Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-08-03

conceanent or evasion" "He Is a man pure and
incorruptibe, a Democrat of the Jackson temper
a statesman without guile, sir, and soldier, why
very Baysrd of his country, the Knight without
fear and without reproach.n Those who know
Breckenridge will scarcely need be told that these
grand descriptions of noble qualities are but the re-
hex of his own sterling character.
The wonderful success of Mr.. Breckenridge has
been already referred to. simply existing fact,
but reference to its cause and character, and
to its correlative-his popularity-is necessary to
complete even this hasty sketch. His frst election
to Congress was q wonderful achievement Tae |
District for which he was returned was the dis
tract and home of Henry Clay. 1t was Wing by
majority of sixteen hundred. His competitor, Cen
eraI Leslie Combs, of the shrewdest tact-
clans and ablest debaters in Kentucky. Yet Mr..
Breckenridge, beating down this heavy majority
and this strong antagonist was elected by MAORI
ty of more than five hundred. The result was
subject Of remark in all political circles In his sec
{ ond canvass the Wings eylnced resolute purpose
to recover the District and brought into the field
Governor Letcher-an experienced campaigner-
of great ability and established reputation, and alto
gether the strongest Wing in the State. The canvass
was of the hottest kind and, as many VIII remember
the interest and excitement spread over the whole
country But the second victory Of the rising young
Democrat was even more signal than the Grst.
! Following this came the profered mission to Spain
! and its modest declinature. Then the spontaneous
call to the Vice Presidency, then his election to the
Senate and now the deep and strong under current OF
/ popular feeling in his favor for the Presidency.
Such unparalleled success-esPeelally IN our coun-
try, and for so young man-Goes nOt Vi GOurse
pass without emphatic remark II IS debated some
times In popular STYLE and sometimes with phlloso-
phical gravity. Some dispose OF the matter IN
summary way on the simple theory OF 'Iuck
This argument cannot certainly be loglcany oisproV
ed. Others say because he IS hne, genial hlgh.
spirited fellow but there are hundreds OF men OF
that character who are never heard OF beyond the
small circles in which they move. There are those
again who refer his popularity and success 70 nus
brilliant talents, but there are many merely orIle
men who live unsuccessful and die obscure. There
are still others who deduce his intellectual and poll
teal power as necessary physiology or psycologl-
cal results of the blood that is II HIN Aney argue
that not only his father and grand1ather anu al ms
kinsmen on the Breckenridge side, were men Oh
might and high sense Of honor, but that so were ms
ancestors on the maternal side beginning Win olo
Witherspoon, of the Declaration OF independence,
and coming down to the present That ms Iahliy
| throughout our whole existence as naton,nas Halls
it's mark upon the politics and morals OF the country,
and that it because he is sprung from such race
of men that he has run such splendid career bel
all this is wide of the mark The true souece OF
all is the man himself, and in the common sense OF
of the people, ibis sheer impossiby to account for
it on any other grounds He may be aptly DESCRIBED
in his own words applied tn Butler and Gay 1or ne
possesses the great qualities OF both he u man
: pure and incorruptble, Democrat OF the Jackson
temper statesman without guile-all the heredl
tary instincts of his race spurning concealment OF
! evasion and in him intellect, person. eloquence,
. and courage unite to form character Mt TO com
mand If he were not such man, he would nave
met with no such uninterrupted success ana had nc
I such surprising popularity
! But few of our conventional great men beal
the test of close inspection. 1t Is subject OF com
= mon remark that nearly all OF them are owarIee
into the merest mediOcrity by close and familiar Cd
. | seryation In most IL is essentially the FAC
!; that distance lends enchantment to the view bu
Breckenridge proof against the seVerest OF ell tests
The closer you see him, the greater and better ~
looks. This is the experience OF the people OF al
!: parties and especially the Representatives who g
= | annually to Washington and when they go home
. penetrating, they do, all parts OF the country
they relate it to their friends and nelghbors and De
comes the fixed sentiment of the people Here L
: the true ground work of Breckinridges great popu
arity 1t pervades the entire bOSy OF the Democratl
u partv 1t is in the peoples hearts-no forced, ho
- house growth but indigenous. The dlnerence DC
- tween it and the Fictitious popularity WORKED up
- order by small party leaders, Is the same as TN
. difference between the applause Of paid edqarS at
theatre and that spontaneous, -represslbe, electrl
o. shout that goes up shaking the very walls, when Tn
~ hearts of the people are truly touched.
Thus far Mr. Breckenridge has been consldere
Il chiefly with reference to the causes that have Ger
- tered upon him so large share of public attento
4 and favor; and not at all IN his relation 10 the rres
=. | dency as in no usual sense of the term Is ne
" candidate for that office. l: is true that quite
. number of delegates to the Charleston Convento
, have declared marked preference for him aboV
all others, but such expressions come from no PR
* curements of his; they are but the simple and ma
" ura results of the high esteem IN which ne IS he'll
81 | Enough, however, has been said to show that Nj
"a Breckenridge is in every respect, character wo
81 thy TO be President of the United States If tt
qualifications that regarded as essential IN U
"A Chief Magistrate in the earlier and purer days OF II
- Republic are still held to be important, then he
Al most worthy of all that are likely be considers
-, at Charleston. He presents reputation wltho'
~ bemish great intellectual ability, intimate know
edge of public affairs, integrity that no man wou
Oh dare approach with corrupt or questionable pro
: osition, commanding force of character, hdehty
IA his party organization controlled by that high SEN
w. of public duty which holds right and justice
All be superior party obligations; and with all the
~ he presents the very prime of vigorous manhoo
nv nv tempered by Judgment and discretion that TN
NJ far have been singuarly free from error or fault
e There can be doubt that possessing these qua
III ties as he does Mr.. Breckenridge would. as Pres
rs dent be governed by wise and patriotic views al
" that his administration of public affairs would be
rs able and pure as to command respect at home AZ
J abroad. But it has so happened OF late years, IN
' Presidential candidates laye been selected on We
- | different grounds than those just mentioned 90
" ventiOns distracted by the Intr1gues ana c0nTiicl
interests of political spectators and IN the hot pu
suit of availability have either overlooked or sac
IVA feed the more important requirements OF the Pre-
Ia dency. II can hardly be expected that the CharI'
~ | ton Convention viii be more exempt from such
%" uences than its predecessors, whether of It's ov
or the Republican party But in this regard it mi
prove to be fortunate for the Democrats, and su
lect OF future cOngratUlatOn lof Tie country III
y eminent fitness and the highest availability unite
leu the person of John c. Breckenridge. Ills wiC
ny spread popularity the hearty good will of the mass
of his party and the prestige of his unbroken 81
s' cess against great odds may open the eyes of de
lof gates to merits they might not otherwise care
ant d. H. ino nor,,Ior f,alipg in favor of Rrec
n a - &c i+sliIF ,CrI, Ivondars az If did in I
ase Ashland District" and at Cincinnati. If not su
ent pressed by extraordinary means, it must pro1u
y a its usual effects at Charleston, and should he
to r,n+od +bo IiCbtnino lash that makes il know
no ~ a. n,oo~oct Of tLe Union will wake n resnc
an sve shout such as has not gone up from that par
ant since the days of Jackson.
not Opposition Friends OF BrecKlnrloRe'