The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-03-05
NATIONAL POLITICS.
George Law and VIM. II. Seward
In the Field.


Ihave receivef IN, letter which you did m, the
honor TO address ne on the "a inst. Frrn my
early manhood | have besn prt1c,pa'ly cns.r,d
in the enterprises snd avocu.,on, OF private lie,
these enterprises no ver In the opinion OF many
having a very important bearing upon the inter
ests AMI progress OF tits great county. During
that period Of time l have paid no moro u.
ention to, nor taken 40 further interest Ia.
IL e affairs Of thc republic than what good
cit ven lover Of his country takes by putting qui-
e,ly his vote into tho ballot box. was therefore
start ed In considerable degree from my qaet mode
OF life blythe reception OF very important letter dat
cd ut Harrisburg, signed by she Speaker of tho
House " Representatives OF tho state OF Ponnsyl.
yania se veral Senators aud otter members OF tho
legislata e, propounding inquiries OF q leading
political c acter In reeren TO the present state Of
psbc and n, and the future action Of the American
people. III. honor and the compliment. combined
OF having = eccivod letter from such q high
qusY.er, asid AZ for my humble opinion In tho pre-.
sent crisis oi our land, are quite sufficient 70
aetsfy my On Ibtion II II terminated with tho
eo,smy act Of uking this reply With these i'm
p.essions on my mind almos, hcstate 70 venture
upon tho public ath to which Your letter invites
me w.th no much msgnanmity, confidence and
Roe 1feelIDg.
We have arrived 1 q very import mt CRISIS In tho
history. Of this Rspu bile. Parties, principles and
men-otats ssmcn and polti,ians, all seem 70 be In .
rapid state CT decor uposition, transition and re-
construction. Indeeo', tho same aspec. OF confu.
zion ord discord In he public affairs and public
parties which snlct ii us country, fecms 20 DO
comm on disorder cpl ieraic over tbs Who'll, earth.
Europe Is laboring In be sAme condition. What
Isl lis the close Of ,no grca' cycle OF rcvolu-
ton and the beginning ~ another IN tho worlds
civilization. Even Asia, THAI mysterious country
with which stnsn is link ng US, 10 flied with con
fusion, war, disorder and revolutions. Happily,
bewever, FOR this county. ~ nrc possessed Of too
cut each others thIoAts In osr 70 settle differences
In religious Questions politics. Py our lt sides
We form our opinion Of what b secosssry 70 10 done
icttle upon common prin,nos, orsznizs iatO
parties, aud go quietly 70 tho hapot bos and there
determine, Lac practical mon AMI civilized bcingv
every knoe,y question Of tho day.
From the iist gun OF tho Rcvol,s0n down
to tho present day. the people % tho Uo.tsd States
have passed through three tcrras u poatbeL exist
enco, all allied 10 each other n general Character
but differing In practical result Tho great revo,u
tonary period ended vita ths caablishiasnt OF
tho ULon, ihe formation of the scastitut.on In 1887
and tho dyniaed retirement ~ NashiD gttn from
oiice with al the honor that the Ameri1an poopla
could confer upon himiheir gratitude ard afsctiop.
Tho seconi period Of oar political history, begin.
hing with the establishment, Of the rspabu sr party
under the Iasntea Of Jefferson and HAdin,n, also
with this cic1e OF Mr. konroen administration
During that era, great questions Of foreign ead do
mes'ic policy were settled. fpo third peri0I began
with tho election Of Generab Jarkson ard closed
with te setsemeht Of many importint Ioaitcai
issues during !, adm nisirsoz. The oontssA ~ thu
dmoctaec and whE parties, now clos.ry ia ths
dosenorscy aai confusion Of "a parties, creAs~ tho
necessity for somo new parJ growing oGt of tho
state OF the times. In order - renovar and refresh
the country and tho age. The Distinguished man Of
each q these thrc. periods haye pAvcd away hat
rag az awsir IN hc ns~
still exist The most recent of our great. statss-
men Calhoun, Clay ana Webster, with esms az
their coemporsres- baye lefs as rich legAciss in
princ'ples rom which new departures may 10 taken
by those who have Intelligence enough " dsink ~
the prop per fountain.
