Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-03-16
SUGGESTIONS OF TIE PAST.
,dge BIaek. in the Galaxy lOr March. ]

Shulc hRci dulUlLiOuSt COuuutut III lucll
own powers, and hopeful of the future
Douglas was by far the ablest Of the
three, and he became so well-known to
the country that description of his
character would be superfulous in this
connection. His premature death was
a national loss. A Democrat, an ear.
nest supporter of the Union, and the fa-
vorite of his party in the loyal States,
he held position Of great power and
responsibility. If his life had been
spared, he would have exerted wide
influence in tranquilizing the nation.
johnson was painstaking, laborious
man, OF strong will, moderate capacity
detective culture, full of crockets, i'm
practicable and unreasonable, and the
most perverse Radical in Congress. II
was his mission to guard the public
treasury, and he voted against all pri.
vate claim bills as a matter of principle.
He said there might be some honest
claims, but the fraudulent ones so far
exceeded them in number that he had
determined to oppose them all. And
this was fair specimen of the intelli
gence, discernment and good sense Of
| Andy johnson when he made his first
appearance in public life.
Mr.. Schenck was a ready, effective de-
batter, keen, alert, full of resources, and
one of the best skrmishers in the house.
When he was appointed minister to
Brazil an old lady who knew him in Ohio
thus expressed her astonishment; What
that wicked little white-haired lawyer up
to Dayton-has he turned minister
Well, I'm mighty glad of it. BE needed
converting about as much as any man
know"
The most noticeable event that occur
red during the latter part of Mr.. Tyler
term was the appointment of Mr.. Cal
houn as Secretary of State. He accept
ed the Office in the hope of accomplish
ing the acquisition of Texas. Mr.. Tyler
had opened negotiation with the young
republic, but the feeling of the North
was strongly opposed to the scheme, and
it was obvious that treaty Of annexa
ton could not receive the necessary vote
in the Senate. Mr.. Calhoun suggested o
modification of the plan, and the resolu-
tons under which we acquired the ter.
ritory were devised by him. He had q
two-fold object in this: First, to reinforce
the slave power, and second, to defeat
the nomination Of Mr.. Van Buren fol
the Presidency by making the acquisi
ton of Texas test question in the
nominating convention. Mr. Tyler hac
some vague hopes of personal advan
tage in pressing the Texas scheme. A
President hardly gets warm in his seal
before he becomes anxious for re-elec
ton, and the policy of the administration
is directed by that controlling considera,
ton. Appointments are made with refer.
ence to the supposed ability of the favored
ones to promote the wishes OF the Presi-
dent, rather than for their fitness or in
tegrity. The case Of Mr.. Tyler was a
peculiar one. He had been cast off by
the political organization to which he
waE indebted for his elevation to office,
and he adopted temporizing, half way
policy toward the Democracy, which
failed to conciliate the good will of that
powerful party. He undertook to sus-
tain his administration by means of the
Federal patronage, and selected for the
inferior Offices of the government per-
sonal adhereRts, who persuaded him
that they could aid his scheme for a re-
election. A more futile and preposter-
Gus plan cannot be.imagined. The peo-
pie always form two great parties, separ-
ated by questions of principle and ex-
pediency, and this antagonism manifests
itself whenever they are called upon to
express their sentiments at the polls
The organization of third party, with
sufficient strength for any affirmative
purpose, is necessarily an impossibility.
Such a party has no ground to stand
upon. 1t might as well be hoped to se-
duce deserters enough from two hostile
armies to overcome them both.
The executive patronage might be
made an important auxiliary in consoli-
dating and fortifying the party in power;
but as generally distributed it is q source
of weakness rather than Of strength to
an administration. The applicants for
place so far exceed the Offices to be
filled that the disaifectioA created among
the unsuceessful-a more active senti-
ment than gratitude for favors received
deepens into resentment and often takes
the form Of decided opposition. The
"outs always constitute stronger and
more effective force than the ins of
a party, and the experience of the past
thirty years teaches chat the President
is incapable of controlling the action Of
his political friends in the last year Of
his term. He ever deceived in respect
to the feelings Of the people. He is
surrounded by hatteFsrs who are inter-
ested in magnifying his popularity.
Genuine, authentic public sentiment
rarely reaches him. II is an ungracious
thing to tsll him unpleasant truths, and
his dependents ard those seeking his
favor rarely volunteer tse task. Hence
be mistakes the devotion OF has aaher-
ents for popular enthusiasm. Governor
Marcy said AF, Van BureP mad no seri.
oHs apprehension abo@i the result in
1910, during the carpaign, and be was
overwhelmed with astOnishment when
be read the New York papers giving the
vote OF the State.
Mr.. Tyler directed the officeholders TO
call q national convention to put him in
nomination for the succession. But the
whole coaR.ry regarded the proceeding
as farce, only TO be laughed at. There
was not State In the Union in which a
Tyler electoral ticket was formed, end
the result was contemplate abortion.
The action of the convention was d.
rected by Robert J. Walker and three or
four Democratic coadjutors. They
promised the leading Tyler ofhceh0lders
the favor of the Polk administration;
and when the committee waited upon
Mr.. Tyler 70 inform him Of what had
been done, the members oOHld not look
at each other without change Of couu-
tenance.
Messrs, Fillmore, Pierce and Buch-
anan exerted the whole pswer Of their
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