The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-02

country well In peace and war. thia
supposition was 50 artfully cultivated
that though the Democratic party was
estimated to be about eight thousand
| in majority. when the election &C.
Cured In September the Democratic
ieated by majority OF over seven
thousand, and the Democratic candi-
date for Governor withdrew.
| The election for Governor was tn
occur in November. and / was called
on to take the place vacated by this
candidate who had withdrawn from
the canvass I: was forlorn hope,
especially as my healt hhad been i'm.
especially as my health had been i'm
vass. and there was not time before the
| approaching election to make such
canvass as would be needed to reform
the ranks of the Democracy. However.
| as n duty to the party. l accepted the
position. and made as active n cam
paIgn rs time permitted, with the re-
suit that the majority against the
party was reduced to less than one
| thousand. From this time ! remained
| engaged in quiet farm labors until the
nomination of Franklin Pierce, when i
went out to advocate his election, hav-
ing formed very high opinion OF him
| as statesman and patriot from OBJ
servations OF him in 1887 and 1888
| when he was in tho United States Sem
| ate. on his election as President I
became member of his Cabinet. fill
ing the Office of Secretary of War dur
ling his entire term.
Work In Senate.
| During these four years / proposed
| the INTRODUCTION of camels for service
on the Western plains. a suggestion
| which was adopted. I also introduced
Ian improved system of infantry tao
4 tics, effected the substitution of iron
| for wood In gun carriages, secured
rled muskets and rifles and the use
of MIME balls, and advocated tho In
crease of the defcnses of the seacoast
by heavy guns and the use Of large
| grain powder.
| While in the Senate had advocated,
as military necessity and as a means
Of preserving the Pacific Territory SO
| the Union, the construction of a Mill
| tary railway across the continent. and
| as Secretary of War / was put In
charge of the surveys of the various
routes proposed. Perhaps for a similar
reason-my previous action in tho
ate-I was also put in charge OF
the extension of the United States
Capitol.
The administration of Mr.. Pierce pre-
| sents the single instance Of an execu-
tive whose Cabinet witnessed no change
of persons during the whole term. AT
Its close having been reelected to the
United States Senate, re-entered that
body.
During the discussion of the COM
promise measures of 1850, the refusal
to extend the Missouri compromise line
to the Pacific was early put on the
ground that there was no constitu-
(. tlonal authority to legislate slavery
/ into or out Of any territory, which was
in fact and seeming intent repudia-
i ton of the Missouri compromise. and
/ it was so treated in the Kansas-Ne-
braska bill.
Party Divided.
I. Subsequently Mr.. Douglas. the advo-
/ cate OF what was called squatter Sow
erelgnty, insisted upon the rights OF
l the first Immigrants into the territory
to decide upon tho question whether
| migrating citizens might take their
slaves with them, which meant, II it
4 meant anything. that Congress could
authorize few settlers to do What 1t
was admitted Congress itself could not
do, But out of this bill arose dis
sension which finally divided the Demo-
cratic party and caused Its defeat in
the presidential election of 1860. And
from this empty, baselcss theory grew
the Had of our direst woes.
Whom Congress met in the fall &C
u fCantlnuad on savanth pa3AA