The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-01-12

The Electric News OF Yesterday.
The news received last evening by the electric
wires, from different parts of the country, con-
tiuues to be very interesting, in the present posi-
ton of public affairs. At Washington, Mr..
Johnson, Of Maryland, continued his speech in
the Senate, before one Of the most brilliant au-
d!tories that has been assembled there during the
present session. He has been terribly severe on
Mr.. Polk, and on Mexico; in tact, we don't
know whether he cuts up Mexico or Mr.. Polk
most severely. He says Mr.. Polk commenced
the war ridiculously-without sufficient force;
and in this, he is not far from being correct.
The debate was continued, after Mr.. John
son finished his speech, by Mr.. Clayton, who
delivered his sentiments, In part IN opposl-
ton to Mr. Johnsons views, and also by an oc-
casional remark from Messrs. Cass, Badger, and
Crittenden 1t is expected that the debate will
be continued to-day, Mr.. Clayton having the floor,
with more excitement more warmth, and more
stormness than any that has taken place during
any period of the session. This debate is assum-
ing great importance, and will involve, before 1t
passes Congress, all the great issues of the pre-
sent day-the Presidency included. number
of ether Senators preparing, as we learn, to
explode on the same subect-the ten regiment
plosion from every quarter. The House will be
equally animated when ii gets to them; but when
that will be, we cannot tell. The most impor-
tant speeches yet to be heard, are those that may
be expected from MIR. Webster and Mr.. Benton
all others can be known before the Senators will
have opened their mouths.
The other news is very important, particular
" that from the other side Of the Allegheny
a E i H. al Al
Ohio river, killing twenty men and one or two
women, and scalding others and almost at the
--~ae time at p hundred miles distance, demo-
cratic convention in Columbus, exploded IN an
effort to nominate candidate for the Presiden-
cy, by putting up the name of Cass, 237 to 22.-
This is a most important movement by the de-
mocrscy of Ohio, and it will place General Cass
in the van of the candidates before the national
convention. 1t is now probable that he will
receive the votes Of all the Western States in the
convention although he may be opposed by Penn
sylvania and New FORK, Mr.. Buchanan's friends
contributing their quota, well as the support
ers of Mr.. Van Buren, in New York. Neverthe-
less, ii seems now highly probable that General
Cass may be the democratic candidate, and that
he will combine all the influence ofthe admins
tration, with that of his own, from the West.
The great popularity of General Taylor has, un-
doubtedly, driven the democracy of the West In
10 the support of General Cass, who has likewise
c military reputation to enable him to be a very
good candidate before the people. If the wings
should nominate Mr.. Clay by their convention,
the chances of General Cass will be very good.
The condition of things at Washington is re-
presented to be confused, perplexing, and excit-
ing. The different parties in Congress un-
Claw hoe counmenced
his operations; but the magic of his name and
the extent of his influence, seem TO be lost. In
fact, the power of intrigue and combination,
which, for forty years past, seemed to concen-
trate itself in Washington, previous to every
presidential campaign, is nearly on its last legs
The electric telegraph, by which every popular
movement thousand miles distant, in every di-
rection, can be centralised in New York each
morning, and thrown back on Washington and
every part of the country the next day, with the
public opinion of this great metropolis on it,wlll
be the means of producing one OF the most ex-
traordinary revolutions in the action of popular
governments that could be conceived We are
truly in the midst Of revolution--a political,
social, and every other kind of revolution
which has been brought by the electric
telegraph. The different State conventions
throughout the country, can communicate
their impulses by electric telegraph, to
New York and Washington, al the same
moment, and produce an effect on Con-
gcess, and on the metropolis, and an influence on
public afTairs, similar to the positive and mega
tive forces Of electricity on the atmcspherical |
phenomena. The NeD York Herald has been
the first 70 notice this new aspect of the age, to
bring it forth into action, and apply it to the
popular Presidential elections, and to the 60
vernment of free people, through conventions,
Congress, and the press.