The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-10
Hhe Practical Consequences OF last Tues
days Vote.


| The reorganization Of the Seward free soil
party, on new and more solid basis than ever.
| is as we observed yesterday the most mo-
mentous and alarming effect OF the State cleo
tons In contemplation of the fact, all the
other consequences of the event might almost
be disregarded for the moment. 1t is such q
terrible thing to think that, after all the strug-
giles of the patriots of 1s50-after the unmis-
takeable ratification of their labors by the
people in lS52-the free sellers have once more
risen from the dust, and William HI. Seward
has once more firmly planted his yoke on the
neck Of the people of this State-this refec-
ton, We repeat, is so exasperating to those who
honestly looked forward to period of peace,
prosperity and national unity-that it seems
almost like trifing to turn from it to consider
the minor fruits which Tuesdays vote will
bear Still, however engrossing be the painful
theme, we must not allow it to absorb the
whole Of our thoughts. More than one among
the pregnant results of the State re turns de-
mauds careful consideration; and if scrutiny
oftheir character should in some instances ag-
grayate TIE annoyance excited by the Seward
sources of consolation.
In the former class we must range the fact
that the task of completing the State canals is
now definitely confided to w. H. Seward and
his party. In one sense the change is boon.
The canalsw be finished, and this ever-recur-
ring bone of contention will be thus removed
| from the political arena But on the other
bar1 will ho
trusted with all the patronage and all
the means of corruption which the expendi-
ture of twelve millions can supply. What
honest coincidence of opinion, what the indirect
influence of the administration cannot effect in
strengthening his party, the immense power of
this large sum Of money will achieve. We shall
have men Of all parties endorsing the Seward
creed on the strength, or in the hope Of share
of the canal plumber and we know from expe-
riencc how many politicians can be bought for
twelve millions Of dollars. Furthermore, the
managers and dispensers of this glorious engine
| Of corruption will probably reserve handsome
per centage on the amount for themselves.
This prospect would have been more deplorable
had we had any reason to expect greater ho-
nesty from the other parties
Again, we find it asserted that the new As
sembly men ale all in favor of the Maine law.
We foresaw and predicted this result some
twelve months back; and now that it has come
to pass. we are as ready as any one else to give
the popular scheme fair trial. 1t is unquestion-
able that the amount of drunkenness and that of
vice GFme H 81 eSs
continent and far more than would be required
to stamp indelible disgrace on our fair fame.
Some remedy for this frightful state of things
must certainly be devised some dam to stem
the tide Of dissipation ere it sweeps away
all the landmarks Of virtue and morality.
A large party, comprising the bulk of the citi-
zens Of this State, conceive that they will
attain this end by passing the Maine
law and we will not now throw any impede
ment in its way On the contrary, all we ask
is that no time be lost in giving the scheme a
fair and honest trial The law should be passed
at once, after the Legislature assemblies, and
should go into effect within as short delay as
possible. If it does work satisfactorily, and
check drunkenness, we shall be satisfied /; and
we shall certainly give no countenance to an
agitation for its repeal until ii has been clearly
shown to be intolerable.
Moreover, we find that in the city the party
styled reformeI has been generally victorious.
On the strength of the fact many citizens are
congratulating themselves on the prospect Of a
new era in our city annals. They are strong in
the belief that the days Of corruption and ex-
travagance are over, and that henceforth New
York city will possess the inestimable blessing
Of a model government. We shall be sorry to
dspel these pleasing Illusions, but we cannot be-
leve anything OF the kind We shall not regard
or call the new batch of civic officers reformers
until we have seen some practical fruits of their
reforming tendencies; nor shall we indulge
any very sanguine hopes of a change in our city
government before some tangible symptoms of
that change are plainly apparent. The new
men may be sincere and honest in their inten-
tions they may have the ability and nerve to
carry them out If so, no one will rejoice more
earnestly or more loudly than ourselves. But
we candidly confess that seeing them in most
instances, deserters from the old parties and
men whose names have long been coupled with
those Of our hack politicians. we expect from
them no material deviation from the old rou-
tine, and look forward resignedly to witness
their relapse into the path of their predecessors,
after few nights exer,ion in the cause of eco
nomy shall have blunted their newborn zeal
The natural inference from the returns is,
that the Van Buren, free sellers have small
majority over the Dickinson democracy in
this State. 1t would be wrong to suppose,
however. that such is really the case. A vast
portion of the latter party have become so di;-
gusted with the recent manouvres of the po-
litical managers that they would not go near
the polls On the other hand, a very substan-
tial fraction of the Van Buren, free sellers vot d
as friends of the administration, in token OF
their gratitude for past or their anxiety for fu-
ture favors. All the Custom House and