The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-26

The war Bsg~n-sscsssaty for Action.
The corruptions of political parties have
produced their usual effect We have had pre-
monitory symptoms of the result for some time.
The scenes of turbulence at Washington, end
ing with en- assault upon United States Sens-
tor in the Senate, were unmistakeable Civil |
war has been declared in the West and blood |
has begun to flow. Such is, according to the
teaching Of history, the natural resultof cor
ruption and proAigaoy among political lead.
ers. These scandals it was which. frat break
ing out in the pro-sonsular governments, and
rendering the veryename or Authority by,
word for all that was infamous, we're 40 N
transferred to the Forum and to the Sacred
Way; and In the orief space of three g. .ners-
tioOs destroyed the old Roman republic to
make way for military desyotism. AID it was
these same pneno mena IKE same open prodiga-
cy among politicians -tko same tur balence and
reckless disregard of Law, producing the same
results-which led the conservative masses Of
the French people to accept cheerfuiiy 3 des.
potio Emperor IS tbs least Of the evils among
which they had to Ed Dose.
THE telegraph is1orms us that battle was
fought at Lawrene<, on Wednesday last, that the
city was destroyed, and much life lost on both
sides. 1t ia stased that the ho.e. aud printing
Office at Kanses City were also destroyed, and
that 80 few" Ewes were lost there Other COLI
people Of Kansas are divided are mentioned;
and If even Q portion of what we hear be true,
it can be assumed without doubt that war
exists in ehe Territory of Kansas. It may be
assumed furthermore that In the present fe
verish ssGte of the public mind, the attitude
assumed by both sections of the country will
rather tend to aggravate than to arrest the
| mischief. Both factions in Kansas will be
more likely to receive achievements Of exas-
perated belligerents than to find the country
| meet them with a uniform expression Of dis
| approval
Such are the consequences Of the present
| organization Of political parties, and the man
ner in which that organization is carried out.
Such is the net result of the labors of the
two or three hundred thousand politicians who
manage the principal Political parties, and
who, being mostly brieaess barristers, equa lily
remarkable for want of scruple and principle
since the deaths of Clay, Calhoun and Web
ster put an end to the second generation of
| great American statesmen, to destroy the
| grand old organizations called whig and de-
mocratic, and replace them by parties who7e
Distinguishing characteristic was the driving
or worshiping of niggers. By wretched SEE
tional divisions, framed on no great principle
of public good, on no measure Of broad ge-
neral utility, on no grand political purpose;
| but relying wholly oE local prejudices, and
border feuds for support, and looking to the
twofold aims of frat securing the government
spoiis for this or that clique, and, secondly of
Fastening general political convulsion, and
precipitating the total ruin of the republic.
Is it not time now for the conservative citi-
zens of the republic to begin to think Of
themselves, of their children, and posterity
| lie it not time now to think of those hopes
which men have cherished SO fondly for this
young nation; hopes which have not ghost
OF a chance of being realized if civil war con-
| tinues?
| As to the blame, why, every one can see
| that it lies equally with both parties niger
drivers on the one hand, niger worshippers
on the other. 1t lies with the leaders of both,
who have been preparing for years for the
disasters now upon Us, and who expect to make
their fortune BY them-with the hordes of
interruptions and unprincipled politicians
now travelling to Cincinnati, to practice Jug.
gle herewith the crowd Of hungry office
seekers who will shortly flock to Philadelphia,
there to breathe incendiarism and strife, and
to do what in them lies to render themselves
as dangerous and destructive to the United
States as the Marats and the Dantons md the
Cotlot d'Herbois of the old French republic
the senators of the later Roman republic, or
the oligarchy of Athens.
For the people at large the question is SIM
ply whether these politicians these two hun
dred thousand hungry lawyers-are to be
allowed to ruin the country or not. This is
what the business people, the merchants of
this metropolitan city, the solid farmers, and
the manufacturers throughout the country
have got to decide before next winter.
Civil war has already broken out. If it be
not nipped in the bud, before another four
years have passed over it will have reached
the heart of the republic, and our trade
will be ruined, and our national progress
thrown back quarter of century, or per-
hsps arrested forever, by the unscrup ulous Jug
giles and the violent fanaticism of the late poll
teal movements both North and South.
THE GAG LAW IN CoNGREss.-The history Of
~ MI