Life of James Buchanan, Fifteenth President of the United States. v. 2 (of 2)Curtis, George Ticknor
History
Life of James Buchanan, Fifteenth President of the United States. v. 2 (of 2)
Curtis, George Ticknor
Buchanan, James, 1791-1868
After this review, I ask you, fellow-citizens, what confidence can be
reposed in the political opinions of General Scott? Is there anything
in them of that firm, stable, consistent and enlightened character
which ought to distinguish the man into whose hands you are willing to
entrust the civil destinies of our great, glorious and progressive
country? What security have our adopted citizens that he may not
to-morrow relapse into Native Americanism? For twelve long years, and
this, too, at a period of life when the judgment ought to be mature,
he remained faithful and true to the Native American party; giving it
all the encouragement and support which his high character and
influence could command; and he only deserted it in 1848, at the
approach of the Whig National Convention. And what opinion must the
Native Americans hold of the man, who, after having been so long one
of their most ardent and enthusiastic leaders, abandoned them at the
time of their utmost need? Above all, does Winfield Scott possess that
calm and unerring judgment, that far-seeing sagacity, and that
prudence, never to be thrown off its guard, which we ought to require
in a President of the United States?
That General Scott is a great military man, the people of this country
will ever gratefully and cheerfully acknowledge. History teaches us,
however, that but few men, whose profession has been arms and arms
alone from early youth, have possessed the civil qualifications
necessary wisely to govern a free people. Of this we have had some
experience in the case of General Taylor, who was both an honest man
and a pure patriot; but like General Scott, had always been a soldier
and nothing but a soldier. It is true that a few favored mortals,
emancipating themselves from the military fetters by which they had
been bound, have displayed high talents as statesmen. Napoleon
Bonaparte is the most remarkable example of this class; but his
statesmanship was unfortunately displayed in the skill with which he
forged fetters for his country.
As an American citizen, proud of the military exploits of General
Scott, I wish from my soul he had never become a candidate for the
Presidency. The defects in his character as a statesman, which it has
now become an imperative duty to present to the people of the country,
would then have been forgotten and forever buried in oblivion. But for
this, he would have gone down to posterity without a cloud upon his
glory. And, even now, it is fortunate for his future fame, as well as
for the best interests of his country, that he can never be elected
President of the United States.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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