The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1884-04-17
the WING vIcTosY N isis.
Ne. Blalnsis StoFy of TIE campsiga-
BluBdeFs ef Polk's Administra-
tioa-The Free Sci Fieif
AGainst Cats aHd Ta4ser-


The events Of the year Is4T had per
suaded the Whig leaders thar, II they
persisted in the policy embodied IN
the WilmOt ProvisO, they would sur
render al power 10 control the en-
suing presidential election. By clever
management and the avoidance Of
issues which involved the slavery
question. they felt reasonably sure OF
the votes of Delaware, Maryland,
North Carolina and Tennessee. with 3
probability Of securing Georgia, lou
isiana and Florida. To throw these
States away by an anti slavery cru
sade was 20 aeoept inevitalle defeat,
and disband the Whig party. Ars
Winthrop was therefore representing
the prevailing wishes Of Northern
Whigs when ne used his influence TO
restrain rather than promote the de-
velopment Of the anti-slavery policy
which had been initiated With such
vigOr. The result Of this change was
soon visible. In the preceding
House, With 4 large Democratic ma-
jority, the Wilmot ProvisO had been
adopted. In the Whig House, over
which Mr.. Winthrop presided, II was
found impossible 10 repeat the vote
during the preparations for the Ma
tlonal contest then impending. The
treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalg0, By
which he acquired q vast territory
from Mexico, was ratified By the Sen
ate, and the House voted the fifteen
millions demanded by Il without add
ing a restriction Of any kind on the
subject of slavery. Every acre Of the
600, 900 square miles was free territory
while under the rule Of Mexico, and
the commissioners Of that Govern
ment we're extremely anxious that the
United States should give e guarantee
that its character In this respect should
not be changed. They urged that to
see slavery recognized upon soil once
owned by Mexico would be as abhor-
rent to that Government as Il would
be 10 the United States to see the
Spanish Inquisltion established upon
IL. Mr.. Nicholas P. Trist, the Ameri-
can Commissioner, gave a reply
which free Republic reads with I'M
creasing amaZement. He declared
that il the Territory proposed 10 be
ceded were increased tenfold In
value, and In addition to that, covered
q foot deep with pure gold, on the sin
gle condition that slavery should be
forever excluded" !" he would not Ten
tertain the offer for q moment, nor
even think OF sending it to his Gov
eminent. No AmeTlcan President
would dare to submit such q treaty TO
the Senate"
With this suppression, IL not in-
deed reaction, Of the popular feeling
in the North, on the subject Of slavery
the two great parties approached the
Presidential election OF lS4S. Each
was under peculiar embarrassment In
the selection Of Q candidate, and the
Of the principles on
which support was to be asked. The
anomaly presented IN the Congres-
slOnal election Of 1S46, where an Ad-
conducting a successful
war was defeated before the people,
promised to be repeated. The Demo
cratic party had precipltated the war,
had organized the military force that
prosecuted it, had controlled It's i'm
mense patronage, and had brought it
TO a victorious conclusion, yet il had
gained no political strength in the
country. The two gallant soldiers
who had so largely shared, II indeed
they had not absorbed its glory, were
Wings, and were in ill-humOr with
the Administration. After the battle
Of Buena Vista, Taylor's victorious
progress had been checked, and his
army crippled by orders from Wash
ingtOn, which reduced his force, and
turned the Regulars over to Scott. |
Scott ended his brilliant campaign In |
q fiagrant quarrel with the Secretary
Of War. aud was summoned home |
peFemptorily, with the prospects Of q |
He was ordered to |
leave General William ID. Butler, q |
Democratic General, in command Of |
The army in the City Of Mexico after |
resistance had ceased.
OFFICERS SET ASIDE FOR |
UNFRAMED DEMOCRATS.
The administration had obviously |
from the first to create a |
Democratic hero out Of the war. Au-
.horized to appoint large number Of
lfficeFs in the increased military force /
raised directly by the United States,
IN unjust discrimination was made |
N favor of Democrats. Thus VIII /
jam @. Butler, John A. Quittman,
md Gideon ]. Pillow, prominent /
Democratic leaders In their respect.
we Stntes, were appointed Major
Generals directly from civil life. 10.
leph Lane, James Shields, franklin /
Pierce, George CadWalder, Caleb i
ing Price were selected for the high /
,ank Of Brlgadier General. Not one
)f the Democratic appointees had ever
leen service in the field, or professed
he slightest pretentiOn TO military
education. Such able graduates Of
West Point as Henry Clay, Jr., and
r. Mckee, were compelled
70 seek service through State appoint
nents in volunteer regiments, while
Albert Sidney johnson, subsequently
proved to be one Of the ablest COM
nandeTs ever sent from the Military
Academy, could not obtain q commits
ion from the General Government.
IN the war between Mexico and
Texas. by which the latter had se-
,ured her independence, Johnston
had held high command, and was
perhaps the best equipped soldier,
10Th in education and service, 70 be
ound in the entire country outside
he regular army ct the time Of the
war. Gen. Taylor urged the
President TO give Johnston command
Il one Of the ten new regiments.
Johnston took no part In politics
Dut bis eminent brother, Josiah Stod-
lard Johnston, long q Senator from
I0uisiana, was Mr.. Clay's most inti-
nate friend In public life, and General
'aylor's letter WRs not even answered.
The places were wanted for adherents
4 the Administration and TibbSts,
Z Kentucky, Jere Clemens, Of Ala
anna, MIiiedge l.. BOnham, Of South
,srolina, Seymour, Of Connecticut,
nd men Of that grade-eminent IN
ivil life, active psFtisans, but with
10 military training-Were preferred
o the most experienced soldiers.
his fact dishgures the energetic re-
ord OF Mr.. Marcy as Secretary Of
Var, and was eminently dlscreditable
o the President and all his advisers.
Perhaps the most inexcusable blum
er Of the Administration Wa the At
empt 70 take Thomas II. Benton
rom the Senate, where be was hon.
red, eminent and useful, make him
Northumberland, and send him
ut 20 Mexico 10 supeFuede both Scott
nd Taylor In command Of the army.
'he bill 10 enable this to be done act
ally passed the House When under
discussion IN that branch, q promi-
Ient Democratic member nom Ohio
eclared, e. one reeson for passing
be bill, that two Of the Generals are
pposed politically 10 the DemOcntio
arty. and "by their own acts OF those
{ their friends are candidates for the