The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-06-27
The Late Fremont Ratification Meeting
The old Furore Of 1910 Kindling up Again.

The signs are thickening fast about us of a
most desperate and exciting struggle for the Pre-
sidency. We are admonshed of it in the enthu-
sastic reception Of the nomination of Fremont in
every quarter of the North Every dispassionatc
spectator at the ratification meeting of Wednes-
day evening, at the Tabernacle (by way of
striking example) judging from the pulse of the
multitude there assembled, was doubtless con
WINGED that this campaign viii be no child play
to the administration democracy. There is a
battle impending-a fierce, earnest and desperate
battle-upon two or three practical issues, 50 dis
tinctly and sharply defined that there can neither
be incidental halfway expcdients or compro-
misses between the contending parties.
This Tabernacle ratification was largely COM
posed Of the great reserved corps-that is ofmen
who have heretofore taken little or no active in
terest in the party politics Of the day. 1t was a
gathering without the usual adjuncts of artillery,
bonfires and transparencies, and yet we believe
that on no occasion since the tremendous anti
administration furoTe which sgnalzed the cam
paien Of 1910. has there been exhibited in any
political canvass in this country such sponta-
neous outburst Of wild, electrical enthusiasm as
that which marked the spirit Of this assemblage
The frantic cheerings, over and over again, with
every mention Of the name of Fremont-the
quick approving response to every allusion
against the mischevous administration which has
brought this crisis upon us-impressively indi-
Gated him as the true man for the opposition forces
and that the true issues between them and the
Il no u., InJ
The campaign Of 1870 in behalf OF General
Harrison and new administration, opened with
many songs in doggrel verse, one of them start
ing off with this inquiry =
What has caused this great commotion,
All the country through
An inquiry which is at once suggested by these
Fremont notifications OF 1856. Whence this re-
action. which thus seems to have stirred up the
!" fountains Of the great deep Of the opposition
masses Of the North? 1t is partly due to the
nomination Of fresh, popular man, whose life
is full Of those daring, perlous and romantic
achievements which make the name of such
man among the people familiar in their mouths
as household words 1T il partly due to the fact
that though born and educated at the South, and
heretofore identified with the democratic party,
he is now the freely consenting champion of the
Northern republicans against the Southernized
democracy-in favor Of making Kansas free
State, in opposition to the democratic policy of
making it a slave State.
But this is not all. The State elections Of the
last three years have developed great revo-
luton in the popular mind concerning the
NAL administration Of the government by Mr.
Pierce and his bad advisers The old wing
party was crushed TO fragments in 1852
Mr. Pierce, with the invincble democratic
party which brought him into power, en-
tered upon his high Office with scarcely the sha-
dow Of an opposition party in the country. But
led astray by false notions Of security, by evil
counsels, and pernicious expedients for another
election, this great democratic party became dis
tracted demoralized, divided, and for three years
has been rapidly crumbling to pieces Thus
host of democratic deserters have been added to
the floating materials Of the opposition But
rapid growth of Know Nothingism afforded
temporary lodgementl to vast body Of these
loose materials. The device was novel. and at
tractive from its novelty-the organization was
secret, and this very secresy invested it for
time with a deiusive show of popular strength,
by which hundreds Of cunning and scheming
politicians we're led astray. But Know No
thingism was not the thing. II was extreme,
extrsneous and impraetcable in its organization,
~ principles and its purposes IT lacked the