The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-26

The reflection suggests q PRACTICAL moral Of
immediate application. Right in the highway
between these four centres oftrafic- California,
Australia China, and Japan-lie the Sandwich
Islands. As the carrying trade between them
increases, the Importance Of this group will as
sumo new proportions. It's sovereign will be
master of the Pacific. We trust that President
Pierce will not lose sight of the fact; and. as
the islanders are already knocking for admis-
sion at the door Of the Union, that he will not
confne his reply to mere sounding words.
Organization or COngress-Wh is to be the
Tcst Question.
1t seems clear tLat the election of a Speaker
will not be the test question at the opening of
the next Congress. All the candidates belong
to the same party and the contest between
them cannot be q struggle Of principles. Which
ever man can assemble the largest number Of
personal friends will probably be elected; but
his success will not indicate, in any perceptible
degree the complexion Of the House. The first
question involving any public principle that
Will be submitted to Congress, will be the choice
Of q clerk. Under ordinary circumstances the
been a matter of very secondary moment: in
practice, hitherto, it has seldom aroused much
feeling or attracted general notice. But the
candidateship of Mr.. Forney happens to place
in issue principle of such Importance that it
is more than likely it will concentrate the at
tention Of members at the opening. Nothing
less than the highest principle of political mo-
- lo1-o ~,
gress will be called upon to give or withhold
their sanction from the election of one who is
publicly known to have figured in perhaps the
most disgracefu character man ofhonor can as
sume-of one who solicited his friend to suborn
evidence for the purpose Of running woman's
character. Their decision will test at what
estimation honor and political morality are held
among them.
With view to enable every one to form an
opinion knowingly on the matter, we give else
where two articles-one from the New Hamp-
shire Patriot and the other from the Harrisburg
Keystone-which present both sides of the For
ney case with remarkable fairness. On the one
side, it is argued, on behalf of Col. Forney that
the editor of this paper " has waded through an
abyss Of degradation, hypocrisy, and infamy,"
and that, therefore, Forney is a pure patriot
that this sheet has been "a running sore OF SLAM
ders,' and hence Forney deserves the clerkship.
Col. Forney's numerous articles in various
journals" are mentioned as the ground Of his
claims to the post but, strange to say. the
writer has forgotten to include among the
Colonels literary performances the famous
''Forney letter." This is the case on the side Of
Forney; and we must say that we think the Pa
triot has done him justice His cause is not
susceptible Of a better defence.
On behalf of the public morality and honor
Of this country, the Keystone supplies the
omission Of the Patriot, and publishes the famous
letter relates how Forney lobbied in the
divorce case; lobbied for all sorts of private
bills: took under his special protection the Lee
high County Bank, which tried to brioe the
chairman of the Legislative Committee, was de-
tected, and exposed; and has lately lived as
sort of Gil Bias at Washington, acting as clerk
to the kitchen cabinet, and writing what abuse
Gifts opponents Caleb Gushing could not ma
mage. This is the case on the other side.
Congress can now decide for itself More con-
elusive evidence than the letter, of the truth Of
the facts charged against Forney could not pos
sibly be found. Even tho Patriot does not at.
tempt to gainsay it. More conclusive evidence
Of the absolute lack Of honor and moral prin-
ciple which must exist in the breast of man
who could write such letter, would be sought
equally in vain. There would be aifectation in
attempting to conceal the fact that. in the eyes
of respectable people, Col Forney, however
amiable and well suited TO be the Clerk Of the
House, has entirely lost whatever character and
reputation he may have possessed before the
Forrest trial. The question, therefore, is are
character and reputation matters of such con
sequence in the opinion of Congress, that the
want of them incapacitates man from filling
high station of honor and trusts The vote on
the clerksbip will test the point