The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-10-25

| the unfortunate steamship Arctic.
MORE DEATHS BY CHOLERA AT SEA.
The clipper chip Governor Morton, arrived yester
day from Liverpool lost thirty four Of her passen
gers by cholera on the passage.
The issue In the Coming Election,
wing contemporary is quite right in saying
that voters must regard themselves as absolved
from all obligations of party, in exercising tie
| right of suffrage at the coming election. The
old parties have been knocked about, and split
| Up, and disguised in such sorry fashion that
their best friends cannot be sure of recognizing
them. The light of former contests is useless
in the present one the old principles are obse-
| lete: the ancient landmarks are thrown down
wing and democratic doctrines are as blind
| guides in the present conjuac ture as q book Of
| fairy taies. Yet there is something more in
the struggle which is going on around us than
| mere contest of personal ambition. It does
involve principles though they are not the old
fundamental principles of our hereditary par
ties: and the issue is matter of import to the
country, though it can have no influence on
the prospects Of the tariff, internal improve
ments, or a national bank. Upon a correct uu-
derstanding of those principles and that issue,
iudicious exercise Of tie franchise will de-
pend.
We can never repeat too often that the Pre-
sidential election of 1852 destroyed the old par
ties. The death Of whigism was admitted ON
all HAMS. and rs matter of course that of
democracy. the embodiment of the opposite
principle, followed immedlataly after. When
there ceased to be any wings, there could be
no vocation for democrats, as such. period
Of calm ensued, when politicians were employ
ed in casting about for new platforms and new
principles, on which they might build new
parties, aud get up decent fight for the
spells. Had any striking event occurred
such for instance as pretext for war with
England, or a violent rebellion against the
tariff, or quarrel between the general govern
ment and one Of the States-it would have
answered the purpose, and men wouI1I have
taken sides accordingly. Fortune was not 80
propitious no substantial ground for dividing
public opinion came to light. There was
moment Of agony among place hunters, when
it seemed as though they would be obliged for
once to say honestly to the people that they
were all of one mind on national topics, and
that the only question to be decided was who
was to grasp the spoils.
This critical moment was seized by the most
adroit Of our political agitators-the Hon.
William II. Seward. A law had passed. or
ganizing two of the Territories, In accordance
with the clear provisions of the constitution,
and in harmony with the careful legislation of
1850. In passing that law it had become ne
cessary to repeal an inconsistent statute which
mad been enacted many years previously,
out of Difference to Northern prejudice, aud
without due regard to the basis of the confede-
racy, or any suspicion on the part of it's foun-
ders of the evil which lurked within its mean
ing. 1t was repealed. No change was made
in the tenor Of the national laws, the rights OF
the people, or the conditions of the confederacy.
The act organizing kanzas and Nebraska was
plain matter of-fact statute, which could not
have been different from what it was without
violating the fundamental principles on which
the Union rests. Its passage created some dis
satisfaction among its opponents, as every inn
portant measure is sure to do: and for time
loud, and we doubt not, in many instances, sin
cere murmurs were raised by those whose con-
ception of the measure was erroneous. If the
discomfort was wider or noiser than that
which would have followed an important ate-
ration in the tariff, or any other leading legis-
lative enactment, the fact must be ascribed to
The opportunities which the Nebraska bill
offered for appeals to popular passion, aud its
intimate connection with questions seldom
temperately discussed; we are not aware, how
ever, that it was originally, or that it would
have been had the leaders of the vanquished
party acquesced as usual ia the verdict of Con-
gress. Unhappily, just at the time when the
popular excitement began to subside, William
II. Seward bethought himself Of using IL as q
basis for the erection Of new party. There
were, as we said, no great national questions
in agitation at the time: the political world
vas void The chances were in favor of any
new political theory which was set on foot under
adroit auspices. Mr.. Stewards personal and
newspaper influence was large: his emissaries
were numerous and active; there were hosts OF
able men who like himself only sought hobby
TO ride to bring themselves into note. 1t was
resolved TO make the Nebraska bill the motive
for the organization Of q new sectional party,
which should an .wer their common purpose.
Immense efforts were at once made to
persuade the people that their rights had been
iDfringcd by that act. No one who is familiar
with our own and foreign history can be sur
n seq at the measure of success they obtained.
~ periods &C general calm, when no distract
ng Influences arc in operation, the grossest de-