The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-25
The Political EveGts Of the Year Behind us,
ard the Prospects OF the Year Before ms.

ard the Prospects OF the Year Before ms.
In posting mp our books for the calendar, the
last sands of which are running out, we present
our readers to-day the first instalmcnt Of our
summing up, in the shape of a rccapitulation Of
the political events Of the year behind u.s. federal
and local, within the limits Of the Union. Thus,
within the compass of few brief paragraphs
the great questions and issues and movements
Of our general and State governments, and of
cur political parties, together with the revol,l-
uonary manifestations of the State elections Of
the year, are given, as in a brdseye view, to the
inquiring reader.
In this record, Kansas, of course, occupies the
foreground; and between the dreadful Kansas
excitement, the Lecompton and anti-Lecompton
party complications, the Douglas rebellion, the
trembling Northern democracy, and the ferocious
republicans Of last December and the dead calm
upon Kansas which has followed the iabors Of
the administration 10 settle this disgusting i'm
brogljo there il very remarkable contrast The
people of Kansas have rejected the English
bill; and thus, having Overwhelmingly de-
cided against the institution Of slavery, tile
question Is settled in behalf of free
State. With their destiny thus positively
fixed, the people of Kansas appear TO be in no
hurry to assume The expenses Of State sovereign
~, bu, rather disposed TO sufnr year or SO
longer the burden Of their government liabili-
tiee TO be borne by the federal treasury.
The returns Of the Northern elections Of the
last spring, summer and autumn, however, pre-
sent startling array Of figures against the de-
moralized democracy. OF the seventeen North
ern States we find but two, Indiana and Caiifonr
MIA. which tie opposition have not carried upon
the popular vote. So much for the general re-
suit. But upon the Congressional issue the con-
sequences have been scarcely less disastrous than
those Of the fearful anti-Nebraska revolutionary
reaction Of 1854. And why? Because OF the
unpopulality Of Mr.. Buchanan's administration?
No; for his administration is stronger now. in
the party and out of the party, than il was in
December last Why, then, these election disas-
tiers from Maine to Minnesota? They are the
consequences Of the demoralizatons and defec-
tons created among the democratic rank and
file By the iactious and rebellious proceedings Of
the aspiring leaders and inscriptions dema-
goeues Of the party, in both houses, at the last
session Of Congress.
In this connection the rebcllious course Of Mr.
Douglas against The Lecompion constitution, the
English compromise aud the administration, has
done its full share Of mischief among the tender
footed Of the Northern democracy on squatter
sovereignty. and among the ScLcming managers
and pipe layers Of the party FOR the Presidential
succession. Close upon The heels Of the results
OF the November contest in New York and in
Illinois, the democratic managers and organs in
the interest Of Douglas, and the republican cngi-
neers and organs devoted to Seward, were mu-
iually emphatic in their declarations that the po-
pular voice ofthc North, beyond pcradyenture,
bad determined In favor Of Douglas as the demo-
cratic candidate and Of Seward rs the inevitable
champion Of The opposition, ior the next Presi-
,lncy
A month has interviewed, and mark the change
Douglas, by biz democratic peers aud judges Of
the senate, has been put into a back seat in the
party synagogue, where BE- i at liberty 10 choose
be,vccn the policy Of Submission and repeu-
lance, or the scanty heritage upon the bleak
hills outside the party pasturage Nobody
now supposes that be has a living chance
for The Charleston nomination, and every
body il pr,partd to sec him fly oil al tangent,
after the fehion of Van Buren, In lsls.
Next with regard to Sewapi-it Is manifest
hat that bold and comprehensive abolition Ro-
chester Manifesto has settled the business OF $50
for him with the conservative balance Of power
of the republican camp Even the Chcyalier
Webb, who - lately d.croed the inevitable nomi-
nation ot Master Seward by the republican par
~, nov Gnds hat the discussion cfthc question of
q Presidential candidate " i premature and mis-
chcy0us, and that the party has not yet as
ssmcd definite shape, bat j. still in the caul
dron. Lo'ing and bnbbiing. and that in IL erys-
utilization Il i nov impossible to tell what elc-
ments vii sink 70 Ii bottom and what viii rise
10 the surface.
1hcs late Northern elections. therefore, 50 over
whclmingly carried ~ The revived Kansas agi,s-
ton against the democratic party. under The rebel
lious auspices of Douglas & Co, have practi-
caily, IN reference 70 the great political parties
Of The day, accomplished nothing more than
general overthrow OF tie Northern democracy
general dislocaGon and fermentation in the
opposition camps, aud Tie shelving Of
Douglas and Seward. Tic administration,
Instead Of having gone down under
The general pressure. has risen bravcly
above II. and now occupies : position before the
dcmoci sic pafty ard The country of command
Ing strength On the other hand, with thu cx-
pring .mbcrs Of the late Kansas conaagration.
the republican party, organized upon this issue,
j. All adriii: and Seward. from bis bold step in
advance, has gone beyond the reach Of any thing
but m abolition caucus Or convention And 50
Douglas, from biz desperate experiment to crush
tic administration and to dictate The law TO the
Charleston Convention, has himself been crushed
a. between the upper aud the neither milestone.