The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-08-31

goes comprising about 500 bags Of Rio private terms,
and small lots Of Java and b. Domingo at prices stated
elsewhere. Freights were dull and engagements were
limited, while rates were unchanged.
The Administration and the Factious Leaders
and Cliques OF the Democratic Party.
1t appears that the Hon. Alexander II. Ste
phens of Georgia. on his return trip from his
late Improbable visit to Illinois as democratic
peacemaker, declared at CinoigDai that che
was in favor of the reelection to the Senate of
Judge Douglas, and regarded the war Of the
President upon the antiLecompton men of ILL
nois as wickedly foolish" From the article
which we publish to-day from the Charleston
Mercury the reader will also perceive that at
least one of the most prominent OF the demo.
cratic organs Of Georgia substantially endorses
the views of Mr.. Stephens, while the Mercury it.
self fatty declares that ''the evils of pardoning
and supporting Douglas" will be the absolute
destruction of the democratic party, inasmuch
as the party, which "is now weak at the North"
will be divided and repudiated at the South,
and between the sections fall hopelessly to the
earth"
These views of the Charleston Mercury, how
ever, do not represent the opinions OF the
Southern democratic party. Some of the
leading organs of the Southern democracy
such as the Richmond Enquirer and the
New Orleans Delta, for example-and
some of the leading democratic politicians of
that section-such as Stephens of Georgia,
Speaker Orr of South Carolina Governor Wise
of Virginia. and Others entertain strong SYM
patty in behalf Of Douglas. And Why Be
cause they fear that his defeat. instead of
strengthening, will weaken beyond reparation
| the already sufficiently weak and demoralized
rank and file of the Northern democratic camp,
and thus destroy the last chance Of the demo
cratic nominee OF 1860. The solicitude of each
and all Of these Southern democratic leaders
and organs in behalf of Douglas, in this view,
becomes matter of vital interest to them
selves for they have, each and all of them,
scheme of their own for the succession, which
must necessarily include the strengthening, in.
stead Of any further weakening of the Northern
democracy.
We suspect, on the other hand, that the game
of the Mercury is the complete overthrow of the
democratic party as q ational organization,
and that our Charleston contemporary really en-
tertains the idea that the widening Of the breach
between the Douglas and anti Douglas factions
of the Northwest will very materially facili-
tate the object in view, and the recon
struction of the Southern democracy upon
q regular ultra, sectional, and Southern
confederacy platform II will thus appear that
neither the sympathizers with Douglas nor his
enemies In the Southern camp are actuated by
the highest motives, but that selfish or factious
considerations govern them all.
II is q pity, however that the Northern and
Southern organs and leaders of the democracy
who are now trembling in their shoes at the
possible consequences to the party from the
Douglas feud in Illinois, did not discover their
danger a little earlier in the morning The
factious and sectional ciques which divided the
democratic majority Of Congress at the late ses
sion upon every prominent measure Of the ad-
ministration, reducing that majority into a
powerless minority upon Kansas Utah, the
Army bill and the fllibustering question, are
now developing their bitter fruits. These fac
tious movements In Congress against the admi-
nistration were intended TO rule or ruin Il; but
the President, through the balance of power
which he was able to command from the oppo-
ition side, came off victorious upon every issue;
and thus, upon every issue, the disorganizers
Of the democratic party, North and South
Douglas, Toombs, Stephens and all concerned
were defeated.
The defeat Of these Congressional disorgani-
GERS, however, has not restored order in the camp.
They had accomplished too much mischief In
the party to be thus readily repaired The
Douglas detection has sown broadcast over the
North the seeds Of discord and disruption, while
he Southern Congressional factionists from vir-
ginia to Louisiana have reduced the party iu
the South TO almost as many cliques and fac
ions as there are candidates for the Presidential
succession or the foremost honors Of Southern
republic" II is too late now for Mr.. Stephens
of Georgia TO declare that the war by the Pre-
sident upon the anti-Lecompton men of Illinois
is wickedly foolish" The Illinois quarrel is be-
yond the reach Of the President; nor has IL
been, nor Is il the business Of the President 70
interfere with IL. The Preston has indicated
very distinctly he policy and The msasures n
bic administration; ard " The leaders Of the
party here and there choose TO distract aud d
vide the psrty upon this or that abstraction, the
consequences belong 10 themselves and to the
party; for they cannot materially disturb the
administration
Thus, whether Douglas shall be successful or