Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-01-21
rr-om n. paltimore Patriot.l

The SENATORIAL ELEcTIoN IN PENNSYLVANIA.
will the Southern supporters OF Mr. Buchan-
an still consider Pennsylvania Democraucally
sound, now that Col. Forney has been defeated
by the recusancysof members OF his own party
and Simon Cameron, the candidate OF the Re
n,,fIicans is elected to the Senate in his stead?
There is evidently screw Loose somewhere;
and what is still moro significant, as one OF the
signs of the times, even Mr. BuchananS intiu-
eHre onenly exerted in favor of Forney, instead
of smoothing down existing aSperities, has only
increased the evil it was intended to cure. WIN
such obstinate materials to work upon IN nus
own State, what can he expect from Northern
Democrats generality Personal opposition to
Fornev may have had something to do with MS
defeat hut the real cause of his failure evident-
w lies deeper and is indicative of tar more nm
portant consequences i'll the future. Pennsyl-
vania is evidently FESTIVE cnder DeinocFatlc
domination. and is preparing to shake the yoke
from off her neck We should not be at all
surprised to see her standing shoulder to shout.
der with Maryland. during the next Presidential
campaign We see, also, Northern Republican,
ism every where divesting itself of its most
odinus features, and approxlmatlng slowly, out
surely, to the sounder principles OF c0nserVa-
tism; and although the triumph OF the Repnoh.
can candidate in Pennsylvania may be regarded
as an incident too slight to warrant us in draw
ing from it very positive deductions, tits, never
theless one of those straws that shows which
way the political currcnt is setting. Tho rejec-I
ton of Forney does not merely lose the Presl-
dent elect an adroit and tenacious supporter; NJ
compromises Mr.. Buchanan himself, inasmuch
as he weakly consented to urge his nomination
on personal grounds.
The very letter upon which Forney rested his
hopes of success was turned against him. Whilst
be was calculating upon its effect in crushing
but all opposition, the cry of mo dictation was
raised, and he found himself suddenly "hoisted
by his own petard." He, however, may con-
sole himself with the certainty of n lucrative
appointments but how will Mr.. Buchanan get
over this unexpected discontinue? Fortune
never PLAYED him two Shabbier tricks than when
she caioled him into signing the OStend Mani
feSt0 and the FOrney Recommendation. After
this he will probably leave off letter writing
and contine himself to verbal communications
These at least can be so managed as to express
ANYTHING or nothing, rs circumstances may re-
quire; but written documents are terribly III
tractuble witnesses, and e:tectually preclude the
unlucky author from vauntingly enchanting
.ThOu can'st not say did iti'
The great trouble to the Democracy, in this
case arises from the fact of the detection pro-
wing that the doctrine of passive obedience has
been repndiated, and schism in the ranks eS-
tablished, which it will be difficult, if not mpos
sible, to heal or the eight derelict members,
seven threw away their votes on General
Foster, while the latter voted for Wilkins =
What will Mr.. Buchanan do to recover these lost
sheep, and his own lost ''protcge" The breach
is evidently a wide one and difficult to repair.
His attempt to promote n reconciliation has only
made matters worse for FOrney, and damaged
his own reputation. Under these circumstan-
ces, it appears to us to be beyond even his skill
to re-unite the discordant fragment to the main
body, however desirable such result might be,
for the sake of securing harmony at home and
confidence among the doubling Thomasses else
where 1t cannot be denied that his hold upon
the South is weak and imperfect. and that its
tenure depends upon his ability to enforce that
respect for his position which has been so rude
" shaken by the recent Senatorial election at
Harrisburg Even if lie overlooks the slight |
which has been put upon him, and affects to
consider it of little consequence, the cane break
ers and fire-eaters, who so reluctantly acquies-
ced in his nomination, may be disposed to re-
gard it as forcshadowing grayer political chan
ges. Had the rebukc happened elsewhere than
in his own State, itmight have been passed over |
with a shrug and wry face Had it not been
administered at this particular time, when he is |
ut the height of his power with all the spoils at
his disposal to stimulate obedience to his be- |
hests the implied censure would have had a t
less important bearing; but taking into consid- !
Grafton the time, the place, and the attending |
circumstances, we are impressed with the belief
that even the cmoIuments of office will not keep
the discordant materials, of which the Demo- |
cratic party is composed, from flying off at n
tangent the moment their adhesive qualities are
fairly put to the proof