Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-03-13
Correspondence of the N. Y. Journal of Commerce.
The Last DAYS OF the Administration,

administration of Franklin Pierce will come 10 an
end The signs cf the times may be read by all
Washington IS rapidly being flooded by the horde OF
dsinteresed patriots, who ever ready to worship
the rising SUM- the vutures that follow IN the track
of retreating army and herald the approach of a
conaueror Amid all this hustle and tumult, there is
room for much thought. Never has epoch been
presented, from which could be drawn more instruc
tive lesson. We stand upon the turniI point Of
our national history the of the political ocean
are vet rough from the subsidng storm and in the
far horizon the gloomy and impenerabe clouds are
ominous of terrible future. The Democratic party
has come forth victorious from the struggle; but the
hand that has swayed the sceptre for four years is
now about to yield it to another. These four years
have been fraught with ordinary trouble and dan.
GER The chieftain resigns his Office the steward
must render TO account OF his stewardship, but
we of the Democracy 10 him, to posterity, to
the unwrtten record of ages that are to be- act
of justice.
| Il 49, indeed, time for sorrowful deliberation.-
Those who have yielded too readily 10 political re-
sentiments or who have been carried away by per-
sonal anger,-those who have lent their voices to
general outcry because it general, those who,
with honest motives, have been misled into false
estimate we call upon all such to join with US in
brief and canded review of the administration The
writer of the present article has had only too much
cause to feel that mistaken Judgment may 60 too
far but he believes that it is the true duty of man.
hood to Offer least, the poor atonement of apology.
Four years since, the Union and the rights of the
States were placed in the custody of Democratic
leader; he now transmits them, safe and unsulhed,
to his successor. So far the main question of his
faithuntss is answered. 1t only remains for US to
ask ourselves, whether have been faithful to
him.
v hen Franklin Pierce came into power, he had
before him the delicate task of appointing the most
prominent supporters to official posts. There was
more than one wing in the Democratic party; there
were many feuds among ourselves but all sections
of the party had united the sentiment that
cord was the word, and the son OF Concord the man.
We can look back, after the lapse of time, and see
plainly that the leaders of the Democracy proper,
although very willing to receive recruits into their
ranks before the battle, had intention of rewardng
them after the victory. They wished to establish a
communism of labor, but arstocracy of spoilS -
But if hey had supposed that the President would
become the tool OF their designs, they were mistaken
in their choice He determined to ignore, after the
election, none HON he had previOus y recognized.
Perhaps he did not play exactly the part OF poltl-
clan; but he had aimed at nobIer criterlon-the
appreciation of honest men.
This was the frs, cause of discomfort the natural
friends of the administration began to nourish a
petty idea of resentment The favorite children OF
| Democracy did not receive all the goodies and
when they saw the stockings of outsiders hanging
upon the wall, they grew angry with their new Santa
Claus.
During the course of his adminis1 alton, the Pres
ident pursuing the settled line of policy which he
ha6 marked out for himself found necessary to veto
several bills, involving large disbursements from the
public treasury. Here another fruitful theme of
| contention. The whole tribe of sharks which SUBJ
sist around the lobbes and departments of Wash.
ngton upon the garbag &c and ofal of the government
was let loose at once.
1t was to have been expected, that the enemies of
our party would soon discover the dssension in our
midst On the floor of both Houses of Congress,
they began to assall the administration. Where were
~,Lo lad 6ooo al hU,
and who owed their position TO executive influence
Where were the champions OF Democracy, while
their party was being nsued through its recognized
head? For the first time in our annals, private
Ipique kept them dumb
We pass over this dark and gloomy page. Politi.
cal opinions free; and it may be possible, that
the party chiefs could not conscieniousy defend the
acts of the man whom they had elected. But the
opposition had yet more Infamous work to perform
it saw that its purpose was but haf-galned, unless
could backen the private character oft President
Presses were everywhere employed and lobby mem
bership supplied them daily with fresh patches of
calumnies. Those lies were so gross, so palpabe,
that 10 reue them, it would only have been neces.
sary 10 expose the source from which they came
Shame 10 our organization, that pseudo Democratic
presses should have been encouraged TO drop into
line, alongside Of Abolitionism and Know Nothing
ism Who shall now accuse Franklin Pierce of in
juring the prospects of his party? CHANGING over
the ignominy and self qualification of those measures,
We can but too plainly, that the Democratic out
cry against the President was almost the deathknell
of Democracy.
1t was charged that the President was weak-that
he could be used too readily. Could he have been
used more, he would have been less maligned had
he been go weak he would have sunk under the load
of SANDERS. If greatness be measured BY degree,
rather than by kind then was be great in amiabty,
and in his sense of right The future will render
that need which the present refuses Aristides was
osuacised by ungratetul Athens; but the mouth of
history could not be sealed, and she tells US that
Aristldes was just When after years shall read the
record of this admnstr ion, they cannot fail to ad
mire one figure standing boldly out amid the sur
rounding darkness-ihe calm good man, whose reli-
gion was duty, who lived down malice and deraction
and who was content TO leave bis fame to time. the
great ayenger." BRA1G.