The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-03-10


ers, with a few fshy Democrats in the
foreground, attempted to hold their ap-
pointed meeting last night in the Academy
of Music, and, had they gained admittance
into that building, would no doubt have
availed themselves of the occasion for the
largest liberty in ~denunciation of the sin
famous" Lecompton constitution. They
promise to carry out their purpose some
day next week. But what will be the re-
suit Of their denunciation of the policy Of
Mr.. Buchanan Will i. help the cause
of the anti Lecomptonites to the extent
in Congress Ct a single vote No. But
the effect of such q meeting, and of the
late Forney experiment in Philadelphia,
and of the other factious Northern move.
ments of the Same character, will be only
to expedite the inevitable popular rcao-
ton in favor of the Administration.
The parallel, in this view, between the
present position of Mr.. Buchanan and the
position of Old Hickory, as President, is
very striking aud remarkable. 1t was
generally understood among the leading
politicians concerned in the elevation of
General jackson, that, as President, he
was to be a mere nose of wax, to be mould
cd at pleasure to suit their purposes. But
he was not in the White House six months
before they discovered they had " caught
a Tartar" and secured o master. Forth
with the war of conspiracies, OBJECTIONS
and rebellion commenced, Mr.. Calhoun
leading off. This war was prosecuted in
various shapes, upon private intrigues, So
cial scandals and public measures, through
the whole of General Jacksen's Presiden-
tial career. But what were the consequent
ces? Before the end of his first term.
his three most powerful Presidential ri
vals-Calhoun, Clay and Webster-were
laid low in the dust F; and at the close of
his second term he transferred to successor
the most powerful and compact political
party in all the history of this country
The nose Of wax which the political pipe
layers thought they had secured in the
new man from the backwoods of Tennessee
thus made himself their dictator. He
was not the man to be alarmed by ~factious
conspiracies OF threatening politicians,
but a very Independent sort ola man, with
a will of his own, and exceedingly obsti-
nate when he had made up his mind to
take the responsibility"
We have seen that with the election Of
"Old Buck'' a number of the most active
and ambitious politicians, North and
South, concerned in his election, imagined
that he, too, could be moulded at their
pleasure, like a nose of wax. And what,
in this case, are the consequences ? Before
the expiration of the first year of his ad-
ministration the vain but desperate efforts
of these scheming politicians to reduce
him to obedience have resulted in casting
out into POLITICAL exile three eff the most
conspicuous men of the party, and three
candidates for the Presidency, withal,
who have lost everything in their first en-
counter with this indomitable "Old Buck"
of Pennsylvania-These three Frustrated
Presidential aspirants are Mr.. Senator
Douglas, Governor Wise, and ex Govern
or Walker. From the dizzy heights Of
their Presidential hopes, they have fallen
into the gulf of political oblivion, never
again to reach the elevation from which
they have SO suddenly descended. They
may issue their nanifestoes, and get up
their political meetings and Investigating
committees, here, there and everywhere /;
but they are done for, and their cause is
lost. The Lecompton constitution, with
slavery" within a month or so, will be a
Law of the land, and that will be the end
of them.
Thus, the parallel between "Old Hick-
ory'' and "Old Buck" is complete; and
the triumph of the former over all the ep-
position forces and factious Democrats
leaders, and their camp followers com.
bined, was not more decisive than will be
the success of the latter over the present
political combinations against him. As
for the subalterns of this Douglas Walker
Wise movement, such as Forney, Stanton,
Harris, Haskin, and others, they will dis
appear with the dropping of the curtain
over "bleeding Kansas" and " the places
which now know them will know them no
more" When the leaders are sut down,
their followers must necessarily be dis
psrsed.
The gathering last night 10 front Of the
Academy was Loves labor lost" If
the meeting had been held in the bnilding,
and resolutions and speeches, and all the
pharaph ernalia of pomp, and ceremony,
and gas lights. been spread cut before the
people, they would have amounted to
nothing-just nothing at all. It matters
very little whether the speeches are pub
lished to-day or next week. Old Buck
has put his foot down he has made this
Lecompton constitution the test of the
strength of his Administration, and tie
result will show that he was right in sta
king the responsibility" Within a few
weeks the Kansas difficulty will be settled,
the strength and prestige of the Admins.
~tration will be established. and its enc.