The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-10


The Presidential Question--Another Curious
Chapter or Extracts r. ON the Party Press.
Ia default of the Presidents Message aud the
accompanying documents, we lay this morning
before our readers Of all parties, another OF
those curious, suggestive and interesting
chapters of extracts from the party journals
of the day, upon the subject Of the next Presi-
dency. Covering, as this chapter does, the
latest sspects, prospects and movements of de-
mocrais, Know NothiDgs and black republi-
cans, it cannot fail to be useful and seasona-
BILE, even at Washington, considering the crl-
sis that il upon us, and the terrible ordeal,
upon the everlasting slavery question, through
which the country is about to pass.
First, with regard to the democracy: they
have as usual, superabundance Of outstand-
ing candidates, among whom General Pierce
only figures as possible alternative. The
bulk of the democratic testimony is against
him. Yet, notwithstanding the failures which
have been inflicted upon the country by their
national conventions, the party in all sections
are turning their eyes to the Cincinnati ma
tional gathering with as much apparent conf
dence as caravan Of devout and deluded
Mussulmen take up the pilgrimage across the
desert to the t omb of the Prophet In this in
stance, however, we are assured that no I'M
known and obscured make-shift will be adopt
ed by the experienced and suffering democra-
cy, as the expedient for harmonizing the old
fcgies. With this assurance we must await
the issue of the Cincinnati sanhedrim and the
movements OF the party chain-gang at Wash
ipgton this winter.
The Know Nothing or American party are
early in the arena. Their Presidential nomi-
mating national convention is appointed for
the 22d of February; but in the meantime
President Bartlett has issued another procla
nation, calling special National Council at
Philadelphia on the 18th Of the same month,
most probably for the purpose of postponing
to May or June next the grand national nomi
mating Council. A postponement of this sort
would certainly be judicious for we cannot
perceive how a satisfactory fusion upon any
man can be made by the 22d February, Of the
friends respectively of Live Oak George Law,
Willard Fillmore, John J. Crittenden, John M.
Clayton, John Bell, John Minor Bolts, John
Macpherson Berrien, Sam Houston, Kenneth
Ray ner, Commodore Stockton, Stanhope Flour
noy, Gov Gardner, Gov. Johnston, and other
American candidates.
The extract which we give from Maryland
paper, suggesting the policy of running seve-
raj American candidates, North and South, is
not bad idea. 1t is the electors of the seve-
ra1 al al rod hot %ho Gu
that if the Americans can carry Kentucky
with Crittenden, New York with George Law,
Massachusetts, with Gardner, Tennessee with
Bell, Georgia with Berrien, aud so on, they
will, should they secure o majority of the
electoral tickets, still be able in the meet
ng of the electors thus chosen, to unite
upon some one of their various candidates, and
carry him in. How else the Know Nothings
North and South, can work together, judging
from their divisions in Congress upon the
Speakership, we cannot divine. We leave the
matter, for the present, in their hands but we
shall certainly watch their movements with
some interest, for it is make or break among
them now.
The Seward Holy Alliance looms up with
some Importance IN the speculatlons OF our
democratic contemporaries but with the organi
cation of Congress- and the settlement Of the
issue between Whitfield and Reeder, we shah
be better qualified to estimate the real strength
and position of the antislavery league as an
independent Presidential party. The doings
at Washington of the past week, and our chap
ter Of Presidential politics for the present. post
us up with the condition, prospects, and move
ments of parties and candidates as they stand.
From this day henceforward the next Presi-
dency will be the living and paramount ques-
ton. We shall cndeavor to keep pace with the
shifting scenes of the important drama, with
the progress Of public opinion, with the safe
guards of the constitution, and to the music
of the Union"
The Prospect OF Peace.
We publish elsewhere an article from the