The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-27
OLD CAMPAIGN METHODS
General SCOTS Achievements as
Recorded by an Admirer.
Life of the WING Candidate for
President in 1852 as Printed for
the Gold Medal and Robber and
the Adventure With Pickpockets.

NEW YORK. Aug. 26.-Fifty years ago
public interest in the election of Presi-
dents was as great If not greater than it
is today; but the method of conducting
campaigns was very different, and much
of the political literature of the early days
might at the present time, easily pass for
extracts from comic almanacs. In most
of the campaigns prior to the civil war the
public records OF the candidates for Presi-
dent were of more Importance than party
platforms. The chief literature of some
famous contests consisted in biographies,
stuffed with fulsome fiattery Of the nomi-
nees of each party, and books, pamphlets,
and leaflets attacking the public and occa-
sionally the private lives of the same men,
with little regard in either case to truth
or historical accuracy.
For the campaign of 1852 there was
printed by c. A Alvord, OF 20 Gold Street,
New York, life of Gen. Winfield Scott,
the Wing candidate for President which
was made the chief political literature of
| the party in that canvass. The book does
| not contain the name of the author, but
the writing was clearly for campaign pur-
passes and not for history. Ii is a volume
VI -lMO paper OOuhN
trated with twenty-five cuts, most of them
| representing General Scott on the firing
line or heading bayonet charges in the
chief battles of his military career. In
every battle picture the general Is in full
dress uniform and waving a sword. The
| picture illustrating the storming of Cha
| pultepec shows General Scott in full dress,
mounted on a splendid black horse and
riding at full speed straight at a stone
wall that rises twenty feet high few
yards ahead His troops, in the picture,
have opened ranks, leaving lane through
which he is riding at the stone wall, from
| the top of which the Mexican cannon are
| belching flame and shot at the American
soldiers who have halted 10 cheer the
brave commander-in- chief. Every battle
| picture shows dead and wounded soldiers
| lying thick around the general. There
are five pictures of battles in Mexico and
! in that number the artist has killed and
wounded several regiments in the imme
! date vicinity of the brave commanding
officer.
Like the Arabian Nights.
Much of the text of the book reads like
selections from the Arabian Nights with
the names changed. and the similarity is
borne out by headings like these:
''Anecdote Of the Gold Medal and the
Robber."
"Anecdote of Scott and the Pick
pockets
Great Battle of Churubusco."
"Anecdote of Mr.. Madison on Scotts
Promotion
The 'Anecdote of the Gold Medal and
the Robber,' is told in the best style of
the yellow journalism of that period.
Congress had voted gold medal TO Cen
eral Scott The medal was valued at $500
and the general placed it in the vault of
the city bank of New York for safe keep
ing robber broke into the bank and
carried off everything of value except the
medal. The story says: "He spared this
token Of public honor in evident respect
for the brave soldiers only wealth. The
case OF the medal was found open but
containing its precious contents untouch-
ed. Not even a whole life of crime had
been able to extinguish In that feIon's
breast a feeling of patriotic admiration
for his country's best soldier. Alas, If
ever the general admiration and gratitude
Of his countrymen shall seek to reward
General SCOTS great services by the be-
stowal of the highest office in their gift
will there be found those SO lost to all
sense Of national pride, of justice and
honor. as to try to rob him of his we'll
earned fame. by the calumnious tongue
of partisan warfare? We trust not! Let
tie eager spirit of detraction hesitate as
il reflects upon the pure renown, which |
even the robber respected"
The "Anecdote of Scott ard the Pick !
pockets relates that while he was travel |
ing by boat from Albany to New York |
a pickpocket relieved him of purse con-
tanning SS06 in gold, all the money he had. 1
When he arrived in the city he advertised |
the loss. and next day, so the story says: /
His money was sent back to him by the /
head thief of the city with a respectful |
assurance that none of his people would |
have touched the generals purse If they I
had known his person. Thus does the /
human heart, though steeled to crime, rec /
ognize the claims of generous. gallant. |
and chivalric nature. Such occurrences are
significant limitations OF the strong hold /
which this truly poble man has upon the 1
hearts OF his countrymen.'
The story does not give the name of the |
head thief of the city at that time or the |
name of his organization.
Efforts of scou's Opponents.
The political opponents OF General Scott .
also published small book about him
in the same campaign, which in heavy
black type charged him with receiving /
public money against Law. In this volume 1
he is charged with maintaining a house |
in Washington and another in Mexico at
the expense of the Government. II asserts
cratic charges against the public treasury
for hcrses, forage, and servants"
The volume Is largely devoted TO prov
ing that Scott committed a great moral
wrong if not crime in drawing pay as
commander-in-chief of the army while
running for President. His pay and al
lowances. il is shown. amounted to s1S.08
per day and then the words Eighteen
Dollars a Day." printed in heavy capital
-. -. - .
abuse and denunciation Of the Wing can
didate.
campaign life of Gen. John c. FREE
mont printed by Greedy & McElrath in
1856 and sold for the small price of 40
cents per 100 copies. is devoted largely to
his military career and exploiting his per-
sonal bravery. 1t relates as his most dar-
Ing and dangerous fight battle with In
dian horse thieves. Fremont and a small
band OF followers were on their way 10
California. They were mo..nted on mules.
and after days of terrible sufferlngs in
the mountains men and animals were near
dying of starvation and exposure. Just as
they had begun to abandon hope they
came in sight of small but beautiful
valley. They rode down the mountain
side and when too late to turn back dis
covered in the valley a big band of In
dams. with large drove of fine horses
they had stolen. Fremont instantly order
ed charge. His starving mules, so runs
the story. leaped rocks FIVE and six feet
high. The Indian horse thieves were
driven away from the stolen horses and
back into the mountains. Then Fremont
and his men gathered up all the stolen