Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1857-01-24
From Pntnani's Msgazine.
The Late Election.


The Late Election.
The great triangular contest is at an end, and
the result, for the parties which were engaged in
it, may be summed up in the following terms
that the Democratic, now the pro-slavery party,
has gained its candidates, but damaged it's cause
that the Republicans have lost their candidates,
but furthered their cause; and that the Ameri-
cans, composed of the fragments of two old and
decayed factions, have lost both candidates and
cause, and that, seemingly, forever. In other
words, the Democratic, though victorious in the
choice Of their men. are victorious under crcum-
stances which yield them little occasion for tri-
umph and the Republicans, though defeated,
are defeated under circumstances which render
them stronger, perhaps, than they were before /;
while Mr.. Fillmore and his men have injured 9th
ers, but utterly destroyed themselves. The ruin
Of one party, the temporary check of another, and
the doubtful ascendency of the third, is what we
read in the significant events Of November.
Before remarking upon the general result. how
ever, we wish to say word of the campaign. 1t
was peculiar one, presenting new aspects, hotly
hs
the political history of the nation.
In one respect, it was campaign which may
be contemplated with more comrlacency than any
that we have before known. The style Of the
speaking has been better, the places at which the
meetings were held were better, and the tone and
character of the audiences improved. 1t has been
too much the custom, heretofore, to hold cur pop
ular assemblages in low and filthy places, for the
most part in the vicinity of grog- shops, whence
they could be packed with fellows reeking with
the fumes Of rum and tobacco, and who necessa-
rily excluded nearly all men not of their own sort
from the precincts. The orators OF these assem-
blages. also: have been too fond of indulgins in
mere vapor and frothy defamation fifty denom-
mated spread eagle eloquence-which inEames
the vanity of the people, and aatters their isno-
rance, without imparting to them any solid knowl-
edge of political events, or furnishing them with
good and substantial grounds for the action of
the parties to which they belong. But, in the
late campaign, we are happy to say, there was
manifest Improvement IN these matters; the clubs
many Of them, held their meetings in places at
which it was no degradation for even ladies to be
present; and the orators, many of them, discuss
ed their topics with dignity and decorum not
unworthy the Supreme Court of the United States.
Indeed, we may say that we have heard speeches
during this campaign, from the orators of all the
parties, which evinced a true and noble conscious
ness on the part of the orator of the greatness of
his function, as well as mastery command of
all the higher resources of rhetoric. We have
seen miscellaneous assemblages that, for three or
four hours together, would listen to close argu-
ment with an almost unbroken attention, and
when they separated, go home with the assured
conviction that they had been provided, in can
did and manly way, with the means of forming
an intelligent and honest opinion Of the contro-
versies of the day. How much better was that
than the old plan Of splitting the ears of the null
titude with stale phrases Of patriotic sentiment
or party clap-trap2 How much greater the res
pect which speaker shows to his audience, as to
himself, when he makes frank and earnest ap-
peal to their reasons and the nobler feelings of
their hearts, than when he explodes incessanty
in mere partizan rant and bombast?
In another aspect, however, this campaign has
been quite as disgraceful, to some of those vino
took part in it, any beforehand that is, in the
Misrepresentation and falsehood which they
thought fit to introduce into the debate, to dis
guise or complicate its real issues. We are will
ing to make the largest allowances for men who
are eagerly pursuing an end which they deem of
the highest Importance. We know how apt the
best of US are, in moments of excitement and pas
sion, to yield the reins of judgment how will
ingly wc believe any story, even the most mon
strous, which makes for our friends, or riures
our enemies; but there is no excuse in all this for
the deliberate and persistent tenacity with which
certain of tho politicians clung to statements
which they must have known were unfounded.
Can the persons who circulated these reports look
back upon the canvass with any feelings Of seli-
satisfaction !? Were they not guilty, in public
life, OF kind and degree of duplicity which, in
private life, would consign them to lasting shame?
Did they not, ut a time when great national is
sues were to be tried, when the destinies of the
country for yearsto come depended upon the cast,
try to influence the decision, not by the merits Of
those issues themselves, not on the ground of the
principles involved, but by mean, personal insin-
uations, and by petty yet unblushing calumnies /?
His, of course, not to be expected in political
controversy, or, perhaps, in any controversy that
men will conduct their arguments with all the
candor of q gentleman's conversation, or with
that freedom from prejudice which marks the
judgments Of court; but we ought to expect
from all men, at all times, and undor all circum.
stances, that they should abstsin from gross
fraud. Their selfish prudence, if not their con.
sciences, ought to restrain them from such re-
sort; for, in little while, their falsehood Is me-
cessarily exposed, and then, though they have
gained their ends, they have also gained dishonor
and contempt. Now, We repeat that a grea. deal
OF the material used in the late contest was ex-
tremely screditable-uhworthy Of tho occasion.
unworthy Of the men,, unworthy Of the theory Of
our institutions. The supposition with US is, that
the people are capable Of self government, that
they have intelligence enough to form correct
opinions, and virtue enough to vote honestly,
when they hare once made up their minds. But
the practice OF the class of politicians to whom
we refer proceeds upon a contrary supposition.
1t declarestha the people are not intcllgens and
not yrtuous, that they have neither the brains TO
comprehend what is true, nor the heart 10 do what
is right, and that the best means Of Influencing
them is exaggeration. ialsehood, calumny, and
appeals 70 the ,Aost vulgar prejudces. The sup
posiiian of our theory Of government. il, that par
ties will nominate to Distinguished posts their
men OF the best capacity and heat character; bus
the practice ef actual coatroversy would lead Us
to helieye that 20 one becomes candidate "a,