The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-22

Washington Globe Of the great debate of We'd
nesday last in the House of Representatives
upon the Speakership. To make room for this
remarkable, significant and most important
discussion, We are compelled to set aside the
speech of Senator Seward at the Pilgrim cele-
bration at Plymouth Rock, and mass of
various other things, foreign and domestic.
In justification of this sacrifice of our avail
able space to the report IN question, we
plead its paramount interest and value at this
exciting and ominous crisis in our national
affairs The value, too, of this debate i. late
rally enhanced from the fact thai III ~ ab-
sence Of aSpeaker, the members 0srs nat tied
down to the restricted limits 0. al organized
House. Accordingly, there is sparkling and
pungent variety end vivacitY in these person
al explanations. confessions and Congressional
cross-examinations Of Wednesday last, which
carry the reader along ct lively and rattling
pace, from the beginning to the end. Seldom,
indeed. is it that we find so much Of fun and
frolic .ntermixed with such grave and solemn
topics as these, which not only threaten the
utter decentralization Of Congress, but palpably
and directly the peace of the Union.
The leading feature of this debate is the ex-
act information which it gives us of the party
divisions Of the House. There are three par
ties in the arena--the democrats, the national
Know Nothings and the black republicans, or
Seward abolition ftIsionists. The Northern
abolition and free soil Know Nothing party
has been swallowed up by the fusion monster,
just as the blanket given to warm him was
some time ago licked over and swalled down
by onstrictor in the London Geological
Gardens. The 18th section Of the Philadel-
phia American platform, recognizing the doc
tine Of popular sovereignty in the Territories,
has been decreed by the Southern Know No
things Of Congress to be the Shibboleth of the
Order as a national party, and all who cannot
| pronounce the word are turned over to Sew
ard. This decree cuts out prodigious JOB Of
| work for the Know Nothipgs of tho Northern
| States, in compelling them to choose for 1856
separate Northern organization, or fusion
with other parties, or the adoption OF that ter
rible twelfth section.
As q natural result, this line Of demarca-
tion thus laid down by the Southern members
Of the Order, has reduced its original strength
in The House to mere guerilla party, cutting
in here and cutting out there; but making no
perceptibic impression upon the solid body Of
the two great hostile armies And yet the po-
sition which has been taken by this little que
rilla force, controlling as it does, the balance
OF power in the House, has not only blocked
the Scwardite game for the Speaker thus far,
but it probably defeats, in the very outset, the
whole programme Of Father Giddings for the en-
suipg two years Of Congressionallegislation and
Presidential agitation. As far as the Know
Nothings themselves arc concerned, we repeat
that this movement of Fuller, Humphrey Mar
SHALL and their scattering associates, reduces
| the Order in the North to the alternative of a
| dissolution or the adoption of the twelfth Sec
| tCn, or a separat, Northern Know Nothing
| ticket for the Presidency.
| Read this debate in the House on Wednes-
day last, for it virtually disposes of Van Boren
free soil soft she'll democrats, live wings"
| and free soil Know Nothings, in reference to
the great battle for the succession, and brings
into held and striking relief the democratic
party and the black republicans as the two
great parties in Congress, face to face. This
debate is the landmark Of the starting point in
| the practical business of the violent and mo-
| menous struggle which is before us, for the
constitution and the Union, or the destruction
OF both. Hence we place this debate upon the
record as The paramount subject of the day, and
commend it to the thoughtful attention of all
our readers.