The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-19


at least divert from us and our concerns the
meddling eyes Of jealous rivals. We should
amid the clash and turmoil of European
war-be enabled to fulfil our destiny quietly
and in peace; and should chat destiny require
the annexation of Cuba and Mexico, we should
accomplish the deed without fear of embroiling
ourselves with nations already knee-deep in
blood at home
The Cabinet and the People-Catc hing and
being Caught-Thc Difference.
The festival of the political Pentecost, insti-
tuted at Washington by the Cabinet, to oblige
the people Of this country to acknowledge its
absolute dominion over them, forces upon us an
inquiry into the authority of that Jewish tribu-
nal--those " old clio" politicians, those pedlers
Of official wares, who thus proclaim the law as
from Sinai, and visit the Christian democracy
OF the land with edcts Of communication
The inquiry is pertinent. Whence comes the
right of the half dozen elders of the Syna-
gogue at the capitalize great Sanhedrim of
modern political worship-to sit in judgment
upon the independent mind Of this country,
and to deal out tokens of approval or dis
approval OF individual acts?
This is an age of novelties and wonders, of
revivals, reformations, and cow ersions-o re-
Cancellation, Of contentious ended. quarrels set
tied, of peace and Of treaties between belli-
gerents, and of disputes and strife between
friends-of policy and arrangements, of de-
pravity, repentance, and amnestles. Surely it
is the millennium of the democracy, when all
the whig Satans are to surrender, and the Van
Burens and Marcys are to reign on earth in
peace and good will with the elect of the de-
mocratic saints The law has been proclaimed,
and an easy system of atonement established.
1t is the universalism of politics, under
which all are saved, and especially trail
tors, old sinners, and hayward prodigals.
for whom feasts have been ordered, and to whom
the jewels of the political household have been
freely distributed. Joy comes of repentance
under the new covenant, and why not? When
ones enemies have surrendered, what need has
he Of friends? What, pray, is the use Of keep
ing up the old forts and arsenals that served us
in the revolution? Why build monuments to
lberty's martyrs, or distribute pensions to
patriots, when the latter can be manufactured
by thousands, even out OF enemies, in the
twinkling of an eye? Why reward fidelity to
the constitution when its bitterest enemies are
suddenly taken with fit of patriotic and al
most frantic devotion to that compact, and
threaten to become its only disinterested defen-
ders? Why seek for counsel among your ad-
herents, however faithful, when your opponents,
who have made you all the trouble you have
encountered, magnanimously abandon their
hostility to you, and condescend to become the
very body guard of your service? But, after
all, these are technical questions in the politi-
cal ethics Of the day, which have been ignored
by the great amnesty of the Cabinet measure
Of supreme clemency, which, by pardoning it's
own members first, has let loose upon the coun-
try about as precious set Of political malefac-
tors as ever escaped from the hands of justice
They are called softs, designation not alto
gether expressive Of their true character, and
which therefore should be more definitely
traced 1t is probably from the Greek
word signifying mallords-soft, or mala-
chite-a substance which admits of a high
polish, and is used for ornamental inlaid
cabinet work for tesselating and mosaic
"a bit here, and a bit there-an artificial con-
glomerate held together by the cohesive power
of public plumber. Desiring to be accurate in
designating the Cabinet and the corporal's
guard by which it is sustained, we infer that
the word soft is vulgarism invented by Gen.
Cushing to save the laundering ignorance of
some of his unlearned associates his own
career would hardly allow him thus to express
his contempt for men who had so suddenly aban-
doned the cause they had for years supported.
presenting the remarkable coincidence, une-
qualled even in the day Of Pentecost, of the
conversion, at the same hour, OF the whole free
soil family of this State, from utter abolition.
ism to extreme nationalism.
Whatever else may come to pass it is tolera-
bly, certain that the old fallows of democracy
will be broken up, and prepared for the seed OF
new cultivators. The dominion of party is
gone-irrevocably gone. Its constitution was
shattered by the terrible exposures of 1852.
and this fact, followed by the shocking bad
treatment Of the eclectic practitioners at Wash
ington, has put the patient past all hope Of re-
covery. If it fingers for year or two mere
in its present agonies, it will be likely to 90
out Of the world like many other superanuated
fogics. remembered more for the trouble 1t has
made than for the good it has done.
But what is party in this country? Who looks
to its behests now for guidance? Who recognizes
its authority to control private judgment? Who
deems it necessary to the success of our repub-
lican system? Have assaults upon the Const-
tuition sprung from the people of the United
States? Where have they shown disloyalty
When have they fomented quarrels between one