The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-10-06
ExcelIency and Aecidency.
From the New York Nation.l

ties, and, with tne gradual perfection of their
discipline, the new mode has assumed its pres
ent dehniteness. No longer do the people
trust unpledged electors to choose the 1ittest
Gluzens OF the republic to occupy the White
House and preside over the Senate. nor are
they content to ballot vaguely for the best in
terests OF the State rather than for the success
of favOrite leaders, committed to well-known
measures and policies. They dislike to incur
the constant risk of divided administration,
and OF electors who should disappoint their
expectations. They prefer decidedly to enter
upon contest of which the end may be pref
ty certainly reckoned from the beginning,
which could rarely happen as between parties
distinguished only by principles and deprived
of the personal influence of candidates.
Nevertheless, the old way had advantages
which cannot be deprecated, and in theory it
must be allowed to have been the more perfect
and rational of the two. Its superiority was
manifested especially in the dignity which it
attached to the office of Vice President, and in
the care with which, when selecting this Off
Ger, it nominated him whom the majority. hes
itating to pronounce the best, had declared the
second best among possible rulers. Thus
Adams succeeded Washington, and Jefferson
Adams, by purely logical progression; and if
the various parties which, since the Constitu-
ton was amended in regard to the electoral
college, have triumphed for longer or shorter
periods, had conscientiously proposed to the
popular suffrage their two most honored repre-
sentatives, we should have had more than a
single example of like sequence in the pres
ent century. Mr.. Van Buren, was the last
Vice-President that ever rose any higher.
That specious sectional balance which, from
the first, hampered liberty of selection with
considerations of North and South, was pre-
served till the time of jackson and Calhoun,
remembering whose illustri0us and orthodox
example the Democracy of 1860 might have
spared their denunciations of the Lincoln and
Hamlin conjunction, after an interval, to be
sure in which the balance had not again been
interrupted. The abolition of slavery has re-
| moved the pretext for emitting to promote
| merit, wherever located in our common coun-
| try, in order to appease the narrow jealousies
OF rival sections. The disposition, for the sake
of victory to choose an inferior man from
doubtful State whose vote it is important to
obtain, has met SO often, like other comprom-
ises, its proper reward, that it is time we also
| heard the last of availability" and excluded
the cheap appeal to State pride from the legit-
innate means of carrying an election. And if
we shall ever again be guilty OF dlsparaging
| the necessary qualifications OF a Vice-Presi-
| dent, counting it a waste to exchange him for
| the second citizen of the republic, we shall de-
| serve to, but it is to be hoped we never may,
suffer more than we have all already done for
i such Indifference and folly.
As one runs over the list of those who were,
in view OF possibilities, esteemed the peers of
i the Presidents with whom their names were
coupled by the people, the later figures do not
loom upon us like Adams and Jefferson-twin
giants, not more close in Office than in death
or good old Governor Clinton of this State; OF
Governor Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts,
famous in local caricature for his "Salaman-
DER but more creditably renowned for his re-
| lusal to sign the Constitution of the United
| states In the convention which framed it, be-
| cause three-fifths of the blacks were to be rep
resnted as freemen; and who approved the abo-
| litiOn memorial submitted to the first Congress
by Benjamin Franklin, who had observed
with real satisfaction that many important and
"salutary powers were vested in them for
promoting the welfare and securing the bless
ing of liberty to the people Of the United
States, and had conceived "that these
Blessings ought rightfully to be administered,
without distinction of color, to all descriptions
of people" Burr and his treason soften al
which Calhoun is the patron saint. Van Blu
ren's name will chiefly endure along with and
because of the despised Free-Soil party of 1848
His successor, Vice-President Richard NJ
johnson, survives in the shadowy memory of
Tecumseh, Mr.. Dallas lived to be discounted
at social science congress in England by
Lord Brougham, who pointed the American
Minister to negro among his Assistants"
breckenridge will not escape history so easily
as he did his betrayed native land. f.
To do them justice, the Vice Presidents az
| rule, have not been 80 detestable, formidable OF
contemplate as to induce the nation to pray
for the health of their principals. Yet the ca
reer OF Tyler and of Fillmore might have OPEN
ed our eyes to the Importance Of their office.
The most horrible charge that has been brought
against the American character is not, as some
may suppose, that it produced Booth, but
that the lives of three of Mr.. Lincoln's prede-
cessors were attempted in order to effect DO
litical coup fetdt; Tyler's apostasy, if not the
price OF Harrisons removal was consequence
which might confidently have been expected
in the circumstances. Governor Foote, in his
with. which President Taylor inspiros the
II. trl NC M
| tories for freedom, and confirms the suspicion
that he was taken off to make room for the
complalsant signer of the Fugitive Slave Law
and willing advocate of the compromises of
1850. The poisoning at a Washington hotel, to
which Buchanan almost fell victim NAV not
imprObably be classed with the two instances
just mentioned, since it is now apparent how
far the Vice-Presdent could have been relied
upon to serve the conspirators who, foreseeinc
their doom at the ballot box, were preparing
to expose their designs on the field of battle
Whether there be proof enough to sustain this
theory, according to which our government be-
comes republic tempered by assassination"
we leave to others to determine. That the
slave power was capable Of anything whereby
it seemed likely to accomplish its nefarious pur-
poses we do sincerely believe. However, there
can be no question that the filter the Vice.
President to be the weak tool or wicked ac-
complete of any faction the stronger must al
ways be the temptation to get rid Of an unpli-
anu IroSiucHt. IL MAY even nereaIter Trans
pire that the transformation which has come
over our accidental Presidents, has been
wrought by well-grounded fear OF the fate OF
the last incumbent.
The reform which has often been suggested,
of electing the President and Vice President
by the vote Of the people, irrespective of State
limits, would, for reasons already limited at, en-
sure better servants of either degree But the
fundamental remedy for our past mistakes con-
sists in placing as high value upon the latter
as upon the former; perhaps, also in connect
ing him more intimately with the administra-
ton as by making him, er c6fcio, member of
the Cabinet. q