New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-11
The total vote for Mayor foots up 59,65s. The
following City and County officers are elected:
THE LESSON OF THE DAY.

80 weakly, and to so equivocal an end. Long
before the preparations for the canvass were be-
gun, we earnestly sppealed for union Of the
friends Of Freedom, without regard to old party
names, which had long ceased to indicate real
differences of principle. 1t seemed clear, even
then. that if the cause Of Liberty we're to receive
no detriment here, i. must be BY fighting the bat
tie boldly in her name, and by the fusion of all
the forces that would naturally and enthusiast
cally follow her banner. Such were the coun-
sells that we warmly and persistenhy urged upoa
our friends of the Wing organization. They
were not listened to, for reasons that need not
again be recapitulated. The Wing party or
rather, the form of it, was retained, broken, as
it was, by treachery and discord within our own
ranks in former contests; the consequences OF
this vital error are now plain to the world.
No man of sense will deny that the natural
turning point OF this election was opposition to
the Pro-Slavery course Of the Federal Admins
tration and to the latest encroachments Of the
Slave Power. In this regard, an ardent and pow
erful feeling burned in the breasts Of the great
majority Of the electors; and, had that feeling
would have aDnihilated all resistance. Certainly
there is none Of the Northern States where hos
tility to the inyasions OF the Slavocracy is so
deep seated or so universal there 10 none where
the Nebraska bill has been received with more
earnest or active indignation; none where the
duty of public leaders, and especially Of those at
the head Of the Wing party seemed to be more
plainly and imperatiyely indicated by the circum-
stances of the crisis. That duty was simply to
reDounce all hindrances Of old nominal party
divisions, to leave the title of Wings behind
them, and fGsi,g themselves in the great senti-
ment and impulse of the State, b have summoned
all who shared that sentiment to a decisive
demonstration against Douglas, Pierce, and all
the miuions of the Slavery Propaganda. Here
was the popular feeling demanding such action;
here was the opportunity for patriotism as sue
cessful as it was sublime. The opportunity has
been rejected, and who can say when it will re-
turn
Before the Convention at Saratoga, it had be-
come manifest that the Wing leaders would Hot
join in genuine movement for uniting all the
opponents Of Slavery Extension in new party;
and a. the great mass Of these were included in
the Wing organization, it became duty for that
Convention, while broadly laying down its prin-
ciples, to avoid any precpitate action that might
produce permanent schism in the Anti Nebraska
ranks and not only throw the Legislature, but
even the Members Of Congress, into the hands Of
Slavery's allies. That duty was performed, as
we hun bly, think, with both decision and discre-
ton and, Fusion having unfortunately failed,
no avoidable obstacles were left In the way of u
rally the free souled electors of the State around
the candidates afterward to be nominated, who
should most truly represent the principles and
policy of Freedom.
But all efforts failed to obviate and repair the
original error. The Wing Convention met; its
resolutions were uneIceptionable; its candidates
were not only all good Anti-Nebrasks men, but
they were accepted as such by the adjourned
Convention Of Saratoga. But they did not rep
resent the popular feeling. Theywere not before
the public as candidates of the party of Freedom
They got the promise of other support in one
way or another; but still they were Wing can
dida.es with various nominations appended, and
various opposition feared and placated, and not as
men appealing to the predominant sentiment Of
the State and borne on it's overwhelming tide to q
mighty and certain triumph. How tame and
spiIitless was the canvass During the whole
of it, one would hardly have supposed that Free
dom and Slavery were at issue ct all. Ii was the
play of Hamlet with Hamlet not only omitted,
but forgotten. And the reason is obvious. The
very fact that Messrs. Clark and Raymond were
primarily nominated, not as Anti-Nebraska men,
but as Whiss settled the question that the first
point at stake was not resistance to the encroacd
men.s of Slavery, but the preservation Of GER
tain party name. They were put upon the
course, not merely with clogs upon their feet,
but with their fee. knocked from under them.
They were set to fight battle, but the war-cry
that should have rallied throngs to their aid, was
virtually forbidden to their lips.
But this was not the worst. The very fact
that the voice of public sentiment, and the cir
cumstances of the emergency were thus dsre-
gsrded for the purpose OF keeping up an essen
TALLY extinct party put the whole cmse at the
mercy of all the traitors within the ranks of that
party-and experience had proved that they
were numerous and gifted. The so-called con-
servative Wings, the compromises and fugitive
slave-catchers, hated the ticket quite as heartily
As If it had been distinctly Republican one;
AL L. = l..