, 1863-09-19
THE WASHINGTON STATESMAN
SATURDAY MORNING, SEP 10, 1868.
President Making

ANSANCAb Auoh4uS Sdu duQ OuBub IOT the
present to be postponed till the mighty
work of crushing the rebellion is accom-
pished, yet we have no hesltancy in saw
ing that in our view Gen. Banks will be
found the strong man for the crisis and for
the country. All things considered. we
believe he has more of the elements which
the nation now needs and demands in
President than any other, whose name is
likely to be presented. That is our opin-
ion, which is as good as any body's that is
no better, and we hope to vote for him or
Andrew johnson, and will not object to
voting for both on one ticket, caring not
much which occupies the leading position.
But we have to prophesy that Banks and
Johnson will be the Union candidates If
so we shall have an Administration of
frmness, honor and freedom CregOnian.
This President making is perhaps
rather premature, but we cannot see that
it ought to be postponed till the rebellion
is crushed, especially if it should take
five years or so to crush it, as some
suppose it will.
With Banks for President, we might
have an Administration considerably on
the 'frmness," but we should think not
much for freedom" or rather liberty,
Judging by the extract given below from
one of his speeches, which we copy from
newspaper entitled The Constitution, pub
nsned at washington City during the last
Presidential campaign. The Constitution
says:
In 1856, in a speech in Massachusetts,
we find Mr.. Banks turning prophet, and
predicting a military dictatorial govern
ment" in this country. He had no faith in
the stability of "free Institutions" He
said
81 can conceive of time when this
Constitution shall not be in existence
when we shall have an absolute military
dictatorial government, transmitted from
age to age, with men at its head who are
made rulers by military commission, or
who claim an hereditary right to govern
those over whom they are placed"
In choosing for President we should
pick out a man who uphOlds the Constitu-
ton, aud has faith in Republican form of
government, and not one who has predicted
the downfall of both. And especially, we
would not select man who has prophe-
sled for us military or dictatorial gov
eminent or monarchy We should very
much fear if such a man attained the Pres
idential chair that his best endeavors would
be used to subvert the Constitution and
build himself throne on its ruins.
We supposed the Oregonian to be in ia
vor of free Government, but when it
picks up Banks as its first choice for the
next Presidency, it looks as if the "free-
DOM it teaches is of rather a doubtful
character. 1t is quite jump from "uni-
versal freedom to universal despotism, but
we will not be surprised to see those who
have. advocated the former doctrine the
most strenuously to be the first to urge the
latter as military necessity"
Sinking into Patriots.
There is a great of deal talk of late about
sinking the partisan in the patriot" We
have been watching some of these parti-
sans sink, and notice that when they sink
they usually go down into good fat Office
of some sort or other. They are like the
blooming maidens, who, when they faint.
take great pains to fall into good hands.
Nevertheless there are some partisans who
discard politics from the purest and most
patriotic motives, and who believe in so
doing that they are acting for the best in
terests of the nation but the men who
discard their politics from pure motives
are rather the exception than the rule
The country is literally flooded with small
politicians and demagogues, who are
watching favorable Opportunities to sink
into patriots, at the rate of "good ten
thousand yearly more or less, at the ex-
pense of Uncle Sans depleted IL easury.
These fellows are of that stamp of patriots
who are constantly telling us-from their
snug ofices-wbat Unionism is. They
may be called windy patriots; they are
eternally vaunting their own Unionism,
and are never at a loss to know how to
"raise the wind" Whenever we hear of one
of these partisans sinking his principles,
huge roll Of greenbacks looms up in our
minds eye, and we are pretty confident of
finding him added to the mighty band of
demagcgue leeches who feed at the public
crib and who do little else. When they
have fed at the crib until they are fat, the
people will begin to understand that most
of those who become patriots by sinking
their politics, are of that class who sink
into patriots in order to sink money into
their own pockets. If this sinking sort of
patriotism keeps up its lick for any great
length Of time it will sink the Government,
or sink it so deep in debt that it will
hardly be worth fighting for.
PERsoNAL.-Dr. James A. Mullan re-
turned to Walla Walla this week, having
come across the mountains in the position
ofSurgeon to the Ft Benton Emigration.
The Doctor left here last fall on visit to