New-York daily tribune., 1856-05-24

Mr. Ducnanh1 Is t'lutnliy uahIug ncduWd,
toward the Cincinnati nomination for President,
by virtue not Of bis own strength, bu. Of the weak
ness and odousness Of his rivals There is nothing
in his character or history in which popular enthu
sasm could be aroused or popular interest awak-
ened. Originally jealous Federalst, and twice
elected to Congress as such after he had become
an active Jacksonian, it will be hard to make any
but the blindest and most besotted deyotees Of
party believe that Democracy requires them to
support him rather than his Republican competitor.
A Slavery Restictionist in l520, and in 1850 50
devoted to the Compromise line of So 80 that he
urged it's extension to the Pacific, it will be very
hard to make any believe that be is really, heartily
in favor of the new Southern doctrine that Slavery
has q constitutional and indefeasble right to plant
itsefin any Territory Of the Union and that the
Federal Government must protect and maintain 1t
there so long as il shall remain Territory. He
will subscribe to this or any other monstrous as
sumption that the Slave Olgarchy which makes
or mars Democratic aspirants to the Presidency
sball see fit to insist on; but he will know better
ell the time and will not really like the prescribers
any more for the merciless eIaction. COvetlng
their wages, be will be compelled to do their
work but he will not the less regard their service
as anything else than perfect freedom.
Very far from popular in himself Mr. Buchanan
is yet strong to-day in the weakness Of those con-
spring to crush him at Cincinnati, and We shall
not be surprised at bis nomination. The groand-
swell runs strongly in his favor not that he is
loved more but hated less than his competitors.
The rank and file of tho Democratic party while
conatraiBed BY party exigencies to stand by the
Nebraska policy, do not the less perceive that it
has exposed them to sweeping and needless disas-
ters. Say what they may Of the secret machina-
tons of Know.NothiDgism as the cause Of their
reverses, they know very well that these would
have availed nothing had not the Nebraska bill
disafected and demoralized the masses throughout
the Free States. Foreigners" were just as un-
popular four or fourteen years before as they were
in "a or are now; but snti-Foreignism could never
have shaken the Democratic ascendancy in New
Hampshire, Illinois or Pennsylvania prior to the
passage of the Nebraska bill. 1t is we'll to look
the facts square in the face and it is the simple
truth that it was not really Nativism but Nebras-
kaism that paralyzed and for time broke down
the Democratic party throughout the Free States.
Now, of the Nebraska policy, Pierce and Doug
las are the leading representatives, and the Demo-
cratic asprants who have lost GovernorshPs, seats
in Congress, or even county or township offices,
by reason of the popular revolt against the Nebras
ka BILL don't want to support either of the arehi-
tects of their downfall for next President. They
will 20 whomsoever may be nominated, for the sake
of the party and their position and prospects
in it; but they don't want to fight the Nebraska
battle again, in the person of either Of the
spicuous engineers of the mischief Of 1854. Herein
is the secret Of Buchanans apparent strength after
his repeated defeats in former National Conven-
tions. 1t may, or may not, suffice to nominate him.
but it will pretty certainly suffice to beat both
Pierce and Douglas. In fact, we consider Pierce
virtually beaten slready-hOrs de combat, as the
French say-snd Douglas only strong enough to
prevent Buchanan's nomination until an effort can
be made to rally and reform the broken Nebraska
squadrOns around Hunter, Rusk or BrOdhead.