Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-02-17
NUMBER S5.
AN ENGLISH SKETCH OF MIR, BUcnANA

Inc current number of The English Nsv Qaarisriy
.''''eN contains paper upon new President. II
| "ppa'on'y from the pen Of a brother dpl"maist /
| wv ''o f,nef'ean Ambassador to the court ol st.
T'''e' resume of the condition of tie NJ
eo "na an analysis of the Pierce yg,nf the
"rl'er mus portrays Mr. Buchanan's character and
indicates his policy as President:
Mr' Buchanan has one quality and pcrh,n. only
one, IN common with Louis Napoleon; he k~.u, IN,
counsel In both instances il has been a snura. .,
power and means Of success. II is easier IN n. 4
a negative than positive affirmation ss 10 ,he r,,, y
OF the future President. He will certainly. mol be II
King Log He will be no puppet in the hands o, H.,
supporters; nor will he, knowingly aiIcw his friend
| to sway his better judgment. He will no; blisl,,
| commit himself to one sided policy, nor rnsn,y
throw defiance in the face OF all parties and govern.
inens who declare for the interests OF c;yi!I.Diluu
| and humanity.
1t only by knowledge of his personal and poll
| uca character that All opinion be formed OF tn.
poncy the President elect is likely to pursue. By
giving our readers description, borrowed from iea.u
VINO nave known him. inrerences may b- drawn -
To his probable conduct when the time comes 10: h.ai
10 exercise tue nigh powers with which he las been
invested. Physically, he is large, powerfully bu.t
man; indeed, neither physically. morally nor pu.,l.
cally. is there thing h,tlo about him o IL nv,,
SIX teet high, large EInbed, and OF iair cvnll N,o
and, although past sixty, still shows tina, he WIS ii
earlier days what the other sex, who must be slow.
to decide in such matters, call handsome man. IL
has the habit ofhoding his head inclined To one side
and sometimes partially closing one eye. ~ . .,
prove, what undoubtedly the cusc during hi.
mission in this country that he could se- vast dent
more with half an eye than all Ministers vh-r
they opened both theirs to the fullest extent ;nry
had TO do more than once If all tales b.. trI. rr.,
the course of their transaction OF business with Mr
Buchanan.
He ls hale and vigorous, of regular ani active h0
bits and nneNcepiionable moral conduct; cunr".rr-
tiously religious, Presbyterian. with mor- iniu'-
for lnfn
found in persons Of that persuasion; kind heartfelt.
generous. and charitable as many instances rsppIir!
by those who know HIM will prove distinguished tor
great prudence aud sagacty in making his Gecision-
and for hrmness in their execution when taken. II.
has forethought and cool possession, conserva,
in opinion and policy, and proves the sOundur,s ot
his judgment by being favorable TO the Conservative
party in England. He has been heard Ia ssv moro
than onee-"It is remarkable that the Conservative
leaders and party IN England have always been mo,c
inclined to be- friendly with the United States ;hau a."
Wings" In this, by the way, he s not singular irt
we have heard a similar opinion expressed 10y oihri
distinguished Americana
He has been from early life a successful lawyer ~
extensive practice and has most ably filed III" high
est posts in the Government, next 10 TINT u; pre,
dent, having been Secretary of State, Envoy iu -!
Petersburg, &c. He never MARI 20, Al carly
and mutual attachment is spoken of by his irend-.
whose object was by one of those terrible dlepeusa
tions which certain steadtast natures never can tor
get, snstched from him. Like another distinguished
bereavement, he has remained faithful TO the memo
~ of her whom he has lost. Although the private
lives of men in high stations arc considered be
longing to the public domain, It would not ;li.gL.
be delicate 10 allude more particularly 10 the ccn
stances attendant Oh this deep atcton in The ouse,
of Mr.. Buchanan's career. What we have said cut
fees show that cold insensibiiiiy OF characieg
condemned him TO celibacy.
In manner Mr.. Buchanan is courteous, and III
versatiop mild aud deliberate with smscl. oi thr
old school. His bearing is calm and dignlirG, a.s
temper aud language under complete control nj
though ON occasions, when he has conceived ihH.
personal or official slight Intended. hc hHs
shown that although his parents were lrls. i,c ',i.
vindicate the claim of his family To Scotch "r%,r.
by acting up the motto. Memo me i,apnHe h''e'Sh &C.
The new President is designated by some NJ Tie @ea!-
GUS leader of the Slaveocracy, and reported iu uf
the warm aivOcrate of Slavery. That this !tc'r-
rect in i,s full extent ne must be permitted 10 "ur
Mr. Buchanan is not q native Of Slave STATE bai .
pennsylvanian, who never owned slave III hL1 H.
nor il ne likely ever TO do so. Nor do We thh :hai
he is au approver Of Slavery, although, IN dealing
with great evil already existing, he knows nmG rel.
the extreme difficulty that practically surround
the question. lie may, like other men IN pablo
life, wish to be on good terms with many wh"'s con
as! ag prRSSs nay avs s pssn Necessary o hun
or withhold, in order not TO offend tho pas'i"ngt.
prejudiees Of so INSCRIPTIONS and violent party a.
that which has for some time played ;he dictator
per fas e nefas in the councils ot tho United State
The opinion formed of Mr.. Buchanan ~ certsu.
ministerial circles in tEis country not favorable.
Some of those high IN Office considered him sJri
of diplomatic heigehog-prejud against England
hostile to her government, and thoroughly p,Gli'-
Russian Those who SAW him most do not share
this opinion and are far from anticipating such vie
lent measures as may be p,edcaed from the tenor ~
the Ostend Manifesto Bat the nattcrns attentions
showered upon him in 81. Petersburg, aot OILY witt
in the Imperial Palace, but by oil the mobility. Mag
have rendered him alive TO the codne-s Er cNp"r.-
suced from, certain of our aristocracy. lie wAs 30
very friendly terms with many persons OF distinction
here and II speaks in his favor that those u" kn""
him best liked him most; but others, especn'Iy some
with whom he in contact III his oiilrHi p"'i'!or
regarded him Washington living describes ~"
old Dutch families OF New York 10 have iooE,! NJ
on the Yankees, "wth great respect nnd ahhof
renee"
Americans have informed us that ne icii fnsiHr.
with feelings OF the deepest respec; snh esteem I'
the highest personages of the realm but HAD loss
much of such feelings for those who conIp""' "A.
Government. Desiring, as man, all prosperity -
our sovereign no must naturally wish her "a h'i',l
ministry; whilo President, IN tho most iinp'"'' 's
contingency OF the United States again r9rniI;
England to abandon IN island or giveur con'ni' -
would desire the continuance in ONCE "i th"s' 49,"
at the head of affairs, who have distinguished 't''
selves by doing such things with jauniy, unbiG'i-
ing grace that is inmtable, and have eaten e"Tnl"u"
eeks not only with gustO, but 10 the sound ~ 'a,i
own trumpets. Mr.. Buchanans reply to the fr'r~.
lin and Marshall address confirmed our suspicious ~
his conservative policy and assures us that he ""
use his power and great abilities 10 lead back To-;
giant Republic TO the paths marked out 80 iinpf,s-
sively by its founder"