The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-02-29

HENRY CLAY AND GENERAL TAYLOR The dis
agreement among the wing party, in reference
to who shall be their candidate at the ensuing
Presidential election, wakes warmer every day.
The organ of the ultra radical whigs-the Tri.
Dune of this clty-insists that General Taylor
would not be fit candidate, because he has not
avowed wing principles; and the Courier, which,
for the present, at all events advocates the claims
OF General Taylor, says he is fit candidate, be-
cause that hero has stated he was a wing.
Now we cannot conceive the necessity for all
this fuss and cutlery about the "principles of the
party" the "broad platform Of whiggery," and
maay other of the clap-trap terms which the op-
ponents of Gen. Taylor and the friends of Henry
Clay are so fond of using. At one time principles
OF moment and Importance to the interests of the
country, divided the two great parties but it is
well known that since the breaking out of the
Mexican war, those dividing lines have been
entirely efaced, and especially so since the re-
ception of the projet of a treaty of peace at
Washington, which it is very probable will be
ratified by the governments of the two coun-
tries. No man at all acquainted with the con-
dtion of political parties at the present time,
will pretend to say that any of the old issues
them at the present time, so that there is the re-
hottest probability of their beingI discussed at
the next Presidential election. The question of
the establishment of national bank seems by
mutual consent to be buried in the past: the
question of high or low tariff in con-
sequence of the admirable result of the
working of the tariff of 1916, as developed
by Mr.. Walkers mastery and able report.
is likewise seta rest. The distribution of the
proceeds of the public lands has been pos,poned
tor an indefinite time, in consequence of the
national debt which we have contracted for
carrying on the war. To be sure, the Will
mot proviso question has been recently intro
duced; but we have yet to learn that this is
Claimed as exclusively wing principle.
Mr. Clay, the chosen champion of a large
portion of the wings, saw that the old issues
which divided the parties, were set at rest. and
accordingly, in his celebrated speech delivered
in Lexington, some time since, he raised other
and fresh ones, growing out ofthe Mexican war.
on which the election would have turned. il the
treaty OF peace had not been received. The prin-
ipal Of these was the manner in which the war
was commenced, and the ground that the Ameri
can army should be Withdrawn from Mexico. 10
within even the disputed portion of the territory
of Texas lying on the Rio Grande. This was.
doubtless, put forth as a chart which the wings
were to follow in the coming contest, and was
accepted as such by that party, as we'll as by the
opposition. This was certainly ground afford.
ing both parties abundance of room for discus.
sion; but even these have been swept away bv
the reception and probable ratification of the nro.
posed treaty of peace.
What, therefore. remains, in principle, in issue
bciTeen the wing and democratic parties9
Nothing that we conceive, except the cues.
ton of whether the territory proposed to
be ceded to us shall be free or otherwise.
But this is not wing principle; and how do
the friends OF Mr.. Clay and the opponents
of General Taylor know what the opinion of the
latter is on this question: There is no question
that the great body of the democrats are opposed
to the Wilmot principle but even that is not