Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-09-29
POPULAR DIPLOMACY.

GENERAL PILLOW is a very lucky man in the
way of gaining distinction. The surprising
election of Mr.. Polk to the presidency raised
the General at once from an obscure county
law-ofIice to the highest pinnacle of public no.
toricty. Events somehow, seemed made to give
him prominence. They were but vehicles Of
his renown. Hardly battle took place in
Mexico that did not owe something he seemed
to think, to his skill and fortune.
And row, another very lucky event has oc
Cured, which not only renders the General
conspicuous, but seems to give him very IA
vorable attitude towards the Republican party,
1t is not impossible that we might have his great
fortune and talents on our side if we were to
manage property. 1t is the fact that he gives
us clear diplomatic hint to this effect The
occasion Of this hint is as follows 1T appears
that some free negroes were kidnapped from
Baltimore and offered to the General for sale.
He purchased them and sent them off to a
plantation which he owned in Arkansas. But
during a conversation with them he learned the
fact that they were free men, and Immediately
informing the Mayor of Baltimore of the same,
offered to return them.
Now an integrity so scrupulous as this ought
to be fostered and especially in that quarter of
the country where the General lives, where it is
dangerous to be so generous and brave in favor
Of freedom But we must confess that we
should have liked it much better if the General
had not bought the free men at all. BY a little
judcious conversation with the men before
purchasing them he might, perhaps, have learn
ed the fact of their freedom and thus saved
himself from great deal of trouble and eX-
pensc. But by this course he would have lost
n rare chance at notoriety and of informing the
Republican party of his liberal sentiments
towards their views. In fact, they who know
the General, might suspect him of having man
ufactured this event for the purpose of favor
able opportunity of bringing forward his senti-
ments to the notice of the country. His scnti-
ments on the great issue of the day might thus
he expressed without mourning nInch danger at
home, or, indeed of gaining much considera-
ton from abroad Ii is an Ingenious way, how
ever, it must be confessed, of giving exposition
to ones opinions in community where opinions
are often dangerous to their possessor. 1t is
that sort of ingenuity to which men are forced
to resort by tyranny and oppression.
This event, among many others in the very
eventful life Of General Gideon J. Pillow of
Tennessee-this political myth, perhaps manu-
featured by himself, is very siguiticative, in
variety of ways. 1t shows, in the first place,
how much ensaved the whites Of slave-holding
states have become when one Of their most
prominent politicians resorts to such a method
as this of making known his views Such a
slaves mode of expressing ideas is called in
:he South by the gentle name of diplomacy
and even the grossest falsehoods, from sour
ees of pretentious responsibility. are vanished
over by that name. Was it an innocent thing
in General Pillow to pretend Ignorance while
participating in the crime of man. stealing ?
Does sound and healthy tenor Of the law ever
admit ignorance as a plea? Why is General
Pillow SO forward to make known to the public
an ignorance that does him no credit as a law
abiding man? /; is simply that General Pillow,
as a southern man, considers this grossness as
first rate diplomacy cunning, shrewd, non
communal, and as safe land as useless too as
hedgedin bet. He does not perceive that it is
more discreditable to his morals 10 buy free
men and announce it in the papers tkan it ia
creditable to his aeumen to return them. Gen
eral fiilow does not appear to be at all shocked
at being implicated in the crime of ran-steai-
ing. Not in the least; it was a very generous
thing on his part to offer to return the men
bought.
But this kind of diplomacy is always over
reaching itself to the injury of those who prac-
tee it. The recent outrages upon trnth and
decency in Texas, under the pretcXt of political
tactis and diplomacy, must inevitably prove in
furious to the interests of the state, since it will
tend to keep away from it both capital and en-.
terprise. No one would settle in a communit,
so disordered as that of Texas is, as has lately
been represented by its own papers. The most
rejecting cannot fail to sec that this will be one
of the inevitable consequences Of such men,
dacity. a Texas writer seems to be actuated by
similar reflection in attempting to set tbs
country right with regard TO the drouth that
has prevailed this season in his state lie de-
clarcs that it is not bad as has been represen-
ted, that there will be enough to eat, and tina,
the cotton will turn ont full crop. But the
worst of it is, no one knows what to think OF
believe of what he hears from Texas. ghe peo-
pie there have INDUCED to suth an extent in
diplomacy, that no one can vouch for the au
thenticity Of the events that occur among them
The greatest monstrosity may prove to he {
mere myth, manufactured for some po!itica
purpose. And the people have enjoyed for SC
long period of their youth as a state this higl
seasoned intellectual pabuium, that it would bt
hard for them to come down to the simple fare
of ungurnished truth. Not until this change
however, in their intellectual tastes takes place
can they ever add support or progress to free
institutions for to these institutions sophistrie
and umtruths of all kinds are hostile and de
structive.
The ITALIAN REVOLUTION. made
outry into No,,Ioc . ,ba oh - 80.