The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-11-13

The Thirty-fourth COngress-The House or
Representasives-The Division OF PARTIES
The Know NOthings and the Kansas Cues
tion-rhelr True Policy.
We publish this morning carefully prepar-
ed list Of the members of the Senate and the
House Of Representatives of the thrty-feurth
Congress, and their party politics respectively.
The elections for the House being completed,
we are thus at length enabled to see at
glance the perplexing divisions aud subdivi-
sions of the members elect upon the all-impor-
tant question of slavery, and the inexplcable
difficulties which will attend the organization
of this conglomerate body of representatives
fresh from the people,
full House exclusive of Territorial delegates whose
privileges limited to Territorial business is. 23
Members of the sixteen Northern States IA
Members OF the fifteen Southern States. 30
Northern majority 81
But for the reservation of the Senate, there
fore, in a sectional division of the House, the
South would be completely at the mercy of the
North. Upon the heels of the Nebraska bill,
and with the advantage of the weakness OF
the Pierce administration in their favor, the
anti-slavery league have made desperate eff
fort to give to the House sectional division
of parties. Our catalogue will show, to some
extent how far they have succeeded and how
far they have failed. AS between the demo-
Gratis, the wings, the Know Nothings and the
free sellers, they appear respectively to stand
as follows
democrats
Southern wh1gs...
%
Abolition Knew Nothing 10
Northern wings abolition-republica ........8s
VACANCIES.
But if we make the Kansas issue the test, and
the admission of Reeder or Whitfield as the
delegate from Kansas the exact question in
the organization of the House, we are COM
PEELED to make another division of these par
ties. Upon the question, then, of the delegate
from Kansas, we may safely assume that the
Southern States, democrats and Know No
things, will be unit for Whitfield. The diff
Guilty here lies with the members from the six
teen Northern States. Among them, we find
upon examination that there are about seven
ty anti-Nebraska or free soil Know Nothings,
including the entire delegations from Ohio
and Massachusetts. Where will this branch of
the Know Nothings go? They were elected
by anti-administration coalitions with the free
soil party year ago. Will they in Congress
stand with the Gen. Wilson abolition league,
or will they cut loose from it and take, in the
business Of the organization Of the House, the
first step to the national reconstruction Of the
American party? Upon this question the issue
in Congress and in the Presidential election
will depend.
If the seventy ant-Nebraska Know Nothings
Of the North fuse with the free sellers proper,
they may control the House organization; but
in this experiment they will cut Off the South
ern Know Nothings from their Northern
brethren, and reduce the party in each section
to mere outside faction or balance Of power.
If on the other hand, the Know Nothings of
both sections shall unite for conservative Or
ganization of the House against the extreme
secessionists and against Stewards Holy Adolf
ton Alliance, they are at once substantially
organized for the great campaign Of 1856.
In the State elections since last Spring, the
American party have carried, by a majority,
the States of California, Kentucky and Mary
land; ard by pluralities New York and Massa
chusetts. On the other hand, the democracy
have carried, by majorities, the States of Vir-
ginia, North Carolina Georgia, Alabama, Ten
nessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Jersey and
probably Louisiana; aud by plurality, Penn
sylvania and Maine, while the black repuo
lcans have carried Vermont and Ohio, by
majority in the first, and plurality in the last
named State. The American party, then, are
in this position: while they cannot afford to risk
the loss OF the North, they are bound to take
such national attitude as will encourage their
brethren in the South. where, by some slight
additions to their actual strength they may
carry half doZen States which they have lost
What, then, is the true policy of the mem
bers Of the American party in Congress? 1t
is to hold a conservative position for the or
ganization Of the House, without regard to the
special question Of the admission Of Whitfield
or Reeder. Upon this precise Territorial issue
months may be wasted in vain endeavors to
elect Speaker, and in the meantime the ul-
tras OF the two sections may destroy all the
elements of peaceful compromise, in the en-
Uttered sectional feelings which they will
have excited. Let the American members,
then. DESTROYS of controlling the great battle
of SO, unite North and South, upon some con
scrvative compromise policy in the very out
set, leaving the issue between Reeder and
Whitfield to be settled after the organization,
and they will avoid the rock upon which
Southern and Northern ultras intend to split
them into pieces.
One point is very clear the balance of power
in the House is in the hands of the American
party. They may, If they choose, cast it in ia
voT Of the democrats or on the side of the Sc
ward and Wilson abolition league: but there is
medium course, whereby they may command
the support Of the more conservative members
Of the two other parties without committing
themselves to either extreme. General Wilson
has pledged w. II. Seward and his allies to
n -.