But although nearly all the issnes Of former
party contests have been settled died q way ret
bas Its issues and fresh DIM yutlss for
psftes and statesmen 10 llscu,s, encounter ami ar
large. During tho last few years ths orgnAi virtas
hrd purity Of the two great political parties which
have ooltsn1ed for tho mastery have nssriy d.
parted; both have dsgencn'ed and disgrsoed TIN
nation 10 many important particulars This corrupt
state Of ,hne. had been predicted BY some Of oar
when, from the eIgeDcy OF tho tn,oI and guided By
the lights Of the constitution thnpeop!e Of this coan-
try are preparing for . ehsngs and re orgsni1stton
oi tie present elemsnts Of republican governmsnI
This wish and determination on the part Of ths
Amsrissn pei plo has dfcossd itself In the recent
elections In different portions of the cJun,ry In
manner not ~ 10 misundrrstood, a, North, South
EAAt AID Wet. These results arc the beglnninG
of the Developments OF manly national spirit,
crude and ANOMALOUS al frvt, bai destined uades
the guidance OF common sense W raise shs coun-
try from ihoss mres Of coIrupton into which Il has
fallen by the mismAnagemont of political lessier.
One Of the most dangerous evils which has
grown GU, q tho deeenersey o. tho old par
agitation IL the great danger tha, msnaocs tho
American rpub,ir. u the weak point Of thu
unlon. The sacred tic o. marriage cannot sub
si,, In private life without, confidence In ths
ylItue gf the rartlss unltSd. nSlthrr thig
Union exist under TIE dishonorablc aud m ali gnAot
Iectisnal agitation which have been for Cd upon 40
In 'hsss a,tr days BY small sections Of politics.
who sink into Inst gnis snce before ue grrat his.
toricsl nsmss o. our country. becilonaI agltsflon
10 not only cur weakest point ~ homo bat invitss
,bs interference Of our enemies abroad.
TIE pesUgeoce and Insnicsncy With which uss
public snsrs Of this country, both foreign and do
nestle, have been conducted BY tboec In power,
whether cemocra,Ic OF whg for The l.., few yesrs,
have attracted The Asn,ion of oil ssnAls men. and
created 10 the minds Of ths poople the necessity of
radical reform. Our system Of indirct tAIAiion,
mmobly called q iSr.T Cn Imports, has becn ssaab
Ing ,hs snnaa want. q Ire so1.rnrnsn,, .aa a Gr
giving indirect prots-ion 70 manufactures. This
systm of taxs.ion has proved 70 b. a such ss
,uie In practice A. 70 create Dangerous surplus'ss
of Hilliors II gold ard dlyer In the Treasury.
'bseby esrMsipg The currency, throsing sI-
changes into oorfus!On, and bringing bAsk-
Iup,ey and ruin ep'n ray erAneh q sm..
may deserve the nAms) of the tso old partIs-
have hrsn NO bank engaged la scssfnes u
personal ggIsndisneni 70 arrange this I'm
portAnt financial question on such principle.
as.&ouh simply answer tho wants of ths govern
msnt ard the intfots u the CDunisy. II "
time, thsrefcre, 70 turn . short corner thess
Iens q Ielsy and 70 eos.i,e '.,l.ss lssl.a.''..
p.ncsnb. bal Tor TIE bsns1i and aiyAs,Ags of ths
Who's cosntry,
This system requires iufDetAis reoonytruc.ion up-
en- The hghsa princiyles VI pA!llsis q and comma
Arse, In Udsr 70 secure be cOgnuy hvm ths
frsqysni eouvu,slons Asi p~rlo<S a h~nkfup~
cy which have oecnred during ths as' thfss % Tour
| admin .sirstlors Oar ffeAFpy and nnAnclh sysf~ n
I fsgul,Ss examination ard sDsndfnrnt IN oil ! ~
deiails ara in the st<ci. working u ia nschias y