The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-01
ADMINISTRATIONS OF Mr. BUCHANAN AND
CERTAIN TRIUMPH OF THE DEM0CRAI-
IC PARTY IN 1860.
rFrom The democratic Ago--new Rsyiew.1

IC PARTY IN 1860. "a n.
EF Prom the Democratic Age-new Rsyiew.l ..I s.'
The tune has come when the world begin 10 form
an enlightened idea of Mr.. Buchanans administration.
The policy of the real statesman cannot always be fore
Ii is often surrounded by the same difficulties
which embarrass the commander of an army. He does
not always know the plan OF the movements OF his en-
emy-nor Is he any more sure that the he trusts
may not betray him in his camp. But the true
statesman like the vgant and able general will always
further into the future than the main army But
discretion will close his lipssometimes even from his
confidential ads-until the moment draws near for the
decisive struggle. Then the announcement OF his plan
shoots electricity throughout the ranks and the columns
move to victory. # o# @ 3
Mr. Buchanan encountered the most formidable OBJ
saces the moment he crossed the threshold of the pres
dency In this respect he less fortunate than his
predecessor General Pierce surprised by his nomna
tion. Mr.. Buchanan looking forward to the White
House as the legitimate goal of ambiton--as the fair
reward of life of unbroken public service in behalf OF
great nation In casting their eyes tho country
the who nominated him could see one else Like
Saul among the Hebrews, he stood head and shoulders
above them all. 2a -
When General Pierce came into power a calm, un-
troubled expanse spread out before him. great and
perous sectional excitement had been quelled by the
statesmanship Of national men, and by the patriot
ism Of the great of the American people, The
embarrassments which he had to encounter came at
later period of bis history when the intrgues Of rivals
the spirit Of seconalism attempted to eclipse his fame
or break down his administration
But these of trouble not only confronted
Mr. Buchanan the moment he took the presidential chair
but Wh he hgi control drifting in to
swell the current that rising against him. We will
cast only single glance at them in their natural
sion.
First sectonalism had dragged the Kansas question
into Congress- and powerful opposition fought with the
giant strength OF fanacsm to keep it there 1t was the
object of the open and concealed foes Of the democratic
party to transfer to the halls of Congress those local
struggles which being settled the plains OF Kan
The excitement and collisions that would necessar
y follow the only hope of that party and those
This the only atmosphere in which they could
breathe and live Like of the noxious and
pulsve of the lower orders of animals they could thrive
only where nobler species die. q 5#
There but one remedy for this difficulty 1t was
to lay strong hand upon the Kansas intruder and cast
it out of Congress This Me first object Of Mr. Buctan-
an and he did He settled that question: and settled fortoer
For this act he deserves and has received the thanks of
the nation. Kansas has made no complaint will
she She is mistress of her political fortunes she
is absolutely Free and she it chiefly to the fmness
and wisdom of Mr. Buchanan. Thus did craftsmanship
rescue the republic from the pes OF sectional STRIFE and
give repose to torn and Distracted Territory. s
Second The soil of neighborng and friendly repub-
lie had been invaded by an American bandit with thou
sand desperate followers and that soil Redeemed
with inoensive blood, and whitenea with the ashes of
thousand homes. Ancient cities were burned to the
ground and piracy proclaimed by basphemous lips
to be American law in Nicaragua!
What spectacle for the civilized and barbarous world
|
American burn with shame How much of the real re-
spect Of the best in all foreign countries did this
| scene of piracy cost us
Mr. Buchanan first learned the facts and then went
to work. He ordered this public piracy to be stopped at
once, and sent force enough to have the work done
done This muderous adyenturer seized and his
deluded followers brought back. They thanked God
when they more stepped on honest soil--they
thanked the President because he had rescued them from
the power of remorseless tyrant, and from certain
death and they at last found their way back to their
peaceful homes wiser, if not better Thus was
another of trouble removed and deep stain wiped
| from the fame of the nation. 25E
In the mean time, two other questions Of the very
greatest magnitude pending, and each Of them had
proved fruitful source of uneasness and irritation They
concerned FOREIGN POLICY and they were both
| promptly dealt with. IN
| Third The Central American question We have in
the first article of this number spoken of the miserable
Clayton Buwer treaty it deserved 1t had the early
consideration of the President and without any delay he
took the only position which he had Stood
which the country standae uau partnership,
nth England IN The Western World All the facts are moi
yet divulged but they will soon be known, and we
shall for the present dismiss the subject by merely add
| ing that Giis question also is settled. .a
Fourth The right of searching vessels the high
in time of peace This question had been the most
important that had marked foreign policy since the
peace of 1888, which sealed Independence On this
issue the democratic party made the declaration of
against England in 1872 and that would have
been ended by the treaty of Ghent had not the five
suppoScu Oh
from vessels (Which involved the whole matter of the
right of search) had been finally abandoned by Great
Britain But time went by, and whenever it suited the
aggressive spirit of England she reasserted her right OF
searching ships at But whenever aggression
took place. the question up again. and again angry
diplomatic correspondence cnsued. It thought on
all hands that Webster had removed the question from
the field of debate in the Washington treaty and that
eminent statesman supposed lie had terminated the whole
matter forever. And if he had been dealing with any
other nation his convictions would have been history.
But that Washington treaty had been signed but few
years before twenty thirty American vessels were
hailed nsulted fired into, brought to, searched by
British armed yessesand all these indgnites per-
petrated almost in sight of coast, and at the
very moment when the whole Central American question
exciting the attention of the civilized world.
1t looked like insulta- premedtated insult and
it Lord Palmerston then the Premier of the British
empire, had determined to make issue with our
government (Which he had liked either to direct
attention from his cringng game with Louis Napoleon
to manufacture trouble for Lord Derby who to be
his successor. E#
This is just the way things stood when Mr.. Bu-
chanan took up the question. He got the facts, and
then selected his and ships, and sent them to the
scene Of these outrages At tho time he told Eng
land that this thing must stop short and full apology be
rendered a# g,san akaa aaa agb !
What The result All the President asked done
and thus another vexed question: which had disturbed
friendly relations with England from the birth of the
republic settled forever. She will attempt no more
outrages on our flag.
Such are the facts in the ementioned cases Of
In this connexion forgot the high services which have
N 10 hv