Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-03-17
nag coMICALITIes OF POLITICS.

No recent political result has so completely
surprised the public as the reported reelection
of William II. Seward, BY an overw helming
majority, to the United States Senate. The
first statesman Of any party to donounco and
deprecate the "Know Nothing" movement, and
organization, he is, nevertheless, almost the uu-
animous choice of the New York Assembly in
which the repudiaied element is said decidedly
topreponlera,e. Beset on all sides BY enemies
ut once implacable, inscriptions, and apparent
ly harmonious denounced by the entire demo.
cratic press, and opposed and discouraged by no
inconsiderable or uninnueniial number Of the
journals still adhering to the traditions of the
wing party as it existed in days long gone ;
this astutc, active and interchangeable statesman
has managed not only ~ brush aside all these
antagonistic combinations, but to compel fu-
sion of the principal and apparently the most
dscordant and rreconcilable ones to do him
honor.
lie reiurnSio the United States Senate siron-
ger than ever, unchanged in character, in con-
duct, or in principle, a myth and marvel to
his enemies aud the public. Seward is truly
n wnndarGi ...--. T--.I,o arvntfIs agU no nv
ing man could possibly have foreseen how it
was within the limits Of any ordinary probable
ity for him to be reelected to the Senate of the
United States. The Wing party broken up
and disjointcd, il not annihilaied its leaders
casting about for new combinations moro likely
TO advance their waning fortunes its presses
one day railing against slavery, another coquet-
ting with lrecsoi the Know Nothings increas-
ing in numbers, in preicnsion and audaciiy, and
open and implacable in their hostility TO the
boidcsl and most daring Of their opponents /;
still Seward banched not nor quailed, and the
journals in his immediate interest conducted the
contest which was to be political life or death
TO him with an ouispoken defiance Of his nu-
incrous foes, that To us savorcd more Of despair
and desperation than Of confidence end hope
The result proves that the friends of this won
dctiul tacticlan are no noyces at their business,
and that it matters little wha, combination may
be in the ascendant in the State Of New York,
provided it be not democratic, William II. Sew
ard will DO its first choice for any office TO
which he may aspire.
We neither undertake 10 unrayel the mystic
ries which surround the election, nor to expound
the result. secret association, represented
TO be so strong as TO have everything its own
way at the ballot boxes, and in the Legislature
Of New York-which, we are told, it control
led-has, through its delegation in the latter
body, given in its adhesion to its frankest and
most formidable opponent, thus adding another
to the many occult and inexplcable operations
in which it has taken part since its creation in
the East. It may be that the Free Soil move
ment is stronger than the Know Nothing, and
that the same principles which constrained the
Legislature Of Massachusetts 10 elect Wilson,
were sufficiently potential in New York to COM
pei the coalition which, with such wonderful
unanimiiy, returned Mr. Seward to his place.in
the federal Senate. BE these speculations as
they may, the fact of his election is important
and significant, and while it proves the utter
impotency of the new party to contend against
man so strong in the Free Soil regard and af-
lection as Mr. Seward, it also indicates the
probable tendency and drift of the next Presi-
DENTAL contest. The election of Mr. Seward is
MS surprising as unexpected. Orleans
Delta.