The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-08-19

HERALD Immediately after we receive our parcels.
NoTIcE We caution the public against person
who says his name is Dix, and who represents him.
self at the different hotels to be reporter Of the
Nec York Herald. 1t is necessary for US to state
that no reporter of that name is connected with
this establishment.
What are tho True Issues Involved In the
Present Presidential Contests
If the speeches OF political orators-the long re-
solutions passed at popular gatherings-and the
columns of the party newspapers, were the only
data from which an intelligent observer Of the pre-
sent Presidential contest would undertake to as
certain the character and importance of the issues
involved, he might be well justified indeed in ex-
pressing his establishment at the din, tumult, and
excitement of the fray. Regarded in this light, the
conflict is one of the most trivial and ephemeral in
terest-one, about whose result bets may be offered
and accepted-one, Of vast importance to few
thousand Office seekers-one, worthy, we will even
grant, Of the Immortality of Kentucky Warbers,"
and mnstrels who strike their harps beneath every
hickory tree from Maine to Tennessee. The profit
gacy of Mr.. Clay-the cowardice of Mr.. Polk-the
hypocrisy Of Mr.. Frelinghuysen-the nothingness
Of Mr.. Dallas-these, il would appear from all that
,
are the great questions involved in contest which
now RACES at every cross-road, and in every bar
room within the far extended boundaries Of the
United States
But the thoughtful student of the times, who
looks behind and beyond all this dust and turmoil
of the hour, can trace the progress of conflict
which involves the fate OF the Republic and the
fortunes Of mankind. And it is because the great
mass of men cannot, or will not, look beyond the
passing moment-because, ever with the common
herd, thousand petty circumstances Of local. per-
sona, and heeng interest, control and direct their
thoughts and conduct-because the great popular
mind has not yet been thoroughly awakened to a
sense of the great principles which have been slow
ly developing in the past time, and yet lie compa
ratively hidden from the common eye-that poll
teal conflicts this land exhibit the character OF
the mere struggles OF oneset OF Office seekers with
another, presenting apparently no great essential
points of difference. 1t is at such periods, when
the public mind is unusually excited by political
agitation-that an enlightened and independent
public press, may be made to exercise an
almost omnIpotent influence for good in the
announcement and vindication of the great
principles connected with the progress and hap.
pness of society. And it is only independent
journalism which can do this. The organs of the
factions of the day, dare not venture beyond their
sphere. Observation-Disclosures acknowledgement
abuse-ths is their work, and hence their columns
TEEN with the vile slang of bar-room politics; and
If perchance they do pretend to enter an argument
about principles, to what does it amount? A
pal,ry dsputaton about Mr.. Folks opinion on the
tariff ten years ago, or the effect of Mr.. Cay's
election in the price of the red flannel paronzed by
patriotic firemen. Let as see ii we cannot discover
IN the political contest thus treated by the party
journals, any themes Of more general and abiding
interest, than the consistency of respectable
western lawyer, the prospect OF rise or fall in
the price of sheeting.
The whele history of society is the history Of +
struggle between two great antagonstic principles.
The patriarch and the bondsman--the master and
the helot-the patrician and the pebeian-the ba-
ron and the serf-the few and the many-the OPP
pressor and the oppressed-from age to age the
conflict between the strong and the weak, has been
carried on, exhibiting thousand phases, diversi-
fled by a thousand circumstances, and marked by
infinite variety of result. But right has been
gradually triumphing over might. The Reforma-
tion-the English Revolution in l6Ss-the French
Revolution-most recent and mightiest Of all, the
the United States, have been events which have
changed the whole destinies OF mankind. IT.
creasng knowledge--the progress Of the arts fand
navigation-a free press-these
have introduced new era in the history Of our
race, and spirit has been awakened which is car
rying civil and religious liberty to the ends of the
earth.
But the conflict is not ended. The long warfare
between liberty and despotism-between freedom
and oppression between the strong and the weak
still goes on In the old world we see il IN the
shaking of thrones and prncipalities, which still
weigh the masses to the!earth In Great Britain,
we see it in the fierce struggles Of landed arislo-
cracy and the millions who cry aloud for bread. In
this land too the same battle is waged, and waged
as fiercely in the land beyond the sea, where the
people are assailing batements of oppression which
have withstood the shock of ages But here the
conflict is modified by the peculiarites of locality
and circumstance, which give to it an aspect and
an interest, to which we cannot find parallel.
Here it is not struggle between an order of
privileged classes, and another order forced to con-
rbue to its support Here the effort is to create,
lot "a. sustain privileged order. On the hand
$ the principle of consolidated power-a vast
Dvershadowing monied oligarchy-an aristocracy
Of fictitious wealth-monopoly-c aste-artifcial
distinction; on the other, is the principle Of difiu
sion and equalization of power-levelling
shackled observation-disclosures Of artificial dstinc-
ton. These are the antagonistc principles at work
But do we say that the two prominent factions Of
the time-the "whigs'' and " democrats
a distinct embodiment OF these principles! That
is another matter The "unterrifed democracy"
does not altogether GENE up to our idea of the
united wisdom and intelligence Of the Republic
the only democracy which our creed recognizes.
Neither are we, at all, to be understood in affirm
ing that the patriotic wing party is to be regarded
a the sole personlfcatlon OF that anti-democratic
spirit,which at this moment insdousy but unceas-
ingly labors to obtain the ascendancy in this the
chosen La nd of democratic frinmnhs No InnL