American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-03-21
From the Wheeling Daily Times.
The rTew Administration and tho
Old Line Wings.

! Those mercencry Old Line Wings,
who in the late canvass basely desert
ed the patriotic standard of Willard
Fillmore, upon the plcasthat he could
not be elected, and who were but too
happy to get on the other side because
they conceived it to be the strongest,
and therefore Offering them the best
prospects for promotion, begin to dis
cover, now that Old Buck is installed,
that they have drought their ducks
to bad market" and no mistake. 1t
was at first given out that the old line
Wings were to have representative in
the cabinet, but notwithstanding Mr..
Buchanan's intimate personal relations
with Benjamin of Louisiana, & Pearce
of Maryland, both Of whom had aided
in his election, neither of them has
been asked to "come up higher" nor
will they be. Mr.. Buchanan is doubt
less a grateful man, and hence feels
obliged to those old line Wings through
whose votes he was elected. But his
obligation isnot deep enough to induce
him to pay them for their service with
Office. In other words, he loves the
treason, but he hates the traitors!
D One of these spoils hunting, old line
Wings has lately made journey to
Washington in quest of Office. The
scales, however, seem to have fallen
from his eyes, and he thus, at the same
time, gives expression to both his dis
appointment and his shame: olasag
. AS the Cabinet of Mr.. Buchanan is
no longer question of doubt, and as
the especial efforts Of a peculiar party
to elect Mr.. Buchanan to The Presiden-
cy have been overlooked, in the forma-
ton of that Cabinet, it may perhaps be
neither impolitic or improper to state
to my friends throughout the country
that there never has been, since the or
ganization of our government, SO open,
and shameful violation of common
courtesy and solemn pledges as in the
present instance.
1t was a well established and defin'
itcly fixed understanding that the Old
Line Wings should have at least one
position among the legal advisers of
the President, and that in the distribu-
ton Of the subordinate Offices they
should have full and satisfactory
share. But what do we behold in the
very incipiency of the new administra-
ton? An old line Wing of brilliant
legal attachments and acknowledged
administrative ability, is recommended
by the entire South for the promised
position, and that recommendation is
treated with contempt and disdain.-
And have we any reasonable hope Of
better success in regard to the minor
Offices promised? / answer no. The
fiat has gone forth--nonc but original,
old line Democrats can obtain office
under the present administration. |
make the assertion-and ask the at
tention of my fellow Wings throughout
the United States to what | say-that
not single old line Wing in this city
or elsewhere, ecW receive an appoint
ment Of any valae from Mr.. Buchanan
or his Cabinet during the ensuing four
years. .8. ~. .|.. .' ...'. .i~"s"h
l ask is this right is it just, is pol
tic? Does Mr.. Buchanan owe his c.
lection to the old line Wings, or does
he not? I think the evidences arc a.
bundantly clear to satisfy even a casu-
al observer, that, but for the support of
that highly respectable, intelligent and
Union loving class Of our fellow citi-
zcns, the present incumbent must have
been in a hopeless minority. Look,
for example, at Tennessee, and witness
the herculean efforts of the Wings to
secure Democratic triumph; then
turn to Kentucky, Louisiana, North
Carolina, and other usually undeviat.
ing Wing States, and witness the al
most insurmountable difficulties that
had to be overcome to secure like re-
suit, and say whether it is the part of
justice, mot to say any thing of courtc-
sy,) to cast aside with inpunity the
claims Of such body Of patriots.
| sincerely regret the adoption of so
shameful policy, for | had pledged
myself to support tho new admiristra-
ton; but, j here give notice, that, ra-
ther than submit to such indignities, |
will unite my political destinies with
anyparty pledged to regard the con-
stitutional rights Of the South to break
down an administration whose leaders
can 50 soon forget and violate the pied,
ges and sacred promises by which the
old line Wing vote was secured for the
Democratic nominees.
fDs0'" The Democracy are very un-.
grateful toward their Old Line Wing
Allies. See the last "Star" where
"Iod" intimatcs that "Junius" left his
former party for the same reason that
Paddy lcft'his native country, viz: '.for