The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-05-23

TO arrive this NOR tn, at 81 Is. Provisions we're
stesdier, and new mess pork some firmer. Among
the transactions the purchase Of 5000 bbIs old
mess pork, to arrive in June, at ST, which was
bought to fill French government order, to replace
the 5000 bbs shipped not long since its account,
and lost at sea. COO 500 bales Of compressed cot
ton were engaged for Liverpool at 532d.
The Virginia Elsctson.-Fate OF the Ameri-
Party.
Tomorrow the election in Virginia takes place
At Richmond and in some of the northern aud
eastern counties these lines will be read if not
before the votes are cast, OF all events, on the
morning Of election; but they will not reach
the southern counties till the battle is over,
and the fate Of Virginia sealed. It is some
satisfaction to reflect, however, that the Vlr-
ginians have heard already what it imports
they should hear; and that if they go wrong
at this important crisis, it will not be through
any carelessness or want Of vigilance in the
great organs Of public opinion.
To morrow will be decided not only the
prospects and policy of Virginia for the next
gubernatorial term, but in some large measure,
the destiny of a new and influential political
The first the eff ct of the election on Virginia
will be unimportant; at all events, it is a
matter SO wholly domestic that comments on it
from hence would be out of place. But the
two latter issues involved-whch are indeed
SO intimately blended together that they can
| not be considered separately-are among the
most momentous questions the citizen can study.
tha ,orfu ru1o{ nj md
what is the destiny Of these United States? are
| questions compared to which all the common
topics of political debate are mere trivialities
and childishness. Tomorrow will 60 long
way towards answering the former.
If Mr.. Wise is elected Governor by anything
like majority, the prestige of the Know No.
things will be broken, and their chances of sue
cess in 1856 materially impaired. It will be said
that they were not able to beat either whig
free soiler in the North, or an old line democrat
in the South; and numbers of floating voters
will desert their ranks Their friends will lose
their enemies gain heart. An impression will
60 abroad that the largest State in the
North, and the largest State in the South
are against them; and though it will be well
known here that this is false go fer as concerns
New York, the country at large will never know
the truth.
If, on the other hand, Wise is defeated, and
the American candidate elected, the first conse-
quence will be that the American party will
be invincible in 1856. Their past victories
have struck terror into the chiefs of the old
political parties fresh triumph in Virginia
would rivet their power, and complete their
opponents dismay. They might walk the
course. What opposition may be made to them
will be merely formal. United among them
selves, and welded of traitors, they can sweep
the field as easily as Harrison in 1910, or Tay-
Tor in 1913, or Pierce in 1852. Most assuredly
no democrat or wing, on such sham platforms
as those last patched up at Baltimore could
seriously compete with them.
But this would only be the first of the re-
suits growing out Of the election. If Wise is
defeated, and the Know Nothings-as they
would probably do-elect the next President,
reform may be expected in the policy of the
government. That reform, as we understand
il, would consist in the purifying Of politics 30
far as it rests with the government, from the cor
ruptions which the decay of the two old parties
has introduced. The scramble for spoils which
has disgu,ted all good men, spectators Of the
Pierce administration, would be brought to an
end. That class of SPECTATORS who have made
living for themselves by selling the Irish and
the German vote would be forced to seek new
calling. Primary meetings would be wholly
dispensed with in some parts, aud conducted
without rum elsewhere. The caucus and con-
vention systematic parent of SO much corrup-
ton and vice-would be abolished Finally,
care would be taken TO confine the rights OF
American citizenship to those who are capable
of using them to good purpose.
If on the other hand the election of Mr.. Wise
should be followed, as it might be. by the cleo
tion Of another old line democrat to the Presi-
deney, it would be uuduly sanguine to hope
that the next administration would be purer, or
more respectable than the present one. Dis
honesty, corruption, and fraud lie at the very
root Of the old party organizations: their
nominees cannot be honest if they would;
however they might desire it, they cannot de-
siroy enc single abuse Of the many which have
been gradually overgrowing our institutions
for years, and which now threaten to stife their
practical merits. 1t would be merely Pierce
over again under another name.
Ire question in fact between the Know