The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-05
The Bl.nd.rs OF Mon and OF Parties.

,
pretty much everything is crowded into the
present. So far As parties and party politics
are concerned there is little in the background
which reflects credit upon anybody or upon
the country. Parties, like worn out boilers,
burst up and kill few engineers and firemen,
and occa ionally dissect passenger or two;
but the disaster and the loss are soon forgotten,
the survivors jubilsnt and thankful that they
are not victims
II the wings had joined the hards of New
York in 1858 and "a against the administration
OF Pierce, which was q matchless blundsr
throughout, and kept united in q general
movement up to 1856, they would have swept
the Union "a the old Jackson democracy did
in 1928 against Mr.. Adams, and as the wings
did in 1910 against Mr.. Van Buren, In the
case of Mr.. Adams, aud those of Van Buren,
and Pierce, there were points which met the
decided condemnation of the people. They
respectively exhibited personal features
which, though widely differing in charas ter
and tendency, fastened upon their administra
tons pervading odium. They we're utterly
without the elements Of popularity; aud this
fact is sufi ,ient, without criticism, to account
for their weakness and fall It would be uu-
just to Mr.. Adams memory and to Mr.. Van
BureD's char Acter, to say that they left the
government in such helpless, demoralize ed
and shocking condition as we now Gud it in
the hands OF Mr.. Pierce. At least tney were
respectable, honorable men in all the relations
of private life. They were cold, emotion Hess
politicians; but they did not superadd to these
qualities such harrenness of personal honor,
such traits OF sterile integrity, such utter va.
cllation and unreliaoility, as has character
ICED the career of the present Executive
Faithless alike to principles aud to men, Cen
Pierce seems to have been raised to the Pre-
sidency to test the endurance OF our institu
tions-to see how much they could bear with
out shatteripg to atoms the fabric of the re-
public. Aoolitionists, insane niger w0r
shippers and rampant nullifers-an the ex
tremes Of place hunters and politicians-had
brought their batteries to bear upon the con.
sHtution without effect; it remained for Mr.
Pierce to WELD the whole power Of the govern
rent against itself-to SOW broadcast through
the country, by its own chosen officials, the
seeds Of disaffection- TO oeliterate every trace
the executive councils of the country--to
strike down the friends Of the Union-t0 build
up and fortify it's nemies-to demoralize the
Legislature, and to poison all the fountains OF
patriotism.
All this has been done, and the fatal fruits
are now seen in the present debased condition
Of public morals, loss of confidence in execu
tive b0nor-total disregard Of consequences
and in an effort neither weak nor scrupulous, to
perpetuate power in the hands of the Presi
dent, failing in this, to secure its possession
to lis retainers and endorsers. It is the ex-
piring labors Of bad men; and the question is
whether the people will wake up in season to
defeat the combination?
No isolated OF sectional issue can overthrow
a party in power except when that party IL
divided and broken, as in 1913, and as it GER
tainly will be in 1856, unless the various fac
lions unite which, in view of the feud in New
York and the bitterness exhibited among the
friends of the several aspirants towards each
other now seems almost Improbable The niger
worsbippers present basis of action confa-
ing opposition solely to the North. They have
not statesman in their ranks, not man who
can claim more than the leadership Of a clique
mere pettifogging stockjobbing politicians
1t is idle to give weight to, and place reli-
ance upon such men. They cannot form
party, and if they could it would be impossi-
bic to keep il in existence, even for o single
canvass. They have against them the whole
weight of the constitution, all the memories Of
our country--an of its great benefits conferred
upon the people-au national hopes and as
pirations for the future. Every Lesson learn
ed in the past comes back to condemn them.
1t is folly to think Of organizing sectional
party. The Pierce government cursed as ii
weak, dishonored and hated as it isis
better than the nostrums Of such party. Now
the question comes home: is there no power
left in the people to correct the evils we com
plain Of? Has it been wholly transferred to
parties, and may not the contract be broken:
Do we rail at slavery and play the part Of
slaves7 Do we assert our freedom and say
that We cannot secure its fruits to ourselves
Has the administration SO conducted itself
that we condemn it unanimously condemn il
and yet confess that the remedy is beyond
our reach? Surely not We have no party
il this country which is known to its consti-
tuition ana laws We acknowledge no allie
glance save that TO the Union. The democra-
81 is not hierarchy the whig party is dead
and niger worship is a temporary cheat and
jelu5ion.
Now. what and where is the remedy for
these evils. II is certainly lot 20 be found n
tie men snd the policy producing them.
t is ROT 10 bs found ID the frenzied
schemes Of mere seetiona.ists, North saa
South. Somewhere between these extremes
somewhere between the parties into wlich
the country is noulinaily divided, in the "a.
tional spirit, in the warm, patriotic iDstincss
Of the people, in the Union sentiment Of the