The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-10-16
The Presidential Election-The Develop
ments of public Opinion in the Pennsyl-
vania and Ohio Elections.


At the Philadelphia Convention the old wing
party was disbanded. 1t had fallen behind the
progress of popular opinion; and the creed upon
which II had sustained such frequent and disastrous
defeats, was formally, openly, and finally, aban-
doned. 1t was not abandoned in the refusal of a
party procamatlon-it was not abandoned in the
denial of an endorsement of old measures or of
new questions dividing the two great parties of
The campo ign but it openly, formally, and
finally, relnqulshed in the surrender of Henry
Clay. The experiment was bold and emphatic,
hazardous and uncertain, yet lmperatively de-
manded by the events Of the times, and the
shaping OF the popular sentiment upon them.
Looking, then, to the tendencies OF popular feel
ing, the experiment WIS made. The party was
instantly thrown into chaos and Instruction; and
Notwithstanding the almost hopeless dsorganiza-
ton of the democrats their condition was har-
mony, contrasted with the confusion in the wing
ranks The elections, following upon the heels of
the nomination of General Taylor, his cool recep-
lion of that nomination, and his acceptance OF the
South Carolina resolutions-hls unique and singu-
lar indifference to mere party obliganons-his
consistent maintenance of an independent reserva-
ton of opinions-all contributed to extend the
mutiny and to increase the hazard OF the game,
which the wings, in their extremity OF distress,
had resolved TO play.
Such was the chaotic confusion of the wing
party as late as the month OF September. The
prospects of Gen. Cess had almost shaped them
selves into the certainty of success. The lnevita-
BILE loss Of the State of New York, from the dlsaf.
fecuon OF the barnbuners, the dangers thre atened
by this dissffecton to other democratic States of
the North were all OF them completely coun-
terbalanced and overwhelmed by the disruption
of the elements OF the wing party, as to leave
scarcely doubt Of the triumph of the Baltimore
nomination, with all the odds against 1t.
OPPORTUNITY coming IN at this crisis of the con-
test olherl letters were published from Gen Taylor.
Though entirely consistent with what he had
written before, from his condescension to enter
into explanations, they were deemed satisfactory,
even by the mutlneers and such as were not sp-
peased thereby were left alternative than to
adopt them after the reiterated refusal OF Mr. Clay
10 permit his name to be used by the barnburners
of his party in their efforts to prevent its reogan
cation With the last heart-rendlng speech
Vauxhsll of Mr.. Bolts, Cike Senator Bagby's ex
cruclatng argument againstthe Texas annexaton,)
the mutiny in the wing camp was slenced into
submission and that other man, that champion
OF lnfnitesmal crudities, he who in his adherence
OF war h d been pleased to style Gen. Taylor
hlrehng butcher; he who his love OF liberty got
up triumph IN cypher, amounting to CIPHER, for
the Irish patriots al Slievenamore the champion
of Mexico Fourier, red republican SIN in France,
and bran bread end blue milk in America, IS con-
strained TO fall into the procession; and with such
grace as caoutchouc conscience may command,
bestride the PROSTATE body of the great embodi
meni, while holding aloft TO the applauding blue
stockings a banner, emblazoned with the Phila-
delphis nominations.
With the accession, but not because OF the ac-
cessIon, OF the godke Daniel, and the junior en-
bodlmtnt, and the vegetable philosopher, the
prospects of General Taylor brighten straight
away These eleventh hour disciples curse BIT
terly--they cry hard but they swallow the med-
cnc--and Horace, hoarse from the "nolse and
confusion" at Vauxhall, though
Some natural tears he sheds,
He wipes them soon,'
IONS the sage of the chowder-pot, the bed-fel-
low Of Tyler. and the grave-dlgger of the Ken.
lucky statesman, IN the grotesque and sonorous
melody Of
We 30 for RoUgi and Ready now
Good bye 10 Henry Clay -
The conversion Of these people would be udI-
culous, wele there not more important revela-
ton attending It IT'S dIis,--that the popua- ty
OF Gen Tay or, IN spite Of party disorganigations,
n. = 1t