The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-09-13

about 100 600 bushels were engaged in bulk and
bags, at 7ad. Sd.
A Great Element ut Work in the Pending
Election.
Religion, with all its warmth and earnestness,
with all its sentiment and depth of feeling. con-
sttutes for the first time in the history of our
country, an essential element in the pending Pre-
sideptial election.
In all former elections. although religious par
ties may have interfered, and certain sects may
have been influenced by their preferences. their
hopes or their fears, to take side for one or the
other Of the candidates, yet the popular religious
sentiment which prevails deeply throughout every
community has never before this election been
called into action nor reused into feeling. The
reason is because, until the present election, no
abstract question involving religious sentiment
or touching doubtful matters, open to the inquiry
whether they may or may not be religiously right
or gousy wrong has ever been put in issue. But
now slavery has been put in issue, and is unmis-
takably the great and paramount issue of the
day. The whole question-both in the abstract
and in its practical action and bearings. both as
respects its policy matter of political economy,
and as respects its abstract religious propriety-
is now at issue in this election. We deprecate
this result, but we cannot help it. If the coun-
sells and warnings Of the HERALD had been heed
ed in time it would have been prevented. 1t is
an issue which ought never TO have been raised.
The question now before the American people
ought never TO have been made a national one, as
now because it is in itself purely sectional and
of a municipal and domestic nature. such a.
ought never TO have been made general and
national question. Those who have been the
cause of making this the leading and great issue
of the Presidential election, have also brought it
up before the people in its most obnoxious form.
The question could not possibly have been put
in issue in a worse shape. 1t comes before the
people as the question whether slavery shall be
extended over free States and Territories by force
and violence, by fire aud sword-in word, by
the use of methods the most revolving and un-
iustifable This. which is the real issue of this
election. and the question now put before the
people, necessarily brings up with il the whole
question Of slavery. The South has cause to exc
crate the men who have madly and recklessly
brought about this result
1t is not the Kansas and Nebraska bill which
| is to blame in this matter. When that bill be-
came law, if the Executive had honorably, fair
ly and impartially provided for the execution Of
| that law, as his bounden duty was, all would
have been well. That bin was in strictness no
departure from the principles and spirit Of our
government. nor from the old aud recognized
principles Of the democratic party. II submitted
the question of slavery in Kansas to the voice
and will Of the people Of Kansas. That was fair
enough. We see nothing to find fault with in
making the people the judges. and submitting a
great question to their arbitrament and deci-
sion. II was not wise perhaps. to put the ques-
ton Of slavery at all In issue before the
people Of Territory; buttbe deed was done, and
the South found no fault with it, That bill was
heads and Of just Executive to execute the law it
enacted. By the action, however. Of most in
sane, corrupt and foolish administration, that
bill, and the law it carried has been 30 perverted
to the purposes Of oppression AID injustice-such
outrageous means have been directly employed
by the Executive to crush one portion Of the
people and elevate anotber-that an issue con-
fined originally by law to the Territories and the
people Of the Territories, has been spread out
and extended over the whole Union All this is
owing to the gross stupidity and corruption Of
weak minded Executive and impotent admins
tration. The consequence s, that all The blood
and treasure which the administration has ex-
pended In Kansas, and is now expending there, in
order to give Kansas to the South in violation Of
the principle of that bill have not succeeded in
giving anything to the South, but have brought
up before the whole American people, and, we
may say, the whole world the issue Of slavery
10 all it, merits and dcmerits IL has made that
to be general and national issue, which ought
forever to have been kept out Of general and ma
tional consideration, being purely private qucs
| ton Of municipal law and social organization
| II has raised up religious issue
Hence II IL that the religious element has be-
come an essential element Of this election. II
could not be otherwise. For when immense bo-
dies Of religious men, when great communities
deeply imbued with the religious sentiment. are
invited to decide upon the extension Of slavery
in Kansas by fire and sword, BY boodshed and
violence. by brute fo~ce and hired borles of recl,
less rufIians. can IL be a matter Of doubt how they
will decdeg Franklin Pierce in bis hot zeal 70
patronize the South, has raised On issue desna
tive to her; for men will not merely vote that
slavery ought not to be extended by bloodshcd
and violence. and by troops Of United States dra-
goons, but they will enlarge the issue and vote
that il shall not be extended any how, nor al ALL
All the abstract merits Of slavery are now put IN
issue Not only its political merits and it, com
patibuity with abstract liberty and human rights