The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-08-10
Vice President breckenridge On the
Stump.


The Baltimore Patriot, an impartial and
conservative paper of great ability and in
fluence, makes the following just comments
on Vice President Breckinridge's speech at
Florence, KY:
It must be n matter of regret with all
right thinking conservative men, that the
Vice President of the United States has con-
descended to lower the dignity of his high
position so far as to bring it down to level
with stump speaking and political dema-
goguism. This he has unfortunately done.
His first effort was made a few days ago at
Florence Kentucky, where he addressed a
democratic county meeting. Although the
fact was inexcusable, as it Is undigniicdand
unbecoming, for man filing the second
highest Office in the gift of great nation,
to bring himself and it down to a level with
partizan pot-houSe aSsemblages; yet the of
Tense grows in responsiveness when we real
ize that one entrusted with such exalted
privileges should betray his trust and sink
into deriSion and disreputc honors bestowed
by confiding people.
We had supposed Mr. Breckinridge TO be
a gentleman of taste and ability, but no
such inference can be drawn from reading
his late speech at Florence. II is common
place throughout, decending even to vulgar
iSms and low slang which would detract
from the reputation of a petty-fogging coun-
try lawyer. This fact connected with the
breach of official decorum-tlat of Vice
President of the United States, man who
knows not ut what moment some unforeseen
,,l L
services as chief magistrate of our country
adds, if possible, greater intensity to the
disgrace.
Then, again, the weakness and inappro-
priateneSS of the speech not only exposes a
want of Judgment and forecast, but serves TO
debase into ridicule and contempt a high
functionary of our government, whose faults
are better hiddeR than made commonplace
to all the world
If Mr.. Breckenridge had been specially
sent out as democratic missionary, with
explicit Instructions from the Administra-
ton at Washington to plead in its behalf,
he could not have enacted better the part OF
menial obedience. He sees no virtue that
does not have its source in sectional democ-
racy, advocates no doctrine that is not in
serted in the programme of James Buchan-
an; and forgetting what he should be--a
servant of the people and man of the ma
tion, free from partiality-he beholds moth
ing good that stands arrayed against con-
centrated partzanism. Whatever may have
been the aspirations of this gentleman to-
wards the Presidency in 1860, we think his
recent Kentucky stump speeches will not
only dim his chances, but convince all who
read them, that he is better adapted TO me-
dunn stump speaking than suited for aa elc-
vation SO far transccnding his abilities.
We are glad to observe that the press
everywhere, excepting that portion of il
subServient to the administration. speak in
just condemnation of the debasement to
which Vice President Breckenridge is bring
ing the Office he has been entrusted with.
1t must be desperate condition OF affairs
indced-a hard struggle with expiring
Democracy-whena a high functiOnary, next
in position to the Chief Magistrate himself
sinks into the category of itinerant stump
orators and thus labors with pointed par
tiality 70 sustain partial measures, when
duty requires him to be impartial and free
entirely from interference in political mat
ters. If Vice President can so far over
reach boundaries of dignity, SO also may
the President when by the courteseS OF
Democracy we should have James Buchanan
stumping the United States, heralding his
1 peculiar doctrines in eighteen hundred and
: sixty.