The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-03


steamer George Law yesterday, In the Marine
Court, before Judge Thompson, for false inprison-
ment.
We have received letters and files Of papers from
Hevnna to the 2sth df January. There is nothing
new nom the island. Felix and Estrsmpea were
still in prison, waitiog to hear their doom-urses-
tain yet whether it will be dsash or bondage.
Preparations itrsaid, being aaadsto strengthen
Havana wi.hadStionsl forts, 70 as to surround the
city entirely with Notifications The letters Of our
correspondents are published elsewhere.
Prospects " Sew ards Re Esection-yTheK now
Nothinsv-The Slavery Questsen-DAngce
Impendsng.
The Seward Legislative caucus of Thursday
evening last, at Albany, indicsses the re.eies-
ton ors.he willy demagcGue to the United States
Senate. The caucus numbered just oneIhaf of
each house, and having after the first ballot,
made the nomination of Seward unsnimous,
their decisi IN is equivalent TO an election, lack
ing vae solitary vote TheSaction of the caucus
was, no doubt, 6oRG fde, aud the man wanting,
and seversa overr we apprehend,were among
the absentees. Something more, therefore,
than rough conjectures and loose estimates on
/ the part of the opposition will be required to
/ prevent the reelection Of Vim. III. Seward on
Il tuesday next
| We are not much surprised at the result of
this Seward caucus, Notwithstanding the hume
! rous representations made to US from Albany
Of reliable opposition an.i-Seward majority
/ in the Assembly. We have.an along had our
misgivings upon tie subject We knew from
all their antecedents, that the silver grays, how
ever bitterly they may hate and denounce the
ascendancy of the Auburn demagogue, were not
to be trusted. They want backbone, are feeble
in the knees, and have never exercised the
moral courage of striking their dreaded enemy
where the hand dealing the blow might be
detected. He uses them when wanted or kicks
them out with impunity when they stand in
his way. A feeble clique Of puerile grumblers
are the silver grays.
We have also distrusted the rough estimates
OF the opposition on another account. They
have overlooked in the Assembly the Influences
Of those outside Know Nothing movements of
Utica and Schenectady, which Seward has
adroitly used to embarrass and weaken the ac-
tion Of the Order against him. With ything
like an equality of raw materials to begin with,
Seward and Thullow Weed are hard to beat in
pipe-laying and in sutsidizing accessible time
servers, tide-waiters and needy spoilsmen. In
this case, too, having absolute command Of the
State plumber, we may rest assured that they
have been using it to the best advantage.
Itmay appear to the Know Nothings in other
|, States very extraordinary that Seward, after
.. bis formal speech against the Order in the
Senate, should contrive, without recantatiop,
to steal into their camp in this State, and N AXE
satisfactory diversion from their forces in his
| favor. But it is an old game of his to seize
} upon every new political movement-anti-
slavery, or anti-Popery, or no matter what
and in some plausible disguise to appropriate
IL to his purposes Thus he contrived this
Know Nothing detection, which has not only
resulted in the outside councils at Utica and
Schenectady, but which has thrown into the
Assembly some fishy conservatives, whose votes
upon this Senatorial question may lead to the
breaking up of the Know Nothings as great
Homogeneous national party, and to the most
dangerous and calamitous revival of the anti
slavery agitation.
The caucus vote for Seward at Albany looks
very much like treason in the Know Nothing
camp. Where there is treason there is danger,
. ~ Ill SosSS Whelc tuc ueleCslcu kOluS tue
balance of power. In this instance the danger
TO the Know Nothings threatens their very
existence. The election of Seward is the test
question of their conservative principles, and
Of their prestige OF invincible strength. His
success demcralizes all their late Northern con-
seryative triumphs, and throws this new Aueri-
can party backs upon Virginia and the South as
apart OF the Seward aptislavery coalition it
SELF Reflect him, and his sectional organize
ton and 'disunion anti-slavery programme con-
tinues-tbe anti-slavery agitation receives
new impulse, which may possibly overcome the
non-interyention policy of the Know Nothings
in all the Northern States, Massachusetts, not
excepted. There is evidently a Know Nothing
split at Albany upon Stewards reelection, and,
under the circumstances, it is significant of
general decentralization and dsorganization Of
the new party. This is the great object Of
Seward, and the immediate necessity of the
Pierce administration.
We are aware that the tools Of the Cabinet
contributed their mite towards the election OF
a Seward Assembly-the hopes of the admins
tration manifestly hang upon Stewards sue
cess; but his election will be none the less
disastrous to the Know Nothings AMI the peace
and harmony Of the Union. Cast him out Of
the Senate, either by this or lin holding over
the ction,) by the next Legislature, and the
coast is clear from Maine to Texas for nm