Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-11-21
Tho vlce-Presideney.

From the Philadelphia Morning Post.
Death is about the sternest teacher we
have in this world; and yet his sharp and
grim lessons seem TO be thrown away
upon political conventions. Three times
the pallid monitor has knocked at the door
of the White House-three times we have
lost good President, and three times we
have been forced to submit to the success
sion of a very ordinary gentleman, who
would never have been thought fit for the
honor thrust upon him by the Fates. 1t
is curious that we should have been so
much wiser before this vexatious expert
ence. Until Presidents began TO show
themselves mortal, we had with but one
exception) excellent and trustworthy
Vice-Presidents; but the moment decease
in Office became imminent we lowered
our standard and began to select second
rate men for the second place. When,
| by accident, we elected Mr.. Hamlin to
that position, we were not easy until,
with unprecedented perversity we had
ousted him. We forgot the horrors and
absurdities of Mr.. Tyler's administra-
| ton; we forgot the troubles which Mr..
Fillmore's lust after reelection, or
rather real election, sent broadcast over
the land; we did great iniustic to Mr..
Hamlin, and Andy johnson is our re-
ward. If our sufferings under the reign
of this extraordinary person do not put
few grains of prudence into the next popu-
lar canvass, weeshall think that the gods
are against us, and have devoted us to the
! lunacy which precedes destruction.
Human nature, at present, is in rather
perverted and unsatisfactory condition.
! We trust, therefore, that no one of the
/ aspirants for the Nice-Presidency at this
! time, will take it amiss five assume that
/ it would not break his heart if he should
/ l. Et,n i,,r nd
| self suddenly hoisted by the death of his
superior officer. No doubt he would be
sorry-in proclamation! No doubt he
would weep-at the funeral! 1t is alb
surd, however, to suppose that he who
is gazing upon the inferior office, with
willing mind, does not think of the un-
certainty of human life, and the chance
of figuring bravely in another mars
mantle. We presume that the people OF
the United States may fairly take the
same liberty. We have been taught ct
considerable expense, that the Vice-Presi-
dency is something more than the second
office in the Government-that the nom
ination may be something more than a
compliment-that the tail of the kite
may become the kite itself-that we do
not in the least strengthen ticket when
we nominate an excellent man for the
first place and man who merely strikes
the fancy for the second. "Tippecanoe
and Tyler, too," sounded beautifully at
first but we had too much of "Tyler,
too" before the affair was over. 1t was
most musical in the mouth, but it was
most melancholy in the lower parts OF
the body polite. The question to be
asked, then, in selecting a candidate for
the Vice-Presidency, is, not whether his
name will work we'll into a song, or lend
resonance to "a good cry" but whether.
if chance calls him to the place, he will
make respectable President. Ne kay
nothing of our duty to the Senate. we
gay nothing of the shame and injustice
of forcing upon that grave and honorable
body presiding officer who will bring
discredit upon all its deliberations, whe
may not know how to put the Previous
Question, who may not understand the
first principle of parliamentary law, who
may reel into his chair in lofty condi'
ton of bacchanaliah stimulation, who
may founder, and stanmer, and blundel
i'm his speeches, who may, from his high
place, looking down upon benches once
occupied by Webster and Calhoun, defy
, the venerable laws which govern oul
English tongue. Wesay nothing of this
but we do say most emphaticaily, thai
no man is fit for the Vice e-Presidency wht
Is not fit for the Presidency itself. The
nation has suffered quite enough of NOR
tification, of apprehension and of mate
rial loss, by following different and op
posite rule. We care for nObody's saspira
tions. We are not to be swayed by tht
ambitions either of the obscure or the IL
lustrious. We cannot be tender of any
+ body's feelings when the interests Of this
Republic are atstake; and we feel, in ou
inmost soul, that one Andy Johnson il
: quite enough for at least century.