The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-20
The S4uabble for the Spoils-F'oliticai Cor
resronsience OF the New York Herald.

Washington Correspondent, &c.
The squabhle for the spoils-Politicai Cor
resrondence OF the New York Herald.
We discharge supon our readers this morning
whole broadside of round-shot, Shells scrap
nels and muskstry, from our political comes-
pondents in various parts of the country, bear
ing upon the President elect his cabinet. and
the distribution Of 1.-the spoils." These letters,
at this juncture. are particularly interesting,
not from the glimmerings of light which they
throw upon the cabinet question, but from their
startling illustrations of the bitter jealousies
which have sprung up among the various de-
mocratic factions against each other. and their
wolfsh appetites for the public plumber.
Our correspondents all appear to have an eye
fixed firmly upon the main chance. They do not
stoop to the consideration of such empty alb
stractions as the general, domestic and foreign
policy of the new administration, or the means
and instrumentalities by which the prosperity OF
the country at home, and its honor and glory
abroad can be best secured. Such visionary
topics vanish into thin air before the substantial
and savory roast beef and plum pudding of the
or war, annexation, non-intervention. reciprocity
andfree-trade are consequently set aside, pending
the present awful suspense concerning the divi-
sion ofthe spoils. The harmony, nay, the very
existence of the national democracy, and the
Baltimore platform, and the Union and the Con-
stitution appear to hang upon judicious divi-
sion of the spols. We had thought that the
~
sound public opinion upon the constitutional
comprsaisss between the North and the South;
but now it is made manifest that the oyerwhelm-
ing rush upon the democratic platform was but
a rush for the spoils. The enigma is solved at
last, in the fifty millions per annum of the
loaves and fishes. dispensed to the hungry by
the administration at Washington.
Having thus hit upon the lock and key to the
late Presidential struggle, the list of letters
which we publish to-day will be found to be
particularly seasonable, pungent. piquant. and
spicy. The Donaldson and Grer correspond
enee was fat and tame in comparison with this.
We have here a bird s-eye view Of an existing
state of things, the most amusing, the most en-
barrassing, and the most disgusting that can
well be conceived. From Albany we are in
formed that Dickinson is going ahead, and that
Marcy is stranded from Utica we have
an indignant attack upon the free sellers;
from Rochester, and other points, we have the
curious information that the Van Buren,, or soft
she'll faction are deli GIFTED and astonished at the
late gracious pTonuncidmeato from the Concord
Patriot, defining the generous intentions of
General Pierce to oil the factions Of the demo
cratic-that the free soil organs publish this
organic decree with peculiar gusto, overjoyed
at the idea that they are subjects of political
grace. Indeed, from Albany, Saratoga, Utica,
Rochester and Syracuse, our correspondents
come up to the determination of Dix and the
free sellers with patriotic zeal that is par
ticularly refreshing.
Contracts, however, are entitled to some re-
spect. We believe that the only way of safety
and success to Gen. Pierce, is through cabinet
and administrative policy resting upon the bind
ing vitality Of the compromise measures and
the integrity Of the Union. We believe that he
is strong enough, if he will only be bold enough
to establish firm and popular administration
without any particular efforts to conciliate the
disUganizing factions Of the day, North or
South But we demur to the New York barn
burners claiming in their own right, and from
their own merits, the monopoly of the
leaves and fishes. Contracts should not be
lightly disregarded. The old maxim of 'hon-
esty among thieves" is not bad one for Office
seeking politicians. There was a contract Of
union and harmony between the two New York
factions during the late campaign, upon the
Baltimore nominations; and both hunkcrs and
baInburners gloried in it. Neither faction can
Woi,s' tie free sellers have no right At all to
!h1r. Eat Gca. .erce, not being party 70