The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-11-02

other column Freigbts steady, while engagements
were light.
The Election To-Dny-Its Real Issues-Se-
ward and His Bloody Programme.
The election that takes place to-day in this
State DOES not, on its face, present any tangible
Issue There is apparently no principle of ma
tional or State policy involved in the contest.
To all appearances it matters little save to the
candidates themselves, who are elected to Office
or who are defeated. Not one man in thou
sand can give plausible or practical reason
why, on political grounds, he prefers the sue
cess Of the democratic or of the republican State
ticket The cry Of anti-Lecomptonism that has
been resorted to is one Of the most contemplate
shams that il was possible to conceive. The
question of the Lecompton constitution was de-
cided months ago, when the people Of Kansas
placed the unmistakeable seal Of their condemna-
ton upon It. No one has ever dreamed of re-
wing the SUBJECT and no one will ever dream
Of such thing. The question of admitting
Kansas under a new constitution, to be framed
by her citizens in regular and legal manner,
will como before Congress at its next session,
and viii be then and there decided by the adj
mission Of Kansas az free State. Therefore,
in no sense can the question be affected by the
results of the election to-day. BY tAe time that
the representatives to be to-day chosen take
their seats in Congress the controversy in regard
to Kansas will have been long set at rest; and the
most ingenious and unblushing politician cannot
point out how or in what manner the destinies of
that Territory are to be affected by the choice of
this that or the other candidate for Sheriff, or
County Clerk, or Canal Commissioner, or State
Prison Inspector or Supervisor, or Constable in
this State Therefore. the attempt to carry on the
canvass on such an issue is most supremacy ridi-
culous and only shows to what desperate straits
the republican party were reduced for a griev-
ance.
And yet, although there is not to the ordinary
and superficial observer the fintcst shadow of a
principle involved in the issue of the State cleo
ton to-day, ii is nevertheless pregnant with re-
suits affecting the destines Of the whole country
And why Because ii has been authoritatively
announced by the leader and apostle of black
republicanism. William ii. Seward. in his speech
at Rochester, that the political calm is treache-
rous; that it is but the prelude to the gathering
tempest, and beneath the placid surface
Of things lie concealed the elements of a
fearful conflict. That conflict. he says. i
an irrepressiblc one. and the inevitable issue
of il h. declares to be, that the United States
must and will, sooner or later, become entirely
slaveholdng nation or entirely free labor ma
ton: hat the cotton and rice fields of South |
Carolina, and the sugar plantations OF Louisiana
must he ultimately TILED by free labor or else |
the rye fields and wheat fields of Massachusetts,
and New York must he surrcnd cred to slave cul- |
come marts for legitimate merchandise alone. or
Boston and New York become once more mar
ket for trade in the bodies and souls OF men.
These are the Issues which that arch-agitaior
has boldly put forth in his Rochester manifesto
and on which the election in this Safe i 10 be
Lost or won. However much We might be dis |
posed to contcmn the menacor aud dcspise the |
threat, we cannot, recollecting the influence |
which he exercises over bis party in this and the |
other Northern States, afford TO overlook or be |
blind to the dangers which his speech indicates.
More especially should the warning not be lost |
sight of when We recollcct that there are South
orn fanatics. iirebrands and desperate politicians
ready 10 catch at the chance thus throw in their |
hands by this Northern fanatic, ard to Join hands
with him in his diabolical scheme to apply the
torch Of the inccndiary to the temple Of our
Union.
The brutal and bloody programme indicated
at Rochester we might afford to treat with con-
tempt were /, not for the existence Of hostile Gle
mcnts in the South. Is expressed in the equally |
manifesto issued by the rcdoubiaLle |
Kcitt from The ro-trum on Whippy Swamp, and |
were il not for the conviction that there are fools
and 6rcbrsnds in either section ready TO do what
they can TO give practical eject 10 the rayng. Of
ihese ambitious dcinagogues. In that lies the
danger Seward would barter body and soul for |
the Presidency Of the Union, or Of the Northern
'ection Of it, IL disntegrated. keitt l. in his |
.lcment when talking fuss and bravado, though |
when il comes TO hard knocks. ~ in the famous
yadiatora conflict In the llou-e lat session, his
proves i not remarkable But these are pre- |
risely the kind Of men from whom in tho present
critical condition Of political Affairs, there is
most 10 be dreaded The one j. cunning. icsuiti- |
al and INSCRIPTIONS the other hcadstrong.
and ovccbearing. The gauntlet flung
Town by The one il sure to h. instantly accepted
BY The other IL the State Of New York should,
" It's voice in the election to-day, endorse the
hsllenge given IT, Seward and declare it, APP
,roval of his atroc Gus doctrines. W must not b.
urpriscd 10 see the South prepare to accep, the
hallongc and 10 M et the issue.
What then is the 'oursc which prudence which
atriotisrn. and whic honorable feeling dictate
0 the people Of n w York. is IL not to de-
ounce by is vote &c day agoins, the ticket Of