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

| In his power to take steps in his ADMINS
tration, and to make declarations IN his FORTH
coming message, that may place him In . COM
manding attitude in the approaching struggle
Mr.. Polk, we willingly admit, is an honest and
| able man: but none of his friends Will contend
| that he is a great man as statesman, or that he
can he compared in the qualities of the mind, or
in grasp of thought, to Mr.. Clay. Mr. Polk, too,
has some good and some bad materials in his
Cabinet Mr. Buchanan is an able and sagacious
man. Mr.. Walker has shown remarkable fiuan-
cial talent in his department Mr.. Mason has
had no opportunity of display. Mr.. Marcy has
had too much, and, although he may be power
full in repairing pantaloons, yet in the manage
ment and originating of campaigns he has ex-
hibited total unfitness to comprehend the posi-
ton of the government, the character of his OPP
ponents, or the tendency his measures. AS to
the Postmaster General, he seems lobe naturally
unfit for the smallest place in any of the depart
ments.
Yet with all these drawbacks, Mr.. Folks ad-
ministration has the wonderful aggregate merit
of having called forth, to the astonshment of the
civilized world, feature Of the American peo-
pie that will go further to give us respect and
place in the highest niche among the nations,
The history Of this administration and its natural
weakness and wonderful results, resemble the
deed of David going out with sling and stone
to Stay the giant of the Philestines In the con-
test for the next presidency, the democratic
party cannot abandon Mr.. Polk, or pass him over
as candidate, without abandoning the field al
together, andTgiving Mr.. Clay the presidency
without struggle. Circumstances are greater
and more powerful than intriguers on any side,
and we therefore believe, at present, the pro-
gramme for the next presidency will contain, on
one side Henry Clay, and James X. Polk on the
other.
Such being the natural position of things,
judging from the most reliable data, it becomes
an interesting question to ascertain at this early
day, the chances which each stands in the en-
suing struggle for the presidency. Notwth-
standing the defeats of the democrats that have
taken place within the last year, we have no
doubt that that party will rise, phenix-lke, in its
might, at the approaching struggle, and make it
of the hottest and strongest contests that has
ever taken place in this country. The wings
are only now on level with their opponents
They have not yet the absolute vantage ground.
Let, therefore, both parties prepare, with calm
ness and moderation, for the struggle will in
volve the greatest consequences to this country,
and even to the civilized world.
ARRIVAL OF THE FRENCH SrEAMER.-The
French steamer Philadelphia, Captain Besson,
arrived yesterday from Cherbourg, whence she
sailed on the 10th ult., at two o'clock, A. M
The three first days of her passage she was ia
vored with very fine weather, but on the 18th,
P. M, she met with gale, which veered round
from N. w. to S. w., and continued till the 18th.
On this day, the steamship being in lat. AZ AZ,
and lon. 81 IS, met with serious accident the
different pipes leading from the boilers into the
bottom of the ship, were broken by the strong
movement of the sea, and from this moment the
engine was completely useless and untitled for
work. The engineers spent some twenty flour
hours in endeavoring to repair the evil as we'll
as possible, but their efforts proved quite inef-
ficent, and they bore away in the direction of
Halifax, the nearest port, making six and seven
and-a-half miles an hour.
The Philadelphia saw the packet ship Zurich
and the bark Kate, as was mentioned in the
Herald of Tuesday. She arrived at Halifax on
Friday, 29th ult. at three O'Clock, P. NJ, whence
after having made all the necessary repairs, she
sailed on Sunday, 3lst, at six o'clock in the
evening.
Her trip from Halifax to New York occupied
only three days
We must confess that this steamer was very
unfortunate, and that everything seemed to con-
spire against the success of her passag,. Every
body on board the Philadelphia agrees in con-
graduating Captain Besson and his officers on
the remarkable ability they exhibited during the
unforeseen accident above mentioned.
EThe steamer lays now at pier No. a, North
| river, which has been defnitivey granted to the
company of Heroult and De Handel, by our
Corporation.
The mail brought by the Philadelphia is quite
large, and she has considerable cargo. She sails
hence on the 9th inst