New Orleans daily crescent., 1857-08-19
NUMBER l43.
THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.


Office Of various kinds for nearly fifty years, with only
an occasional interim. When a very young man he |
was member Of the Ohio Legislature. Subsequently |
he was appointed Governor Of the Territory of |
Michigan, and receiver Of the Land Office. After |
acquiring immense wealth, by of the specula-
tions which his knowledge of the country and the
office which he held enabled him to make he cast his
political aspirations higher, made Secretary of
War; and was finally accredited Minister to the Court
OF France when Louis Philippe the reigning mon
arch. His subsequent career as Senator in Congress-
candidate for the Presidency, Senator again, and
lastly Secretary Of State under the present administ
ton, is familiar to all.
At the time when Gen. Cass was Minister to France
much Of the hereditary aninosty, that had been
transmitted through several centuries between that
nation and Great Britain still existed. France had
not forgotten the pefdy of her ancient enemy towards
the first Napoleon-nor had England forgiven the
commanding influence which France had acquired in
the European family Of nations. It was natural that
Gen. Cass, dazzed by the unusual splendor of the
court as well as atered by the grateful incense Of
royalty, should espouse alike the hatreds and friend
ships of the people to whom he had been sent as Am
bassador. It is true, France was not as free as
Britain-and it might have been supposed that the
sympathies of an American Democrat would have ma
turay rested with the government of the most liberal
institutions. But experience has demonstrated
what reason, in fact, teaches-that the most devout
worshper of royalty and aristocracy is always your
| most radical Democrat. Take Democrat from this
country of the most unquestioned orthodoxy and be-
lieving in the unerring wisdom of the people, and
place him in the salons of royalty abroad and there
is no more assduous funkey to be found. He, who
most illustrates his affection for the people in this
country by his profuse professions of belief in their
virtue and intelligence, may always be found when
placed in diplomatic station abroad, dancing the mos,
servile attendance before royalty, or following with
the most obsequous air in the train of some courty
retnue.
Add to this the indignity which distinguished Bri
tish Statesman in the House of Lords put upor
the old .General-declaring him to be ignorant o
international law as the man in the moon-and VIZ
have at the secret of General Cass' inveterate
hostility to Great Britain as well as his warm affec
tion for France. 1t will be recollected that he illus
trated the latter passion soon after his return BY
writing book on France, in which Louis Philippe
was spoken Of in terms of the most exatedpanegyric
Thus we had the spectacle of adulterated radical
subterranean Democrat applauding government o
monarchy, whose chief was established upon hi
throne, not by the peaceful revolution of the ballot
box, but by the bloody revolution of pixies and bayo
nets.
As Senator, the old General had frequent oppor
tunites of venting his anti-British spleen. Whel
General Taylor became President, and MIR. Clayton
negotiated the Central American Treaty with ST
Henry Bulwer, there was double motive prompting
General Cass in his opposition to it-rst the sting
defeat by the administration which had made tn
old enemy on account of some supposed advantage h
dad gained in its ratification. Backed by his facile Ler
tenant Judge Douglass they attacked the Treaty wit
, unusual ferocty-nor did they cease their uproa
until Mr.. Clayton, with patience exhausted returne
to the Senate and put them to ngorious flight. Sine
then, he has contented himself with acknowledge
Mr.. Clayton to have been right, but has illustrated hi
confirmed Anglophobia, by railing at the pertidy
Great Britain in claiming for the Treaty constru
ton which never was intended, and which virtual
makes it null and void.
. Notwithstanding his extreme age, General Cass
still, physically, in good condition. He has never il
jured his health in dissipation as is the case, unfo
tunatey, with too many of our public men, Hi
aversion to public dinners is so great that he rare
ever attends the dplomotc dinners of the corps
and his failure to attend late entertainment of tn
British Minister, Lord Napier has given rise to thos
unfamiliar with his habits to the suspicion that it wa
caused by his known aversion to the British Govern
ment.
f The speeches OF the old General in the Senate, c
late years, were decidedly uninteresting-sometime
almost uninteligible. His voice, too betrays tn
, approach of old age-and his language was mudd
and confused. Our foreign relations occupied mos
of his thoughts and the burden of nearly all
speeches. So frequent were his visits to Mr.. Marc
when the latter Secretary of State, that Cour
Sartges, the French Minister, being refused al
mittance to the State Department on occasion b
cause Mr. Marcy was engaged with Gen. Cass, Wake
off, pettishly muttering Iouiours, Gen. Cass''-
, % 1oujours, Gen Cass."
y After the election of Mr.. Buchanan, and when
was known that the old General would be turned OF
Of his seat in the Senate it generally believe
that he would be appointed Secretary of State unde
=, the present administration. A strong effort VIZ
. made to prevent it, particularly by members of tt
q party from the South. Gen. Cass' political sent
ments never been popular at the South and hay
# become more and more unpopular every year. But
!. effort was unsuccessful It is whispered that M
Buchanan offered him the post, not expecting
would accept it, and intending it really for his pee
liar friend and pet the present Governor of Kansa
j But Gen. Cass has had the disease of oftce-holdiI
upon him, in its chronci shape, all his life, and
eagerly accepted this escape from the discontinue
l. a defeat for the Senate.
il Gen. Cass might have been a great statesm
but for being too much Of politician. In comm
It with most of the public Of the North he appea
to consider politics mere game Of personal and par
% advancement Instead Of being the representative
the whole people, he has considered that his first du