The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-02-04
The Presidential Question - Progress and
Prospects OF the Came.

Very little progress 10 making IN the PreHdcnual
question. The Oldest and most sagacious politicians
n Washington have failed to lay down the basis Of
great Unicn party, the only organization upon
which President could now be insured by the
people. Father Richie has, by authority, whistled
the proposed Union Convention of the I'D Of Feb
ruary down the wind. That is the end Of a series
Of Union conventions proposed 20 be held through
cut the country, beginning at Washington. An
other Congressional experiment, in the form OF
temperance pledge, failing 70 secure General Cass,
Mr.. Dickinson, Mr. Douglas, or indeed any of the
Northern democrats, has also run aground. That
craft carried too much sal, and too little ballas;
The political managers, therefore, at Washington
have failed to do any thing and the chaos OF pot-
cal parties resulting from the slavery COMPROMISES,
stands pretty much the same as on the fret Mon
day in December last, when The bodies OF the kill
ID and wounded covered the field.
Between the two old parties IN the North, the
nuIhhers, or free soil faction, have risen into the
importance OF party. In the South, the Southern
nights party, Southern uliras, stand between the
old whig and democratic soci.nes-more powerful
than either, single handed, and only to be mastered
BY combination Of both. II must be conce fed
that the mass OF the Southern ultras are from he
democratic ranks. while the whg party Of the
South, almost intact, stand upon ;he platform OF the
slavery adjustment. n the Southern conservative
democrats, then, unite with the whig party OF the
South uyon the compromise basis, the Southern
States will be turned over 10 the wings. Without
such junction, the conservative Southern demo-
Gratis will be left in a hopeless minority, and the
ultras will sweep the field, from Mason n Dixon's
line to Texas But the attempts at this combna-
lion have failed The Northern democrats dis
countenance the arrangement. What, then, Is to
b. done
From all the indications of The last six mouths
The elections 81 last fa--the Northern and South
ern political agitauons- tie recent singular COM
mnarons and results IN tie election Of United
States Senators and from the failures to get up
a Union meeting by the Castle Garden Union
safety Committee. and the Union Safety politicians
Al Washington, the following seem 70 b. the mos;
plausible conclusions for the future -
There being no prospect Of amalgamaton be-
tween the wings and democrats Of the old bunker
or conservative orders, upon rational platform,
We may count spon two national candidates,
whig and a democrat. We also count with great
confidence upon another Buffalo candidate; AID
the prospect equally fair for an ultra Southern
candidate, according to the recommendation CT the
Nashville Convention. And II Gen. Scott shosid
b. taken up spontaneously BY The people, aRd
should run without a platform, without pedges.
and without promises, we shall have five very in
ieresing candidates in the field, exclusive OF Chap
I'm Chaplin will make six
The administration can and probably will con-
troll the national wbig nomination-and The man
must be sn endorser q the compromises This
would hardly be the game for Cen Scott. HE
ticket is his own independent and unrammelled
military renSwn. The Fugitive law would be al
impediment IN the North to Chapultepec: and the
admission Of California would dim The lus,re "a
Chuubusco in the South The best policy Of tbs
wings would be 70 run good stiff constitutional
man in the South upon platform, and Cen Scott
"a the North without platform, and without any
other pledge thsn pledge to abstain r.lgously
from all letter writing Upon this Flan, one, and
srhaps both, Of the whig candidates might be car.
RED into the House.
With the conservative Northern Dc moerats, Gen,
Csss s sui the favorte man. Hs patriotic CO