Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1857-01-24

As to the result or the election lt6elf, We nave
remarked that it was one which caused the yictora
no particular solace, and the vanquished no par
tcular sorrow. We do notmean that the Demo.
Gratis were not elated at carrying their men, or
the Republicans not depressed at losing theirs
every success, though temporary one, is to .
certain extent triumph, and every failure.
though temporary, defeat !; but, what we mean
lis, that the Democrats have triumphed at the ex-
pcnse of their prestige, and the Republicans have
osr with an accession of power.
The signal fact in the election, which the lmore
sagacous Democrats will read as handwriting
upon the wall, is, that with their present leaders
and projects, they have nothing to expect hereaf-
ter from the East, the North or the West. The
large majorities against them in all New England,
in New York, and nearly the entire northwestern
region, together with the fact that they have bare
" saved themselves in Pennsylvania and else-
where, through the diversion created by an acci-
dental third party, are warnings too significant
not to be needed. Not many months ago, in the
advent of Mr.. Pierce, their ascendency was so
universal and undisputed that the resistance they
encountered was too trivial to be entitled to tho
name even Of an opposition. They might have
retained that ascendency, if they had adhered to
their ancient principles, and not abandoned them
selves to the guidance of few demagogues,
working in the interests of a special, and BY no
means acceptable, class. Bu: in an evil hour they
suffered themselves to be deluded; and, by the
repeal Of the Missouri Compromise, which was
rlncaled for by any necessity political or local
by the long series of outrages which acconpa-
MED the enforcement of the Kansas-Nebraska
act-and by the utter departure from all just
principle, which was evinced in the support, eth
er direct or Indirect of the Infamous legislation
of the Missouri usurpers, they alienated from
them the goodwill and the sympathy of immense
masses Of men. In those parts of the nation
which are distinguished for their enterprise, their
wealth, their intelligence, and their public spirit,
they have been emphatically rebuked; their only
salvation was tie slaveholding interests of the
South, and the lingering prejudices in favor of
that interest, which still maintained feeble hold
upon the North. The old enchantment of their
name was broken the old magical sway which
they exercised over the masses was gone and they
contrived to retain their control, not by any real
or vital hold which they have on the populace, SO
much as by the interposition of the ssAmericans''
to distract and divide the hostile camp.
1t must be clear, we think, to every attentive
observer of political events, or, at any rate, to
every observer, who does not satisfy himself with
their superficial aspects, that the Republicans
would have swept all the free States, by the same
overwhelming majorities which they acquired in
oe bot fovk ob ool> ~, 10
government by the candidacy of Mr.. Fillmore
Between Mr.. Fremont and Mr.. Buchanan, as re-
representatives. of two distinct and well-defncd
lines of policy, there could have been, there is
now, no question as to the popular choice. The
former, by an almost spontaneous movement Of
the people, with party scarcely organized, on
the strength of his position alone, has achieved
successes which astonish his friends as much as
they appal his enepies, and it is universally per-
ceived that, if the entire opposition had united
upon him, these successes would have run up to
still more decided, and, in fact, to a final tri-
umph. But when the apprehensions of the eau
tious and fearful were reused by the cry of dam
ger to the Union, and that cry was justified as
proper one in the prcmises-when nucleus
ed and discontented remnants of Know Nothing
ism-when the violent spirits of the South were
furnished with a colorado pretext for the re.er-
alton Of their insane threats of civil war-a suf-
dcient number were kept away or detached from
the popular cause to render the bare victory to its
foe. 81 t
Not often before in human history has an end
SO noble been thwarted on grounds so inept. The
question to be decided was, whether the question
of slavery, which prevails in certain parts of the
contederacy, with all the political advantages it
enjoys, should be carried into the new societies
of the West; it was question between tho
shareholders and their interests, and all others and
their interests who do not sustain the former. =
But it was adroitly turned into question between
the North and South, and the whole argumen.
was thence conducted on one side, as if it had
been an argument between two great territorial
divisions OF the nation. This was a fundamental
perversion of the issue. The Shareholders, who
seek to introduce their peculiar system of labor
INTO the common territories are not ssthe South''
-nor the ssSouthern States''-nor is that system
OF theirs . part Of the political constitution of
those States. The "South," Of which we hear
SO much, is a geographical term, designating a
certain part of our country, within the bounds Of
which is comprised large number of inhabi-
tants and considerable variety of interests
The inhabitants of the South number some ten
millions, whito and black, but the shareholders
not more than three hundred and forty-seven
thousand. With what propriety, then, can
the latter be called the South? They are as in
dividuals, and as q class, it is true, very rich,
very powerful, and very strongly entrenched in
their possessions by the opinions of their neigh
bors; but, as individuals, and class, they are
no more than members Of the community, no.
the community itself. The other residents Of
these regions cannot be passed over as nullities.
They possess an existence and rights, and GER
tain position as well as the shareholders, and
they are . part Of tho South as much as the
Shareholders. The aristocraey of England,
mighty as it u.s. in its privileges and it's influences
is still not England: and the hierarchy Of Rome
is not the Catholic church, though it may officer
and control the church, and fain persuade the
multitude Of the members that they and it are
one. 's ~ M '2e =
Neither is it to be conceded that the scheme Of
forced or bonded labor, which the stakeholder,
have adopted, is an ssinstitution Of Southern
States" Is is only custom or usage of South.
ern society. The state, everywhere, is a great
political corporation, composed of the entire
electoral body, as defined in the Fundamental
Law. and ,rhoae funcf;o,,,s 49, .,..e.--,