The register., 1860-03-29
Mr.. slidell and the Presidency.


TO her honorcd son and asks for him, and in
him, for herself, the exalted distinction Of lead.
ing once more to peace and safety and pros
perity, this sadly agitated people. With her
long-tried loyalty to the great party of the
people, with her unwavering devotion to the
great interests of the nation, and her hearty
sympathy and cooperation with the great de-
mands and dcstinies of the South, whereof she
is proud Of being portion, she asks to be the
banner State in the coming contest which must
exert so large an influence on the dcstinies Of
this great Republic as well MS on the principles
of democracy throughout the world. As the
battle is to be no mean one, and as its issues
are to be Of no secondary impor 'ance, she
comes with no unworthy leader, she offers no
unskilled Or untricd chief. Let the people con-
slider who and what the man is, thus offered for
their confidence and support. Let them bear
in mind the following among many other CO.
gent reasons why Mr.. Sldcll should be nomi-
mated by the Charl; ston Convention, and elect
cd President Of these United States:
LIST. He is democrat stauneh and unwavcr-
ing, of the genuine Jef1evsonian and jackson
school. In all the issues of by-gone days, he
was true 10 the principles of the party, stand
ing manfully by them and doing yeoman scr
vice in hours of darkest gloom and trial, His
is no doubtful record. Of that record, himself
and friends may we'll be proud in these days of
change and compromise. There is no stain
, M fhnrn 1yhf oh OH
intcrtwine; but, in direct course, they lead
along where clearcst shines the light of Demo-
cratic principles.
"a. With the great party to which his life
has been devoted, and, therein, to his country,
he has ever recognized the fundamental prin-
ciple that our Government is progressive and
expansive. No fossil is our beautiful system Of
polity and principle. 1t is living, flexible
organism, with capacity Of development MS
yet unknown and underlined While, therefore,
the active enterprise and daring mobility of
our people demand the increase of our terrific
ry, the plastic character of our government in
tcrposes no sort of obstacle to healthy normal
growth. Indeed, it rather iavors and facilitates
such growth. Mr.. Sldcll, therefore, is in IA
vor of the extension of our territory, as lis
course in reference to the annexation of Texas,
and his prVid for the purchase ofCuba, clearly
demonstrate.
Sd. On those questions which have recently
agitatcd the public mind, he stands pledged TO
the integrity ofthe Union, the principles of the
Constitution, and the binding force of the de-
csions of the Supreme Court as the constitn-
tionul arbiter in the last resort But he is no
blind slave to name, or word. His devotion
to the Union is intelligent and discriminating
1t is Union ofjustice, ofequality and of cqui-
ty to which his tealty is due. This was sufi-
ciently manifest in the last presidential contest.
But in this scnse-that of law, of equity, of
cquality-AIr. Slidell is prc-emincnty a, Union
man.
4th. lie has made no bid for the Presidency.
A Senator from the sovereign State of Louis-
ana, he has borne himself as becomes Senator
in the true acceptation of that exalted word
His miud occupied with the great affairs of
great people, far above the noise and strife Of
party malignity or personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT,
he stoops to none of the little things of smaller
minds. lie looks not on his position MS mere
engine for selfish ends Ue does not regard
the Constitution of his country Us great po-
ltical toy-boX. from which TO Gull fancy art-
cles to please The Imagination. Nor does he
view it as the fruitful source ofall transccndcnt-
al impossibilities. To him, it is the great char
ter of American liberty and free government,
10 be administered for the common benefit Of
oil. 1t is no mystic or cabalistic formula for
arts and incantations. 1t is q common sense
instrument, founded in wisdom and, in its prac-
tical application, capable of protecting and fos-
tering every interest of every position of our
rapidly-growing country. Such being his views,
Mr.. Slidcll is found discussing not the abstract
vagaries of the uopian dreamer, but acting
md speaking in regard to the real and the
practical. Avoiding, on the one hand, all
merely personal and selfish considerations, he
has escaped, likewise, on the other hand, all
vague gcncraliies aud spider-spun theories
9th. lie is man of the people, and the man
for the present crisis. With kcenness and
penetration of insight that cRtctually defy de-
feat, where athe merely human is available;
with a elearncss of Judgment and quickncss of
discrimination as reliable as they are unusual,
with strength ormind capable ofgrcat ondpro
tractcd eScrtion; with comprchensiveness of
intellect fully adequate to the varied and null
tlorm duties and responsibilities of even the
presidential office, Mr.. Slidell stands consp-
cuous in the galaxy Of great men who now
command the Nations gaze---a star of the first
magnitude. Thoroughly familiar with all the
complicated details Of our government ac-
Quaintcd with the varied interests and neccss-
ties of every part of our country, with admin
abilities remarkable even in this utilia
rian age and nation, aud with strength of will
and frmness Of resolution beyond all power to
daunt, he is pre-cminently the man for the
present emergency. Completely versed in all
the great questions of the day, able and learned
both in civil and in constitutional law, devoted
with all the powers Of his great mind and warm
heart to the interests and welfare of the South,
and an intelligent, ardent lover of the Union
of these States-a Union of law, of interest, of
equality and fraternity-he is presented by the
State he has so ably represented, as her first
choice for the Chief Magistracy of these United