The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-08-04
CRAWLING THROUGH SLIME FOR OFFICE.

CRAWLING THROUGH SLIME FOR OFFICE.
few years since, owing to colloquial resources,
bar-room qualifications, and the misplaced confidence
Of the democracy David Wilmot secured seat in
Congress, where he distinguished himself by move
ment calculated, if not designed, to PROSTATE dem
ocratc administration as it did the democratic party
and bring deep and lasting disgrace upon our coun-
try He sought by his celebrated proviso, unconsti
tutionally to dictate to, trammel and control the
treaty making power and force the President to in
corporate into a treaty with Mexico provision
which he knew if he saw who surrounded him in
the Capitol, and who composed the Senate, would
not be confirmed which would leave matters between
us and Mexico unadusted and the unfinished, and
which must thus be abandoned in disgrace, HOSTILE
ties be renewed when Mexico had conformed to the
4uirements Of our negotiations, though rejected by
one branch Of the treaty-making power. Under such
circumstances to have abandoned the war renewed
hostlites would have Frustrated democratic adj
minstration and broughta disgrace upon the country
which no length of time would obliterate. Whether
he designed these consequences, or could not see
what consequences would flow from his acts, can
only be inferred by fully considering them. The
same causes which brought him into Congress drew
about him few kindred spirits, many of whom
have since distinguished themselves as traitors
to principles formerly protested, and which alone
gave them their early consequence and of
whom are enjoying the fruits Of their treason,
while he seeks to profit by their example. 1t rests
with the democracy of the Keystone State to de-
termine whether he shall be benefited by his treach-
cry to them and the constitution. In accepting
the black-republican nomination for governor, he
ignored every matter of State interest, and was
wholly oblivious upon the principles which would
guide his administration of the Commonwealth The
measures he would recommend, and the mode in
which he would execute the laws, and the policy he
would pursue, he left for conjecture; while he
sought support like low demagogue, he is
by an appeal to prejudces, which he hoped to ex-
cite by misrepresenting the views, Wishes and prn
ciples Of those whom he betrayed and deserted. He
falsely charged them with the design to force slavery
lipon Kansas He sought to divert attention from
the affairs and interests Of Pennsylvania and what
the people might expect from him if elected, by col
un,ns of oftrepeated TRADE against the South, de-
nunciatons of Congress, and misrepresentation of
the decisions of the courts, and falsely imputing to
the democracy principles wishes, and objects which
never entered their hearts, and which he knew they
never entertained or cherished Like Arnold and all
other traitors he seeks to avoid scrutiny of his own
motives and acts by overwhelming those whom his
treason failed to destroy with damning but false
cusations.
Although he commenced his voyage upon the abo-
lition plank, the Kansas breeze died away, and he
I.el Tla ,rJo nd If
President Buchanan had restored peace and tranquil
lily to Kansas, and the suffering Of the voyager may
easily be mmagined ftful breeze springing up
in Topeka revived hopes for moment, merely to be
succeeded by more intense anxiety. The gust from
Lawrence disturbed without accelerating progress.
His hopes sank, and his despair became apparent.
Amalgamation between the republicans and know
nothings in Massachusetts had given Mr. Banks hopes
of success. In this dilemma Mr. Wilmot referred to
an old letter from know-nothng committee, which,
from prudential motives, he had for more than two
months delayed to answer. When prepared, the
writer's anticipated that he would make answers
which would deprive him of all hopes Of receiving
the know-nothing vote. But they had not duly esti-
mated the effect Of incipient despair his avidity
for Office. Knowing that there was no other means
by which there was even bare possibility of es-
Gaping defeat he at last consents to crawl through
slime with hand upon the blackrepublican creed
and the other upon the mummeries, obligations and
oaths of now-nothingism and with eyes intently
gazing upon the executive chair he makes public
profession of adherence to faith which he and his
political friends in Pennsylvania have at all times
heretofore protested to repudiate and spurn with
disgust. He every of the questions pro-
posed plumply in the affirmative, and of course,
adopts and approves of the midnightlodge con-
trivances for securing success from the oaths pedg
ing blind obedience to leaders, which an honest free
man would detest and scorn to take, to the "plug
ugly" demonstrations Of violence, bloodshed and
murder. He consents politically to degrade and
treat as an enemy even the good, because they may
have been born on the north instead of the south
side of river or imaginary line. Although the con-
stituton and all institutions State and national
tolerate all religious sects and creeds, he consents to
wage servile war upon whose faults and errors
remained undiscovered by him for near half century
and first developed to his affrghted vision by
the political necessities under which he is writing in
agony of dreaded defeat. The alacrity with which
he virtually eschews his former professions and hypo
critically adopts creed must disgust those
whose support he courts with such ready and abject