The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-02

Yesterday. The Senate spent considerable time tn
committee or the Canal Transportation bill and on
rising ordered il 70 third readiDg. The amendment
to prohibit canal navigation on the Sabbath was re
iccted, was also the personal liability clause. Both
houses passed bills relating 70 alters in this city,
The temperance question was permitted to slumber
in the Senate yesterday. Unless positive action y
soon had this measure, II Will be defeated by the
procrastnation Of its immediate friends.
While the Germsns 10 this city, OF whose tan
sactons we elsewhere give a report, and the free
sellers and abolitionists throughout the Norh are
holding meetings in opposition to allowing the pso-
pie Of Nebraska the right Of constructing laws for
their self government, delegation Of Indians from
that Terri ;ory are 10 Washington, making arrange
ments to vacste their lands.
A preliminary meeting Of the officers who served
in the Mexican can oaign was held last evening, for
the purpose Of laying before Congress the prope'y
of granting them double rasions while in that SER
vice. They state that they did not receive ia the
shape OF rations more than one half the cost Of vrg
in Mexico. Having delayed preferring their claims
until the national treasury is overlooking wi funds
II is probable that Congress will take their case into
favorable consideration.
TIE Board OF Education net last evening, and
transacted large amount Of business. Some Of the
anne. dments to the school law, proposed in the re-
port of select committee presented TO the Bolci at
the last me- citing, we're adopted.
BY telegraph and otherwise We have great
variety Of interesting matter, TO which we cannot
afford space to refer particularly. The inside pages
contain the proceedings of the committee with re-
gard to the opening Of Albany street; the meeting
at the Corn Exchange, concerning the usury laws;
lecture by Wendell Phillips anti.slavery; full par
ticulars relative to toe awful murder Of Mrs Fyer
in Onondsga county large amount OF CONNER
cal, politi al and misce laneous eys, &c.
Inc Nebraska MISUNDERSTANDING Ele
meats OF Discord and Disunion.
Pliny the Roman historian of that fierce
eruption of Vesuvius, which overwhelmed and
buried alive the cities of Herculaneum and
Pompeii, has given us graphic description Of
the trembling of the earth the strange commo-
tion of the sea, the thick and lurid atmosphere
the horrid noises, and the lightnings that flick
cred through the murky air Immediately pre-
ceding the browning disaster. Scarcely less
significant and startling ore the premonitory
symptoms touching this Nebraska agitation of
fierce political CONFUSION, which may eventu-
ally overwhelm our benefceut institutions, our
beautifully adjusted constitution, and our glo-.
rious Union of sovereign States, in one common
ruin of wild disorder, anarchy and civil war.
When, few weeks ago, we predicted this re-
opening of the slavery agitation in more vio-
lent shape than ever yet experienced, we were
scarcely prepared for the startling rapidity
with which it has come upon u.s. A few weeks
ago and the anti-slavery sentiment of the
North was in state of almost hope
less torpdity. True, the nightly rehearsals
of Uncle Toms Cabin at several of our
metropolitan theatres were maintained; but
otherwise. even Uncle Toms trials and tri-
bulations had faded away into dimly remem-
bered fiction. There had not for some time
occurred the happy accident of a Northern mob
for the rescue Of fugitive slave, to sharpen the
deadened sensibilities of our negro-loving phi
lanthropists. They had nothing to fasten upon
but they were waiting the movement of the wa
tiers; where the administration of Washington
kindly stepped in to their relief. The Nebraska
bill is thrown into the Senate, and instantly,
starting up like the clansmen of Rhoderick Dhu,
from every hole and corner, an army of agita-
tors are in the field, and all the North is in o
blaze. The scheme intended torestore General
Pierce and his free soil Cabinet to the conf
Deuce of the national democracy threatens, in
the very outset, the destruction of the admins
tration, aud oil the old political parties of the
day; and in the end, a war between Southern
secessionists and Northern free sellers and abo-
litonists, which, if not timely arrested by the
uprising Union sentiment of the whole country,
Union.
When we find Wendell Phillips "cursing
the country and the Union" because of the
institution Of slavery; and when such ex
pressions of open-mouthed treason are re.
ceived with great applause by New
York audience, in the heart Of Broadway;
when we have it announced that Stephen
a. Douglas has been hung in efligy in Boston;
and when resolutions are adopted in every
quarter of the North, to resist this Nebraska
fraud to the last extremity" it is manifest that
Gen. Pierce, like King Saul, has only raised
the ghost Of Samuel topronounce upon the de-
struction of his administration and his house.
All. do we not in all this realize the paramount
obligations of u steady adhesion to principles,
instead Of Marcy's policy of the spoilss Had
Gen Pierce, in the beginning Of his career,
planted himself firmly upon the Union prin-
ciples which brought him into power-had be
secuted the suicidal policy of democratic har-
mony by o fusion offree sellers and secession
lists upon the basis of the public pluuder--had
he identified himself with the Union sentiment
and the national Union men OF the whole conn
try, there would have been no necessity for this
desperate expedient of Nebraska to lift him AMI
his Cabinet from the slough OF free soiism into
which they have fallen. No. The admins
ration, indicated by its active policy, would
have been impregnable against all assaults from
any quarter.
But the question is up--;bc agitation is up;