The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-22

upon the platform Of these compromises that
they elected to the Presidency little New
Hampshire country politician, by the vote of
nearly every State in the Union, against the
conqueror Of Mexico and the first living soldier
OF the age.
The election of 1852 thus strongly indicated
the uDdisputed supremacy of the democracy for
twenty years to come. But this was not to be-
When little scheming politicians rule the roast
mischief is sure to follow. So il was when Mr.
Douglas resolved upon that perilous adven-
ture, the repeal Of the Missouri compromise
and when poor Pierce mot prepared in this
way to be cut out of his Southern capitaD re-
solved to make that repeal On administration
measure. Thus the old sore of slavery was re-
opened; and the agitation throughout the
North was thus instantly revived, and inhamed
into fearful revolutionary movement.
Thus in 1856 Col. Fremont, o man previously
unknown to politicians, nominated at venture,
and supported by an army Of unorganized
volunteers Of all parties, came within an inch
Of being elected President, with two thoroughly
disciplined parties two popular candidates and
all the patronage Of the government against
him, and with the favorable mention of his
name made criminal offence in half the States
of the Union. Against all these tremendous
Disadvantages Fremont would still have been
elected but for the treachery Of the Seward
managers in reference to the Pennsylvania o.
tober election-such was the overwhelming
Northern pressure against Mr.. Douglas and
poor Pierce, and their Kansas-Nebraska specu-
lation.
But now we stand, as in 1850, upon the
threshold Of a compromise. If the Lecompton
constitution is passed without unnecessary de-
lay, this Kansas bone of contention will be
disposed of, and basis of peace upon the
slavery question will be secured, upon which
the democracy may re-unite as in 1852, and
carry everything before them henceforward to
1860, 1870, and longer, if they choose. With
the removal of this Kansas agitation from Con-
gress-with the admission of Kansas as State.
according to the Presidents policy-a reaction
will follow in the public mind like that of 1850,
and the democracy, North and South, will thus
naturally come together again, as in 1852. The
opposition have the game of party discord and
sectional agitation in their hands 80 long as
Kansas remains q Territory, but no longer.
Admitted as State, she will as easily assume
the functions Of popular sovereignty as Califor-
mia. and as speedily cease to be a subject of
sectional wrangling.
The more sagacious of the republican politi-
clans are well aware Of all this and hence the
desperation with which they are struggling to
avoid a settlement. AS for such nervous and
shallow politicians as Gov. Wise, ex-Gov.
Walker, Mr.. Senator Douglas, Mr.. Secretary
Stanton, the Rev. George Bancroft and Col.
Forney, and their apprehensions concerning the
democracy, they need excite no alarm what
ever. The only policy Of safety, and the high
road to success with the democratic party, is
the policy of the administration. Let that sue
coed, and peace, reunion and harmony will
follow in their regular order but let Lecomp-
ton fail, and the reign of revolutionary confu-
sion begins, and the reconstruction of parties
upon issues Of Northern coercion or Southern
secession, and Northern dictatorship or
Southern confederacy.