Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-02-24
JAMEs BucuAvAN, the President of these Uni

I
in his composition He is continually asking
for "morc" Oliver wanted more gruel--A most
reasonable and natural want for starving boy;
but Buchanan wants moro Prerogative, more
power-a most unnatural and unreasonable
want for an old, superannuated man, standing,
surrounded by ungrateful leeches, with one foot
IN the White House and the other in the grave,
almost ready to bid an eternal farewell to earth
and all its ambitions-power, too, of which he
has already exercised too much and injudicous-
", as his administration, all the way through,
amply testifies.
The President is an adnirer of Louis Napo-
leon; and would be an imitator If it were prac-
ticable He experiences the most intense APP
probation of the mastery style in which Louis
handles the ribbons of State, and lashes and
sashes the little fidgety Frcnchmen. lie takes
quite liking to the autocratic sway with which
the "Nephew of his Uncle" rules the free ex-
preston of thought in France, and without per-
haps envying, he would gladly emulate. Mr.
buchanan finds that in his dorninions the press
is a most impudent and unpleasant affair, say
ingjust what it pleases when it pleases, and of
whom it peases He is quite disguised at the
freedom with which it deals with his delicate
Notwithstanding him politically when
ever it suits, and holding him Up to the ridcule
md contempt of the world. He also fancies as
something most desirable the absoluteness with
which the Murderer of hundred thousand pa
triots is wort to rule his little empire. Louis
has all the power of France in his Napoleon fist,
and James hopes to have, very soon, all the au-
thority of Congress concentrated in his big
democratic digits.
We have no opinion that Buchanan entertains
any idea of n coup detat, at least after the Ma
poleon fashion. He does not contemplate dis
solving Congress, or barricading Pennsylvania
Avenue, or numbering or imprisoning citizens
who would dare oppose him, or shipping them
off to Algiers, or gagging the freedom of speech
all at once. By no means; he is eminently
man of peace-at home; ard whatever designs
be has for the future welfare of his beloved
country, he expects to carry out ina legitimate,
legislative way. He knows perfectly well that
the Louis Napoleon game could not be played
here to advantage, and So instead, he must use
q little diplomacy, term Synonymous with
bribery aud corruption. If he does any mis-
chief in future he would prefer to saddle it up
on Congress He would have the power rotea
INTO MS UunuSt lne NDbShlhlO MS p'SAShI
the country voted into wars--all by legislative
enactment; and then, if anything went wrong,
Congress, and not him, would be to blame
Hence his pretty little modest request, through
Senator Mason, that Congress would invest him
with the supreme control of the army and navy;
that to him should be transferred the authority
to levy supplies aud declare war, with al auto
cratic a5soluteness from which there could be
no appcal--a transfer of power which, as we
understand it, would elevate him, so fur as con-
Germs authority, pretty nearly to the level of
Louis Napoleon, and quite to that of a Franca
or Lopez
In what we have said we have taken for
granted that tho President has done this of his
own accord; but there can be no question that
there is '.power behind the throne" which
coerces even the throne itself Give, then, this
prerogative to the President, and we may expect
him, with the assistance of his Southern coad-
Tutors, to cut up some tall shines, in the way of
thrashing and annexing ourSouthern neighbors.
Mr. Buchanan's next want is little pocket
money, say S3O,OO0,OOO He has little diPlo-
matte Job ON hand, andi in order TO succeed he
expects to have to come down handsomely with
the .rhino." But Congress is a little suspicious,
and does not exactly like the complexion of tho
proposition. The money is wanted for the
secret service, and according to the BILL could not
be accounted for to the country on account of
the manner of its application. 1t would be en-
ployed and none but those employing it would
know how IL was used; and not having an I'M
wayering confidence in the honesty Of the admin
is,ration, Congress cannot help hesitating. But
the artillery is brought to hear, and the appli-
ornees are made and one after another the PreSi.
dent finds adheren,s and the proposition sup
porters.
The Presidents latest want is simply repe-
tition of the demand for the use of the army
and navy; simply a fresh requisition for the
wAr.making power. This time tits made in the
shape Of message, he thus asking no longer by
proxy, but in person, for the coveted authority.
The pretence on which the message is based is
tnat OF keeping open certain routes over the
Isthmus, which our government took it upon
itself TO establish through the premises of one
of our neighbors Even admitting our right to
employ force to keep open these routes through
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