The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-07-13

seorge.''
We lay before our readers this morning q
leading elaborate article from the Charleston
Mercury, pleading earnestly in behalf Of the
organization Of "the union of the South in a
purely Southern party for the Presidency; and
another article, Of an entirely different staple,
from the New Orleans Delta, running paral-
lei upon the relative claims of Willard Fill
more and George Law to the nomination of
the new American party for the great campaign
of 1856.
First, in regard to the historical argument
OF our Charleston contemporary. As usual
with the editorials of that journal, it exhibits
an intimate knowledge of the practical work.
ing Of American politics upon the vital issue
ofslavery; hut with its characteristic proclivi-
ties to secession, disunion, and the experiment
of an Independent Southern confederacy at
all hazards, its facts and its deductions are
all distorted in that direction. We are aware,
as every body is aware, of the fact that the late
wing and democratic parties have been broken
to pieces, and that their destruction was the re-
suit Of their attempting to navigate among
the hidden rocks, shoals and quicksands of
the anti-slavery agitation. We admit
that, demoralized and disorganized, broken up
and disbanded as these two old parties are, es-
pecially in the North that neither of them at
fords safe anchorage for the South; and we also
admit that were there no other party in the field,
the only alternative to the South would be the
organization Of great Southern party, for the
defence of their institutions and the maintain
ance Of their rights.
But there is another and q new party upon
the course---its existence is admitted by our
Charleston radical-even its pretensions, to
some extent, as a national organization are con-
ceded; but it is examined with prejudced eyes,
and cast of as the old and lately deceased wing
party rediuivus in new disguise, returning to
| its idols. We are told that lit has galvanized
| the hopes Of defunct politicians, and brought
| together the hungry horde" But, still worse,
| says our Charleston complainant these Know
Nothings caught the sympathy Of many true
Southern men, whose support, while it gave
respectability to their cause, weakened the
South in her tenderest point" Furthermore,
we are told that this extraordinary party, sin
stead Of the constitution and our rights, de-
SluACo uuC Cu1Ou ~ NC UuC pdIduIOuuL pO-
itical good" This is unfortunate, but there
is a little sophistry in this plea for, as
we understand it, the platform of the
American party adopted at Philadelphia, not
only declares in favor of the Union, but in favor
of the rights of the States and Of the South
under the constitution, as the only basis upon
which the Union can be preserved and per-
petuated.
The most grievous specifications Of the .Mer-
curry against the Know Nothings however, are
that they ''bind the consciences of Southern
men by the third degree and that they Gin
troduce new, inferior and destructive questions
into our midst, and seek to give them promi-
nence over the paramount question:" Nov
what is this third degree with which these ter
rible Know Nothings are binding "the con-
sciences Of Southern men," A pledge to sus-
tain the Union against all conspirators, not
bad thing in the abstract, though certainly
conflicting with the peculiar projects of
Northern and Southern disunionists. On the
other hand, the Know Nothings have been
identified with new, inferior and destructive
questions such as war of determination
against Catholics and aliens; but these heresies
they are rapidly sloughjng off, and by the year
1856 we have no doubt they will be ignored or
entirely overshadowed by the paramount ques-
ton Of the constitution and the Union. It
is remarkable, though perfectly logical
phenomenon, that there is the same decided
hostility to the Know Nothings from the Seward
anti-savery Holy Alliance, and those Southern
ultras whose hopes of the millennium are center
ed in secession and separate Southern confede-
racy. We think tina. against such opposition
the Know Nothings, rallying upon their Union
platform may safely challenge the SURFACES of
the masses of the independent conservative
people Of all parties, North and South.
From the lugubrious bill of complaints of
our Charleston contemporary, we turn with
sense of relief to the refreshing article of the
New Orleans Delta, devoted to the respective
Presidential claims upon the American party of
Millard Fillmore and George Law. We concur
in the preferences of the Delta for a new
man. They are but the elaboration of the
same opinions heretofore expressed through
the columns Of the HERALD. They are the
views which would naturally suggest themselves
to any dispassionate and inquiring mind feeling
any interest whatever in the policy of tho
| rough-going revolution in the government at
Washington. The nomination OF Mr. Fillmore
would be, in a political sense, the nomination of
an old fogy''-his election would be, not
the Inauguration Of new party and new
policy out and out but the restoration
Of that silver gray wing regime which was
superseded with the election of Mr.. Pierce, in
the general hope of something better. alive
Oak George" on the contrary, is a new man,
| from new and popular class of political men,
| emphatically business man, a go ahead man,
| and a man Of the people. We venture to say,
too, that the old party organs and "venal poll
| ticians" of the country are beginning TO dis