the other in the North. General
Scott had indeed heartily assented to all the principles proclaimed
at the convention, but so long as Horace Greeley was eulogizing
him in the "Tribune," and Seward supporting him on the stump, it
was idle to present him as an acceptable candidate to slave-holding
Whigs in the South. Supporting the candidate and spitting on the
platform became the expressive if inelegant watchword of many
Northern Whigs, but for every Whig vote which this phrase kept to
his party allegiance in the free States, it drove two over to the
Democracy in the slave States. Moreover, spitting on the platform,
however effective as an indication of contempt, would not satisfy
the conscience or the prejudices of large numbers of Whigs who
voted directly for the candidates of the Free-soil party, John P.
Hale of New Hampshire for President, and George W. Julian of Indiana
for Vice-President.

DEFEAT OF THE WHIG PARTY.

Weakened by personal strife, hopelessly divided on questions of
principle, the Whig party was led to the slaughter. Carrying in
1840 every State but seven for Harrison, failing to elect Mr. Clay
in 1844 only by the loss of New York, triumphantly installing Taylor
in 1848, the Whigs were astounded to find that their candidate had
been successful in but four States of the Union, and that twenty-
seven States had by large majorities pronounced for General Pierce.
Massachusetts and Vermont in the North, Kentucky and Tennessee in
the South, had alone remained true to the Whig standard. All the
other Whig States that had stood staunch and strong in the fierce
contests of the past now gave way. Connecticut and Rhode Island,
which never but once failed either Federalist or Whig from the
foundation of the government, now voted for a pro-slavery States'-
rights Democrat. Delaware, which never in a single instance voted
for the Democratic candidate except when Monroe had no opposition
in 1820; which had fought against Jefferson and Madison; which had
stood firmly against Jackson and Van Buren and Polk and Cass when
the Bayards were Whigs and co-operated with the Claytons, now
swelled the general acclaim for Pierce. Of 296 electors Pierce
received 254 and General Scott only 42. The wide sweep of the
Democratic victory was a surprise to both sides, though for several
weeks before the election the defeat of Scott was anticipated. He
received no support f