New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-04-08
MN. anECKrNRrDGs SPEAKS.


has held in this country gives 10 bis utterances
Fictitious importance which his intellectual parts
DO not authorize; for he is neither an astute
statesman, nor a keen logician, nor brilliant as
an orator AT least, he did not shine in these
characters when he made a long speech the other
day-ast Tuesday, in facial Louisville, Ken
tucky.
If this speech was as confused TO the ear as il il
muddy to the eye when displayed in print, it can
have had little effect except TO open wide the
mouths of half the yawning audience and send
the rest drowsily home. Nevertheless, to one who
carefully reads, and studiously re-peruses the
work, il will prove interesting m illustration
of the cunning devices of the Secessionsts in the
Border States. Before coming to this, however,
il may be well enough to say that tie mort of
Mr. Brccknridge's harangue is made up Of the
stock nonsense about the wrongs OF the South
and the insults offered by the North. The chief
count in los indictment against us here at the
North is, that We voted for President who repre-.
sented Constitutional principles, and was in favor
of giving all men their rights. Then he grumbles
because Mr.. Lincoln has given office to men rep
resenting the principles on which he was elected,
instead of putting the power into the hands of
those directly opposed to these principles, and
who would render void the victory gained. Per
haps, if we had been so unfortunate as to have
Mr. Breckinridge for our Chief Magistrate, he
would have scrupulously filed the Offices in his
gift with men whose opinions were at war with
bis own. Perhaps he would like to have the
Government left in the hands of the traitors who
have so long dragged us down.
He also arragns tho North because We
have refused to settle the national diff
culties on what he calls ga broad and
" comprehensive" basis-that is, by opening
the whole country, Free States and all Terrific
ries, to Slavery. But what he considers to be
the radical evil at the bottom of our troubles is
this: that the Free States insist on regarding the
Federal Government as consolidated popular
Government superior in national affairs to the
single States. If we rightly construe his words,
not an easy thing to do, no would have
the General Government sort of upper servant,
to be made useful in carrying the mails and col.
lecting the revenue, but subject TO the control of
see ct, disobey when they prefer dsobedience
and secede when they think it proper to retire.
All of which has the slight disadvantage of utter
impracticablty.
Mr. Breckenridge is disposed also to blame
the dominant party because, " instead Of
/" devisng some broad and general plan 70
" unite the States, they are engaged in
"the dirty business of dividing the Federal
Offices" This is, indeed, refreshing The lite
Vice. President, with his profound theories Of
political science may have some plan by which
a Government could work without officers, or no
may think that the Federal Offices would Ill
their own vacancies if left alone; the Democratic
party should long ago have inaugurated the sys-
TEN if they wished to have it tried, and the
suggestion comes now with bad grace from tie
man who desired nothing 30 much as to have
hand in this same business which he, judging BY
the. past, pronounces so " dirty"
BIT enough, and more than enough, Of Dir.