Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-07-04
TIE TACTICS OF TILE ENEMY

Our opponents knowing their Candidates and their
Platforms to be indeleusbe, will endeayor 10 net
throughout the the offensive aud to throw
us entirely on tho defensive They arc admirably
situated TO carry on canvass of this kind because
one Of their candidates, Fremont ia political puity
aud the other, Fillmore. pretended neutral; whilst
our candidate hos been the most active and ccnsucu-
statesman, and the longest in service Of any io
America, their candidates present few points of at.
tack, because their political lives have been conpara.
lively short and uneyentul. No two men of indie.
pendent thought and action are agreed on all public
measures for space Of thirty years and if our enc
mea can, by maguifying the Importance Of every pub.
lie measure draw of attention from the general tenor
and result of Mr. Buchanan's political course, they
might leave him no friends, because there is scarce
man in the Union who would vote fur him if his
claim to his support rested OIL single measure or vote;
for in period Of more thnu thirty years. he must as
an independent man, sometimes have differed with
each who thinks independently himself. The gr.nt-
est glory Of candidate s that he has beon 10 neu
trial. SILENT non-comnit.al tims-scrver but thnt al.
though always candid lirn and nciivc in supporting
his own opinions, he haa yet discovered s. much wis
dom III forming hls opinions and much ability and
goo breeding in sustaining thein that he lad
forfeited the confidence and admiration Of his friends
the esteem and respect ofhs opponents. Exposed
| since boyhood to the severest public scruti-
ny, ais friends now appeal to The unanimous opinion
Of that public, to prove that he has been an
honest, able and safe politician, and good and up
right man. Were he only endorsed by Penn.y ylvana
and Virginia. high s the character OF those two
States for Prudence good sense, and high honor that
their endor,ation continued long and uninterrupt-
edy is conclusive evidence of his ness and cnpnci
ty for the Office which they have so long desired to
see him fill 1t is not only those two States, bu, Ame.
RIGA, not only America, but Europe that endorses
his character and his qualifications. And such man
is to be passed by and sacrificed, for Fillmore or
| Fremont.
| "An Eagle, in It's pride of place
Was hawkci At by inDusins owl, and killed :"
But "Nnugbt is never in danger" whilst in Re-
publics it has sometimes happened that he who best
and longest serves his country, is exposed to
| ostrac;sln. The incan the little aud Malignant do
not like to esr Aristides called the Just nor Buchan
an the Great We prefer TO rely, and shall generally
rely rather on the fitness of our candidate than
upon the uni;ness Of his opponents; rather upon hi,
whole liie character and conduct, in public and pri
vate ut ho,te and abroad than upon any act or
passage OF lis life. But we are ready to defend his
every action and to show that, though his opponents
have done littIe that little was contempti-
! ble. We vill show Fillmore inccssdntiy pan
dering TO abolition to get into power; then playing
neutral to p,cify the South then going couring to
the South but forgetting his abolition friends,
or recantins his abolition doctrines; for he loves
North and South equally, and wants all their votes
Then, We will show him making moro friends, by
smcarng allegiance to Samrand qualifying himself to
serve his wloc country by taking horrible oaths
which compel him to prescribe and prosecute large
portion OF hin uno!fendng couptrymen.
For the present, Fremont ID toe low to notice.
When lis conpeers in treasoa attempt to white wash
him, we will expose him in his true coIors.