congratulation-