New-York daily tribune., 1856-05-02
TOD


The fault most universally committed, whether
as regards public or private affairs, is one which,
at fist blush, seems highly imprObable-it is the
fault of disregsrding the present and of looking
only TO the past or to the future. Upon one of the
horns of this dilemma, to wit as might naturally
be supposed, the horn of the past, the Courier des
Etats Unis has stuck itself in seme specalations
into which it has ventured on the approaching
Presidential election. In the present state of our
political affairs that journal can see nothing but
confusion, from which it turns with disgust aud
disnay. 1t is much in the condition of some old
beau of seventy years standing and upward, intro
duced, after long retirement, into modern ball
room, who, in the waltzes and other new tangled
movements of modern times, can see nothing but
confusion, if not something good deal worse, and
who calls Justify in tones of deep distress for the
orderly and decent cOuntry-dances in which this
old beau, in his youth, was accustomed to figure.
Thus the Courier, though it detests KnowNoth-
ngism, so it says, as its natural and irreconcila
"ble enemy" still hailed with emotion the nomi-
nation of Fillmore though it emanated from that
suspicious source. Because whyl Because Fill
more is respectable Old Fogy, and his nomination
seemed to hold ont the hope that the coming Presi
Dental election might prove but the fighting over
of an old familiar battle. For the same reason, it
is quite disgusted that the Democrats, as they still
have the efrontery to call themselves, do not with
out hesitation nominate Buchanan. He is another
respectable Old Fogy, the Democratic counterpart
u Fillmore; and what delightful repetition Of old
stories we might have if the Presidential choice
could only be limited to them!
The Courier can hug these sweet revefies of TIE
past as much as it peases, but we cannot allow it
to crafty its spleen by maligning the present To
say, it does, that at the present time there are
not only no leaders, but no parties-that what
was once set battle between two armies with
distinct colors has become frightful pellmell Of
undisciplined bands with undistinguishable flags
is wholly to misapprehend the crisis in which we
of to-day are called upon to act AS to discipline,
certain i. is that the Administration party was
never under stricter or more exact discipline than
at present. For Federal offce-hOlder, or even
for an unsuborned editor of that party if there are
any, to presume to have or to express any opinion
of his own on any political question, is no less dan
gerous than it is just now in France ITSELF In
France we believe, they give one warning be-
fore they shut up an editors mouth altogether.
A Federal Office. holder can hardly expect SO much
as that.
As to the alleged want of principle in our exist
ing contest, there never was time in our whole
history in which q great political principle stood
out so plainly and distinctly in our party divisions
as now. What was q mere dispute about tariffs,
banks, internal improvements, public lands, COM
pared with, the great question whether the Ma
tonal Government of these United States is to be,
or not, Slavery. extending government COM
pared to the question whether this country shall
be governed by some three hundred thousand
Shareholders or by twenty times as many free
men9 Neither will it answer to attempt
to depreciate those who are to be selected
to fight the battle of to-day as unknown men, and
therefore nObOdies. The Courier falls into a
strange blunder when it asserts that the experience
of all time shows US that the reign of medlOcrisies
and of corruption is almost the iniallibe result of
political confusion-by which 1t evidently means
political revolution the upsettng of old parties,
old ideas, old dynasties, and the commencement OF
new order of things. The experience Of all time |
shows us, on the contrary, that old fogyism, fixed
routine, is the paradise of mediocrity and the hot
bed of corruption; while, on the other hand all
the greatest men of the earth are those who have
been called into action by changes and revolutions
Nor do we doubt that the present great struggle in
which we of to-day are called upon to take part,
will produce for us leaders and champions worthy
Of our cause, and foemen also worthy OF our steel
At all events we shall be very badly on indeed
should we be 50 unlucky as not to find candidates
for the Presidency, in talents and in all other par.
tculars, at least equal to Messrs. Fillmore aud
Buchanan.