The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-11-04

The Foreign News.

The Foreign News.
The news received yesterday by the Philadel-
phia, will be found the first page of this days
Herald IL is five days later than that received
by the Zurich, and is Of considerable interest
The Caledonia is now overdue at Boston She
is now in her sixteenth day. She has probably
been detained by the dense fogs that have lately
prevailed on the eastern coast. According TO
the following telegraphic despatch, however, the
atmosphere at Boston was clear at the last ac-
counts -
BosroN, Nov. 3--Suuset -Nothing OF the steamer
Clear observation at sunset.
We may expect her news at any moment. IL
will be given in an Extra Herald Immediately
after its receipt at this office
The Presidential Election, and tho Position
OF Parties.
The important contest for the next Presidency
will now seriously begin. The election which
has inst terminated in this State, and the results
of those which will take place in three or four
other States, close the preliminaries, with the
exception of one or two unimportant elections
in the West We have seen the result of the
election here. "Have you heard the news %
asked disciple of Miller of an unbeliever "No,
have not" replied the other. "Terrible news"
said the Millerite. "What is it, pray Z" asked
the heather. "The end of the world is come %
"Indeed, returned the pagan, cody; 81 am glad
to hear it--for the world has been failure
throughout" So itmay be said of New York de-
mocracy.
1t is now time to clear the decks for general
action on the presidency--a contest which pre-
sents features Of greater Importance than any
one that has taken place in this country, since
the origin Of the republic, down to the present
day. Questions Of greater Importance must
now be presented to the people, than they have
ever before been called upon to decide-ques-
tons affecting the present standing and future
policy of this country, that may give direction
over its destiny for centuries and centuries to
come. Like youth on the eve of manhood, the
United States, as great nation and growing
people, commenced their career with new princi-
pies of action, calculated to exert an important
bearing on the conduct and policy OF the whole
civilized world. he M exican war and its
wonderful and astonishing results, have deve-
loped power inthe American people, and ca
pacity for self government and national effort,
that astonishes all Europe, just as much as it
has astonished the American people themselves,
from end to end OF the confederacy.
The questions of Importance involved in the
next presidential election, are those growing out
of the war with Mexico, and the position
which this country now stands in towards
that discounted republic, in connection with the
powers of Europe. Shall we retain the whole
of that country, or part? Shall we annex the
whole Of that beautiful land, with its valuable
mines, and its delicious soils and climate
or shall we retreat to boundary line of our
own selection, and give nationality for
while longer to the people whom we have
conquered These are only some of the
questions which will be involved in the popular
contest for the next presidency. A multitude of
minor points may spring up in the fray; but the
question of our foreign policy as regards Mex-
co and Europe, will be the turning point of the
movement.
Such being the general view which every
person of Intelligence must take of the present
position of the country how do we find the peo-
pie and the various parties throughout the
country arrayed at the commencement of the
struggle
The American people are divided into two
great, but peaceful, camps-the democratic and
wing parties. We may have little factions
springing up in certain localities, that may
create divisions here and there, such as the
natives or the abolitionists, the social reformers
or the land retormers but these are minute
fragments, which we believe cannot affect the
great struggle now approaching. The State
elections, which have all terminated, except
two, have placed those two great parties
on almost eqaal ground, in point of po-
pular strength (; and the contest for the
presidency mnst be decided, more or less,
by contingencies arising in the course of the
next six or ten months 1t is true the wings
have entirely Frustrated the democrats in this
State; but in other portions of the country, the
relations of the two parties are more equally
balanced; and taking the whole Union in one
view, it would be hard to tell which party has
the ascendency in public opinion at this moment.
But principles and policy, and general mea-
sures, being themselves distractions, must be
represented by men-by Individuality flesh
and blood, including some brains.
During the last year, various movements have
been made in various ways, in connection with
the name of General Taylor; but in consequence
of the wonderful and astonishing campaign of
General Scott in his march from Vera Cruz to
the capital of Mexico, the public mind seems to
have paused, and the positions of these two dis
tinguised military chieftains have neutralized
each other. This apparent development, taken
IN connection with recent movements in the
whig party here, seems to indicate that Henry
Clay is again to be taken up, by a fresh effort,
and be made the candidate of the party, at all
hazards. In this part of the Union-in the city
and State of New York-there seems to be no
doubt that Henry Clay Is the man who will CON-
mand the greatest number of votes for the nomi-
nation for the presidency that may be made by
the party. Every circumstance and event seem
to point to the distinguished statesman of Ken
lucky, as the representative fwhig sentiment in
the coming struggle.
What, then, isto be the course of the democrats,
who now hold the power of the government at
Washington
We have seen various indications in that quar-
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