The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-02-18
The Campaign ~ ls5a-Parties and Party
PlatNnrms.

dition of confusion and perplexity. The introdue-
ton Of foreign languages did not produce more
confusion among the bncklayers al the Tower OF
Babel, than the slavery settlement ha effected
among the political cliques and parties of the day.
The breaking up and dispersion is complete. Like
causes result in similar effects. The Missouri
compromise of $50, upon q single issue, was SUIT
6cient to revoutionize the parties of that day.
scrub race followed the e ection of a President
was thrown into he House; and from that election
we date the elements and the origin of the late
whig and democratic parties.
The slavery adjustment of 1850, in proportion to
its magnitude and importance-comrrehening the
settlement, not of a single ssue. bat OF many
issues-has scattered the late existing partie and
party landmarks to the winds. The revulsion cor.
responds with tine vastness, complexity and per-
plexy of the causes prod cling it. 1t was easy to
foreses it and to predit it, because 1t nevita
BILE. In the settlement of the great Issues of the
late adjustment, sectional interest and sectional
opinions and prejudices necessarily resulted in
sectional combinations upon the several bills;
and it was only by conjunction OF the conserva-
tiyes-whigs and democrats-that those combina-
lions could be overcome. This was the basis of
the present dissolution of the wing and democratic
parties.
IL the same conservative elements could have
united in grea, national party, there would be no
difficulty in predicting the result n 1852. But the
several attempts made to this end, by the Union
Safety Committee of New York, and some OF he
leading compromise men at Washington, have sig
nally failed. The idea of Union party has be-
come an "obsolete idea" The leading temo-
Gratis ere no! quite ready to make an assignment
of their stock in trade to the administration They
have at least an equal chance o. carrying up one
candidate to the House ; and there the advantages
of nominal majority are In their hands. The
congressional circular has failed; and in relin-
gushing the prospect of Union party, the aues-
,ion recurs, what is the prospect before us!
The family jars-whg and democratc-North
and South, are the natural consequences OF the
breaking up If their old platforms. The wran-
Cling in New York between the silver grevs
and wooy heads; the billing and cooling and
quarrelling between the democrats and nulli-
hers in Mcssa chusetts; the wrathy and spiteful
relations between the Bentons and antl-Benlons
in Missouri; the still threatening attitude of the
Southern uliras; and the warlike preparations of
South Carolina, preclude the most hopeful party
man, or party aspirant, from any hope of falling
back upon old party principles. They are done for.
They have served their purpose. 1t is palpably
manifest that if either the wings democrats in.
tend &c ran national ticket, they must promul-
gate new platform. AS they stand, the wings
have only the administration as nucleus, and
the de mocrats nothing but the prestige of a name
and their past successes. stand upon the com.
promises is a negative position. The progress Of
the age, the expansion of the power, population,
Resources, and wants of the country, will require
new measures of positive character, common
sura!e with our progress and conducive TO our
prosperity, and new compromises, consistent with
the intent of the CONSTITUTIONS for the preservation
of the harmony of the Union.
We count upon a wing and democr attic nation
al convention in 1852, between the first Of May
snd the midd of June. The object Of each will
be 10 no.aaaso a na,aonaI uchel Ior tic frcsiden-
cy. The necessity Of q new declaration Of mea-
sures and doctrines, adapted TO the new epoch
which has dawned upon US, Is sufficiently evident.
What, then, are the chances! Father Richie has
rubbed his spectacles, looked over the field, and
eivesi up. The public printing is the main ques-
ton with him just now. Father Gales is dumb
as an oyster. South Carolina troubles him with
a prospect OF trouble to the administration
Nei her from the old party leaders nor the old par
y organs, grouping in the dark, can we get the
least glimmering of light. From other sources,
however, we have an item or two of Information
looking TO practical preparations for the approach
ing contest.
The consery alive wings at Washington, from
all that can learn, are content to rest, for the
present, upon the administration and its policy Of
adhesion to the slavery settlement, a protective
tariff, rivers and harbors, and liberal appropriations
generally. These measures, with the addition Of
the old notion Of the distribution Of the proceeds OF
the public lands among oil the States, will pro-
badly form the basis of the wing programme for
1852 The late spuandcring Of the public lands,
by mlone of acres at clip, among the Western
States, has sugge sted TO the Eastern members the
fact tn the public domain Is the property OF the
United Sta,es-that is, Of all the States, in their
corporate capacity; and hat II these lands are to
be squandered away upon railroads and canals, the
old States are entitled o their share. Ca account,
therefore, Of the general scramble for the public
domain by the new States, Il is highly probable
tina, the wings will reproi uce the old project Of
distribution OF the proceeds Of the public lands "a
a part Of their creed, in 1852 We shall, perhaps,
also have an outside Northern ticket running upon
the scheme Of Mr.. Walker, of Wisconsin, Tor the
grant, TO actual settlers, Of farm OF 100 acres TO
every family, free of charge, except the costs OF
the psrchInents. In tie pending scramble, II 10
certain the public lands have ceased to BE- source
Of revenue, and that, among all the devices for
squsndenng them away, il il not ualikely TIRE plan
Of general distribution viii be popular M lsure
in two thirds Of the States Of the Union The
only new featurcs, then, in the wing platform, in.
dicaied, are neutrality on the slavery question,
which Is something and he land distribution, pro-
jet which has been lead and buried since the days
of General Jackson. Something more will be re-
CURED for the North and West and Canadin re-
ci?roci,y, or Canadian annexation, may iil ~ the
ger in the programme. That a whig national
candidate, in 1852, can Undertake to run without
platform, is an absurd presumption, after the
experience CT the country in the cabinet Of General
Taylor. The party cannot be recognized without
a DECLARATION Of nrinciples. q b generally con.