a military hero as their candidate. In the phrase of the day, he
could make a "Star and Stripe" canvass, with fair chance of success,
on both sides of Mason and Dixon's line. There was loss to be
incurred by either course. The Whig managers saw plainly that an
anti-slavery policy would give almost the entire South to the
Democrats, and a pro-slavery policy would rend the Whig party
throughout the North. They wisely concluded, if the canvass were
merely a game to win votes, that the non-committal plan was the
safe one. But this evasive course was not wholly successful.
There was a considerable body of men in New England, and especially
in Massachusetts, known as "Conscience Whigs," who had deep
convictions on the subject of slavery, and refused to support
General Taylor. Conspicuous among these were Henry Wilson, E.
Rockwood Hoar, and Charles Francis Adams. A defection of the same
kind among the Whigs of New York was prevented by the active
influence of Mr. Seward, but it developed rapidly in the northern
section of Ohio. Throughout the country the Whigs began to fear
that a mistake had been made, and that the old leaders had been
thrown overboard without due thought of the consequences. Mr.
Clay's private correspondence exhibited unmistakable gratification
at this aspect of affairs, for he felt assured that the influential
Whigs who were now organizing against Taylor would have supported
him as cordially as they had done in 1844.

These troubles in the Whig ranks tended, of course, to encourage
the Democrats, and to give them for a time great promise of success.
The selection of their own candidate, however, had not been unattended
with difficulty and dissension. Mr. Polk was from the first out
of the question,--verifying the Scripture that those who draw the
sword shall perish by the sword. The war inaugurated by him had
been completely successful; "a glorious peace," as it was termed,
had been conquered; a vast addition to our territory had been
accomplished. Yet by common consent, in which Mr. Polk had gracefully
concurred in advance, it was admitted that he was not available
for re-election. He had sown the dragon's teeth, and the armed
men who sprang forth wrested his sceptre from him. But it would
not be candid to ascribe his disability solely to events connected
with the war. He had pursued the most unwise course in dealing
with the New-York Democracy, and had for himself hopelessly divided
the