The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-30
WEDNESDAY, MAY 80, 1866.
General Scott Political "reminiscences,

whose public career extends over the lives OF
almost two generations, is an unusual event in
any country He had been a commissioned
officer OF the United States for more than JVty
eight years. He was made Brigadier-General
ffty-two years ago last March. Fifty years ago
he was offered a position in the Cabinet. His
early manhood was contemporaneous with the
declining years of the great actors in the Revo-
lutionary struggle. The elder ADAMS, JEFFER
SON, MADISON, BURR, HAMILTON, PNoKNBY,
KING, and others OF that class of men were still
alive and mlngling in political life, much as our
older men like SEWARD, REvERDY JOHNSON, and
the like are now. General SCoTT saw these
men pass off of the stage one by one, and their
places filed by that younger generation OF
statesmen comprising such names as JOHN
QUINCY ADAMS, ANDREW JACKSON, JOHN G. CAL
HoUN HENRY CLAY, DANIEL WEBSTER, THOMAS
H. BENTON, and others. These in turn passed
away, and the old veteran survived to behold
still another generation of public men-the
SEwARDs, Grasses, SUMMERS, FEssENDENs, etc.
of our day. General SCOTT had been a witness
Of and we might almost say an actor in, every
important event which transpired in this coun-
try from the administration of JAMES MoNRoEto
that of ANDREW JOHNSON His career was almost
as much political as military. He was selected
for the performance OF most important civil
duties by almost every President who was in
Office during his public life.
General SCoTT had been prominently and fa-
vorably before the public for forty years. when
in 1852 he was nominated for the Presidency.
That he was defeated by man then so insig-
nifcant and utterly unknown, that nine out Of
every ten men even OF his own party, upon
hearing of his nomination, asked, who is
FRAN KILN PIERCE!" Is one of the most striking
illustrations of the "ingratitude OF republics" on
record. The causes OF his defeat, however, may
now be plainly traced. Four years before, in
l548, General ZACHARY TAYLOR, fresh from the
fields OF Lis glorious achievements in Mexico,
had been borne by popular acclaim to the Presi-
dency. The questions of freedom III the terrific
rles that we had Just acquired from Mexico and
of the admission OF California as tree State,
were then agitating the public mind 1t was the
day of the Wilmot Provlso-the day when MAR
TIN VAN BUREN stood upon the platform of mo
more slave States, and no more slave territory
The South was restlve and threatening, but
found on the part of President TAYLOR positive
and incorruptible patriotism which stood as an
impossible barrier to all its efforts. WILLIAM
H. SEWARD was then just'openiug mis- splendid
career in the Senate of the United States, aud it
was one of the special grievances or the South in
those days that the New York Senator was too
influential with the President Death cut
short the administration of President
TAYLOR, and VIcePresident FILLMORE sue
ceeded to the vacant office. 1t
turning point in the destiny of the nation.
FILLMORE abandoned the policy of his prede-
cessor; there were no more complaints that
SEWARD was too powerful at the White House;
the fatal compromise measures of 1850 were
passed; the moral sense of the nation was
shocked and debauched by the Fugitive Slave
bill WEBSTER fell, and made his 7th of March
speech; the pro-slavery reaction had fairly set
in, and every day it accumulated fresh volume
and force 1t was the era when political atheism
ran riot, when to MAINTAIN that Gods law
was ''higher' than mans was to encounter the
anathemas of goddess priests and poliucians-
that dark era when even the Church seemed to
swing loose from her moormgs, and Doctors of
Divinity voluntarily covered themselves with
shame by saying, as one of them did, that he
would not hesitate to send his own mother If a
fugitive, back into slavery
The Presidential election of 1852 found the
country in this condition. 1t was the last can
yass made by the Whig party. 1t had drunk the
fatal poison of pro.slavery degradation, and its
days were numbered. General SooTT's great
name and llustrious services could not save it,
The Democratic party had become the chosen
and accepted instrument of the pro slavery con.
spirators against the life of the nation. The
Wing party humbled itself in vain. It had per-
formed its mission, and was destined to pass out
of history as a political organization. The
hero of forty years labors in the service of his
country, and who had but recently led its vic.
torious columns IN triumph to the Halls of the
Dlontezumas, was sham fully, disgracefally
beaten by an insignificant and unknown local
politician! "Poor PIERCE" assumed the robes
of office; and from that time for ward the pro.
slavery zealots held the reins OF power, and
drove the country furiously towards destruc-
ton. The Nebraska bill was passed, and the
Kansas struggle commenced. BUCHANAN sue
ceed PIERCE, only TO prove, if possible. more
supple instrument than his predecessor in the
hands OF the slave power. The crash camein
1860, when the people at last took alarm, and
by peaceful revolution placed ABRAH4M LIN
colin in the Presidential chair
From the accession of MmLARD FILLMORE, in
1885, to the Inauguration OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
in 1861, the slave power ruled the country.
General SCorT's defeat in 1852 was but an Incl
dent in the grand march of events towards their
destined end. The South could not trust hin.
They doubted his iealty, and how well they had
measured their man was made apparent when
the dark hours of detection, deserton, and trea
son enyeloped the country IN lS60-6l.
aF nol ea1