The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-07-11

column Coffee firm bu, quiet white sales were nj
ted Freghts inactive, while rates Liverpool we're
IN nominal and without change worthy OF notice
to other Tors
1he Decay and Dispersion OF our Old Poiiti-
cal Psites-The Prospect FOR 1860.
Revolutions, they FAY, never 20 backwards
AT all events, the comprehensive revolution in
our political parties and in the political Issues of
these latter times, set in motion in the Prcsiden-
tial election OF 1852, is still progressing but it
will, in all probability reach its culmination in
the greet campaign Of 1850.
In the contest between Pierce aud Scott the
old whig party bad been reduced to the same
platform. substantially as the democratic party.
The result was inevitable. The old whig party
had thus become superfuous organization, ard
it was abolished by the voice of the people. 1t
was voted superduity, and it was broken up
and dispersed. The elements Of opposition to
! TIE democratic party were thus thrown adrift,
and these loose materials were 50 largely in
creased by assertions from the Northern demo-
crazy during the first year of poor Pierce's ad-
ministration as to convince the commonest OBJ
server of political events that the opposition
forces, 10y the year 1856, would hold the power in
their hands required to carry the Presidential
election.
But with the disintcgration Of the Northern de-
mocracy under poor Pierce, a new, grotesque,
absurd, preposterous mysterious, secret and ap-
pareutly overwhelming revival of the old ex-
ploded Native American party took place. For
while it threatened to carry everything before
it. The worn-out and superannuated political
backs of both the old WING and democratic par
ties made haste, accordingly, to eslist in the
Know Nothing camp, from Maine to New York,
from New York to Kentucky and Tennessee aud
from Tennessee 10 Texas. "Sam,' for a season,
was all the rage. From his unknown hiding
places be sailed forth and carried towns and
cities 10y storm, and swept the good oil State of
Massachusetts, like a sudden whirlwind. And so
Last and West, North and South. he went on.
from conquering TO conquer pretty much in the
style Of the Goihs and Vandals, until, with his
dark lantern and all bis ysterous trumpery, poor
''Sanr Wa sent Of packing to the right about
face from his disastrous hand to-hand 6gh. with
Henry A. Wise, of Virginia.
From that days decisive against the Know
Nothing patty As was the defence of vienna by
Sobesli against the march of the Turks into the
heart Of Europe-trom that day the road OF
SAN" was the road TO ruin. But, in the MEAN
time, the desperate necessities of poor Pierce
and one or two other Northern aspi-
rants for the Cincinnati nomination, had
mife, and that repeal had given birth to another
new party organization under the name of the
republican party. Finding very soon that this
party throughout the North, like the rod Of
Aaron, was swallowing up al the other parties.
The Southern leaders Of the Know Nothing camp
hurried into the Presidential campaign. in the
cold month Of February, and broke into pieces
in the nomination Of Mllard Fillmore But rs
Martin Van Buren,, in 1875 though dispos-es.cd
OF the hope Of carrying a single electoral vote,
had ELL the power to defeat Geleral Cas-. 20
Mr.. Fillmore, though superseded a. the principal
opposition candidate in 1856, was content 10
hold the field in order h. defeat Fremont.
Thus too AS after the election OF General
Taylor the elements e the outside Van Buren
party were thrown adrft. 70 after the election of
Mr. Buchanan do We End the rump Of the Know
Nothing party all at sea. Here We begin the
business of a reconstruction Of parties for 1850,
and from all the signs Of the times the bulk OF
the work OF the great revolution started in 1852
il now before u. " the disbandng and disper-
sion Of the old wbig party has caused the tire
mondous upheaying and ehcrvescence Of all
the political elements Of the country that
have followed, what may W. not expect
| from the final breaking up and dispersion
Of the old democratic party! And what longer
use is there for this old democratic party, when
all the great issues which gave il vitality and do
minion have ceased 10 exist. II can no more be
kept alive upon the popularity Of Gen. jackson
than can the whig party be revived upon the
memory Of Henry Clay.
There is not nov remaining in the country
anything in the shape OF homogeneous and
powerful national party. The last fall elections
reduced the democracy to a decisive minority In
the Northern States, with scarcelya solitary ex-
ception. as against the combined opposition
forces. Since then we have seen from various State
and local elections that the strength OF this repub-
lican party falls far below the splendid popu-
lariiy Of Fremont, and that here and there the
democracy have been picking up few reinforce
mcnts fromihe coating remains Of Know Nothing
i'm. That reckless organ Of Mr.. Fillmore, the
New York E'Pre', occupies at present sort Of
hau-and.haf positions for whilcthe senior editor
is understood to be fishing for scat AZ an organ
in Tsmmany Hall, the junior. Il i said, Is in
clncd to sell out and join the republicans as the
shortest roed TO Congress
As a proof, on the other hand that the Seward
management Of the republican party is creating
divisions in Che camp and dcsertious from the
rank and file, look at the New York D1iiy Tyqc.
Should Kansas, urdcr the auspices Of Governor
Walker, be quietly admitted into the Union with.
in The next six or eight months Of a free State.
n is possible that the T-e, ra " srrrianf .hs