Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-07-13
THE PREs1DE DENoY IN 1850
nc Lean COrwEn, Cameron, BANKS.
:. NHAs0Ns WHY THEY WON'T DO.

HAc"e"n' COrwtn, Cameron. Ranks.
REASONS WHY THEY wox'r DO.
lEFom communication in the New York Expres,7
Judge Mclean, of Ohio. is now seventy. fam
years OF age. New Jersey is his birth nlocn
""t MS iather settled permanently in Ohio. Mt n
very W, early period of his life. uclaborcd under
'lle disadvantages of defective early education.
anu anu ML'te engaged in his legal studies, wrote in
tue CierNS office at Cincinnati for Decuniorv
support He began the practice of law at Ie.
Damon, Ohio, in 1907 He was elected to Con-
gFeSS IN 1872, as Democrat, and supnortcd
t3e administration of Mr.. Madison He was re-
elected the succeeding session, and in 1916 was
mace Judge OF the Supreme Court of Ohio, and
sat SIX years upon that bench. In 1922 he was
appointed Commissioner OF the General Land
once, by Mr.. Monroe, and in 1929 Post Mas.
ter General. In 1899 he was made Judge of
the supreme Court of the United States, bv
S'en. jackson, after having refused the depart
Ments OF War and Navy which the President
had rendered him
The superior morals, the enormous learning
aud experience, and the steadfast integrity Of
JuuSe Mclean no one pretcndS to question:
lad he received the nomination in 1856 of the
Republican Party, he would in all probabilityhave
been elected to the Presidency; as, in the event
of his nomination, we have reason to believe
the nomination of the American Party, whose
weakness was then palpablc, would have with
draw in favor of Judge Mclean.
But the advanced age of this gentleman phy-
Slcally units him for the cares and responSi.
Oiltles of the Chief Magistracy. lie suuld be
SeVentY.slX years of age at the time Of the u-
anSnlatl0n, and 1t Is not unreasonable to ones
ton the prOpriety Of electing any man to Office
at his period of life, whic already exceeds the
average age of the days OF men.
10 suppose man at his best state, could es-
cape the lntirnlies incident to flesh and live to
the age of eighty with mind and constitution
unimpaired is barely possible case.
Nature has been extremely chary in furnish
ing exceptions to this law, and the question of
age has constituted rather Formidable 'ohiec-
ton to otlle" pnblic men of the country, several
years the junior of Judge Mclean We believe
Mr. Franklin was sixty years old when he sign.
c" the Declaration Of Independence, but the
average age OF the signers was only twenty
seven.
We scarcely see the necessity of further alu-
sion to the antecedents of this gentleman.
Hon. Thomas Corwin, Of Ohio, is now sixty
tive years of age, in vigorous health aud cncr-
SetacaIly prosecuting his profession at the bar.
Like inc preceding gentleman, he has risen to
distinction and influence without the prestige of
birth or fortune. In early life he was Il proni-
nent representative in the Ohio legislature. In
S3l, he was elected to Congress- where he con-
unued until 1910, when he was made Governor
ot ONO. lie served in that capacity two years,
and was succeeded by Gov: Shannon In l845
he was elected to the United States Senate. and
| remained in that body until 1850, when he ac-
ceptcd the position Of Secretary of the Treasury
III the Cabinet OF MiIlard Gilmore lie was
again elected to the next Congress-, 1868. Mr..
Corwin Is deep, orig sinal thinker, an eloquent
and torclo!e speaker, an able statesman, and as
true patriot as lives in this Union But Il total
absence OF executive talent the want of dccis.
ION, tlrmneSs and promptneSS in action, would
unfit him to be the standard bearer in the great
army OF opposing forces. Those who know him
best ana appreciate his noble qualities, most
Know that he could win no laurrlS in that posi-
ton. His anteccdcnts, as Secretary of the
treasury furnish singular evidences of the truth
| Of tins position; Just as bearing in the Senate
Oh the uniaed States, proved his admirable
statesman-like qualities. The question regard
ing penal duties was brought before him for do
clSlon at an carly period, after he became the
chief of the Treasury Department.. The Collec-
TORS OF the various ports pressed the matter on
ms attention with extraordinary energy: but
tho Secretary vascillatcd and Gclaycd his final
action on the subject, until one week before his
term expired His Assistant Secretary not
c0ncurrlng in his chiefs decssion retained it
three days more, before sending it TO the Custom
Houses. 1t was therefore impossible to have
the accounts adjusted and passed before the
term Of Mr.. Corwin ended! The first act of the
first hour of his successor was to annu the
whole proceeding! Similar examples concern
ting the difference between the Secretary and the
Commissioner OF Customs, DELAYED the decision
of Mr.. Corwn upon other matters, connected
with the customs and it was not until the. Com
missioner resigned a few weeks before the close
OF the Fillmore administrations that a favorable
decision was rendered in behalf Of the officers.
The Gardner case, with which the name Of
Governor GOrwin was associated few wears
ago, wOuld seriously cm5arrass his prospects
for the Presidency. 1t would be revived and
used with all the force a malignant opposition
could devise; and, while VIC believe that no
stain OF iishonor can possibly attach to his
name in this connection, there are thousands
WHO would use these few gritty grains to mar
the brightness of his character; So true it is,
that evil has a greater universulity than good
The appointment to office OF his political
friends, as he was about leaving his position in
the Department, after many months Of importu-
nifty, and who were Immediately displaced by
his successor, is very characteristic.
In view Of these nntecedents, might not the
people inquire how long would it be before the
fruits of victory could be experienced, did they
succeed in exterminating thc.corrupt Dcnocra-
cy, under the lead of MIR. Corwin?