The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-10-20
The Great Contest-The Revolution and tn
Counter-Revolution.

The Great Contest-The Revolution and the
Counter-Rev0lution.
The political revolution which was generated
in 1853 and continued to increase and swell with
astounding strides for nearly three years, has met
with counter revolution, which is first evidenced
in the recent elections in the States Of Pennsyva-
MIA and Indiana, and which throws the whole
contest into more entangled condition than We
emember to have witnessed at any Presidential
contest for thirty years.
The last returns from Pennsylvania seem to
indicate that the democrats heve carried the
State by not less than four thousand majority;
while The Geographic accounts from Indiana give
the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Legisla-
ture all TO the democracy. These returns are not
absolutely reliable, and may be largely modified
by futher intelligence but there is enough in the
results already before Us to show that most pre-
digious effort has been made by the democracy,
both North and SOUTH to create counter revoll :
ton in their favor and to stem back the tide OF
which the first rolling waves overwhelmed them
at the late elections in Maine, Iowa and Yer
mont. Unexampled efforts have been made, both
by speakers and writer's in the North as well as
the South, to work upon the national feeling Of
the commercial classes in the central States, One
after another, Southern democratic Governors,
democratic Senators and democratic Office
holders under the general government, have
been prompted TO threaten the North
with disunion in case of the defeat Of
the democratic candidate no considera
tion of decency, Of loyalty, Of common respect
for the North, was allowed to interfere with the
the support of Mr.. Buchanan. No doubt, to Us,
the threats of disunion, the talk of civil war and
forced marches on Washington appear very poor
and sorry stuff !; but no matter ho sorry and alb
surd they were, they indicated diseased state OF
the public mind in the South; and that diseased
state Of mind was enough 10 alarm the CONNER
cial classes in the central States where nearly all
the commercial interests of the country are con
centrated. To this cause we must undoubtedly
ascribe the sudden check Of the popular reyolu-
tion, and the recent probable victories in Penn
sylvana and Indiana.
These however, are mere skirmishes-thc pre-
liminares of the great battle 10 be fought on the
first Tuesday in November. The moral effect Of
the recent elections win tell in favor Of Mr.. Bu
chanan and the democracy and it will be felt
more especially in the central states-New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Indiana, Illnois-all,
except perhaps, Ohio. II, at the great onset Of
next month, the administration and the democra-
cy can follow up the advantage they have alrea-
dy gained, aud bring their whole forces TO bear
with yigor upon these central States, they may
probably carry them ALL and thus not only elect
Buchanan triumphantly, but also elect amajority
Of Congress, pledged in support Of the views and
principles embraced by the democracy IN the
present contest.
These views and principles are Of Q very re-
markablc character. The victory or Buchanan
and democratic majority in Congress, sweep at
once 10 the winds and 70 oblivion all the efforts
Of the North in reference TO slavery, and all
their aims with regard to IL non-extension.
such q result as this would, a. matter Of
course, establish slavery in Kansas, and COM
plete the work begun by Jefferson Davis and
Mr.. Pierce: X would confirm and inaugurate the
doctrines Of the 0steDd manifesto, and would
proclaim 10 The world that the government Of
the United states with the fun and deliberate
sanction Of the people Of the United States. was
prepared to wrcst from its owners Cuba, or any
other foreign dependency whose acquisition
il chose to consider desirable for the due de-
velopement Of this country and its destined
march among nations Instead Of few dough-
faces, shere and there, az the democratic MEN,
Jers from the North, who supported the re
peal OF the Missouri compromise, were called, IL
would be found that the whole Of the central
states Of the Union were doughface States.
There results, produced by the panic aroused
about the Union. and the absolute necessity Of
keeping the South in the confederacy by sup
porting it, measures and electing It's nominees,
would at least settle the history Of the country for
many years TO come, and would give to the
democracy an ascendancy which, with the
least prudence, they nigh. retain for four or Eve
Presidential terms
Further inquiry into the causes Of the sudden
check received by the popular revolution with
which Fremont has become identified, discloses
a variety Of flaws Ia the organization and DISH
pine Of the revolutionary party itself Instead
u laboring tremendously and zealously for the
defeat Of the democracy, the opposition has frit-
tered away IL strength in conflicts OF It's own,
dividing It's forces between two candidates and
wasting rs energies on ridiculous issues, such as
The religion, the identity. and the birthplace Of
its chief candidate instead Of entering into o
statesInanlike discussion Of The high questions Of
policy depending on The issue laid before the peo-
ple. The press and the politicians have been
equally at fault. The nomination Of Fremont at
first received vast and sudden popularity by
the eHortsof the Independent press radieting from
this metropolis. But, unfortunately, there follow
ID backward and enc might almost think. a
treachoous movement on the part Of the politi-
clans Of the same party whose influence seems 10
have been exercised, sometimes openly, some
times secretly, to defeat Colonel Fremont. Add
70 these the foolish local nominations that have