New-York daily tribune., 1851-07-16
The Elections south.

are about to hold their local and Con-
eressional elections. Following close upon
the great struggle on slavery, and being
in fact the first elections held since the
excitement Of that struggle fairly began
to disappear before its own reaction, these
elections have peculiar interest
What is most striking in connection with
them is the different auspices under which
they are prepared in the two sections In
the North we behold everywhere strong
tendency of parties to fall back upon the
former issues. The animosities caused by
the divisions growing out of the great strug-
ole are subsiding, and the masses of the
two chief parties are tending to reunlte
under the old banners. No doubt there
will remain an Anti-Slavery party proper,
like the old Liberty party. which will find
in hostility to the peculiar institution its
bond of union and motive of action. When
the particular excitement above referred to
shall have ceased, as cease it must since its
efficient cause exists no longer,-and things
shall have resumed their normal course, this
third party will probably be found much
stronger than before, from the number of re-
cruits who, after the campaign, still continue
in its ranks. But that the Wings and the OPP
position at the North are gradually regain
ing their former compactness and internal
unity, seems sufficiently evident from the
facts in the case and those of our readers
who have carefully read our recent sum-
maries of political intelligence, can hardly
avoid the conclusion There being no longer
an immediate danger of the Extension of
Slavery, the feeling against it cannot but
subside, while the more permanent and
regular questions Of public policy rise into
their fitting prominence.
In this state of things it is scarcely neces-
sary to say that The Tribune will still, as
ever, be found earnestly on the side of the
Wing party, contending for the cardinal
measure of our political creed, Protection
to American Labor. But in this we shall
not hold ourselves obliged to refrain from
discussing any other subject as may seem to
us desirable and useful. And if the Wing
party is to regain that efficiency which we
desire for it, it must be on the basis of per-
feet toleration for all differences of opinion,
especially on slavery and kindred topics.
But if we look to the South, we do not
find this open tendency of parties to the an
cient unity and consistency. There they
and still under the harrow of the slavery
agitation. Instead of the old standards, we
find them going into the elections under the
flags of Union and Disunion. 1t is notice.
able too, that the central slave States are
those in which the contest assumes this
aspect. Neither those on the northern nor
the southern frontier are agtated on such
am issue. Neither Virginia, nor Florida,
nor Kentucky, nor Louisiana, nor Texas
think Of debating or deciding any such ques-
ton at the polls. And yet their interest in
the protection of slave property is really
greater than that of Georgia or Mississippi
They, however, have stronger commercial
and other relations with the Free States
and are comparatively exempt from slavery
fanaticism and exaggeration. Nor, indeed,
is there any doubt how the contest will turn
out in the States where this absurd issue
is now TO be decided 1t is certain
that the Disunion party will be generally
outvoted This is its final struggle, and
with it the drama begun with the stealing and
anne exation of Texas, continued III the Mexi-
can war, and raised to its climax in the Con-
gressional contest of 1850, will finally 60
out. Beaten now, the Disunlon party will
not make head again. After this crisis the
process now operating at the North will
gradually take place at the South also, un-
less some new disturbing cause in the way of
foreign conquest, or Cuban or Mexicanexpe-
ditions should intervene. Parties will re-
sumo their previous organization, and will
act once more upon the great national ques-
tons which divide them. There will Ro
doubt still remain at the South small
Disunion party, analogous rather to our
Garrison Aboltionists than to our former
Liberty men, but they will Not be strong
enough, either in numbers or influence, to be
of any particular account. The overwhelm-
ing mass of the people will remain sound,
Notwithstanding these destructlves.
1t is only natural that the South should re-
cover from this great agitation less readily