The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-02-27

coterie Of cunning managers the souls and
bodies Of the rank and dle Of the party, with
or without their consent; It forestalls the free
exercise of public opinion, and reduces many
an honest man to the last resort Of choice Of
evils in the act of casting his vote. In the
language Of Mr.. Calhoun, these party caucusss
and conventions can only be corrupting and
degrading, resting, as they do, upon the single
principle of "the cohesive power of the pub
ic plumber"
Taking things, however, as we find them, we
have to deal with the results of the Know
Nothing Convention as with established facts
which cannot be reversed. Mr.. Fillmore, as
q concession to the old whig party, has been
nominated as the national Know Nothing can
oidate tor the Presidency. He has been de-
serted az the threshold by Northera detach-
nent or two of seceders that leave him no
chance, from present appearances, of the vote
Of solitary Northern State, and with but
sorry show tor more than three States in the
South. The Northern seceders-between the
Seward league and the democratic party-are
in no better predicameat In view OF sepa-
rate movement; and thus the late astounding
American party spriDging up, like Jonad's
gould, in the course OF o night--has died and
dried up before dinner time. Its fate was
omiD ous)y oreshadowed ia the election of a
Speaker for Congress- Betrayed by the Deli
iah of Sewardism, it has fallen into the hands
of the Philistines
Months ago We indicated the only course for
a euccessIul national Organization in oppost-
ton to the democratic party aud the Seward
alliance. 1t was the formation of al anti
Pierce party conservative party party vi
practical "retrenehment and reform" 10 the
administration of the government at Washing
ton-a open undsguised party--a party With
out dark lanterns and with the sworn pro-
scription of alien born and Catholic citizens
abolished-a party Of non-intervention on the
slavery questions party ofpractioal measures
and wholesome changes; and with a new aud
popular man from the m asses Of the people as
its Presidential candidate; but, above all
things, party united upon the watchwords
Of .'retrenchment and REFORM" instead of this
noDseDsical cry, Americans shali rule Ameri-
ca" which means anything or nothing. IL is
only by proving to the American people tue
necessity of new order of things at Wash
ington, and by providing the means for the
end, that they will rise to establish it. Thus
was the work accomplished in 1928, in 1910
and in l648.
The American party is demolished. The
available remains of the old whig conservative
party are to be resuscitated, and Know NJ
thingism, no longer the head, is to be the tail
of the conservative opposition, aud the tail
also Of the Seward opposition to the demo
cratic party. RepuGasing Pierce and his Ca
binet, the prospect to the democracy is
greater triumph than they have ever yet
achieved. Bet een Seward aud Fillmore tue
old opposition party was destroyed, and the
new opposition army, all-powerful Ia tue ag-
gregate, has been divided and cut to pieces.
Thus much from present appearances. When
the spring opens we shall more clearly see the
composition of the landscape.