The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-12
THE COLLISION AT SYRACUSE FAILURE 10

with an attempt to commit murder, contesses MS
purpose and regrets thathe was not able to carry
out his bloody designs. In this spirit the pubic
will appreciate the lamentations Of the New York
Tribune over the failure Of the abolition and know
nothing conventions atSyracuse to unite their respect
i've parties against the democracy. That paper is
very explicit:
Ihe attempt to combine the two parties represented at
Syracuse united effort against the abhorred measures
and the corrupt and fahess men OF the Buchanan demo
cracy appears to have failed We regret this result but
are not surprised at it, little experience seems
to be necessary to the masses or to the leaders OF
the two parties combination of them is inevitable,
but the time for it has not yet arrived But though the
anticipated corporation has thus been prevented SO far
the State ticket Is concerned, trust may yet be
found practicable in the congressional districts especially
where the two parties acting separately are sure to be
beaten BY the common foe. "
Thus we are compelled to record the utter failure of
the three high commissioners Messrs. Greeley, Head
ley, and Westbrook, aided by the presence of For
ney and tho brilliant movements of the very brilliant
Mr.. Haskin-to bring about Holy Alliance at SYRIA
cuse. We had oyerrated the power, authority, in
fuence, and weight of Mr.. Greeley. He was GER
tanly credited not only the leader of his party,
butts immaculate director. Everybody knew that
Mr.. Weed of the Evening Journal was an old stager,
and that as practical politician, holding intimate
personal relations with every town and county of the
State and exercising at will an immense influence
over all conventions, he likely to have his views
carried out at Syracuse, but had still supposed
that MFR. Greeley knew what he was about and would
succeed. Mr.. Weed is the representative of the
Seward dynasty and the attempt to unite the re-
publicans and Americans confessedly in opposi-
ton to that political estate Mr. Seward understands
and so expresses himself through his home organ
that the success Of the republicans if they ever tr
umph, will be upon an outand-out antislavery plat
form There is great good sense in this position Should
his friends recede at this juncture with Gsrrt Smith
in the field the result will be that forty thou
sand of the most ultra negroites will go over to the
Smith ticket Besides, it is argued in Mr. Stewards
organ that the fusion of the republicans with the de-
graded Americans will drive off from the former par
ty great numbers who hate Nativisrn. 1t is also
said that there is large democratic faction in the
native party who cannot, in any event. be transferred
to the republicans. These views, it would seem,
prevailed at Syracuse. The oficious Mr.. Greeley
got his fingers burnt.
He was right, however, in one respect. He looks
always to the main chance. There is little or no
hope for the success of the opposition beyond this
year. Whatever they propose toaccomplish must
be effected the present fall Their Kansas humbug
has been abandoned in nearly all parts of the coun-
try Even the much-wanted issue on the admission
of that State hereafter cannot be secured. The peo
pie there perverse they prefer to remain as
Territory. Should they decide otherwise, they can
not apply to Congress before December, 1859, when
. there will be no serious question in regard to the
matter The opposition then, falling to coalesce this
year. will be thrown into utter confusion next; and
we predict will never present any more candidates
for the presidency. This we should deeply regret,
because, in our Judgment, wellorganized OPPOSE
ton is the surest means of keeping the democracy
united and thoroughly vigiant concerning their own
policy.
1t is manifest now that mere negroism is fast dy-
ing out If this fact had not been apparent at Sy-
racuse the natives who utterly powerless every
where, would have gone over body and soul, to the
republicans They had the sagacity to see that such
transfer would effect no practical end, and leave
them to change their position next year in a more
promising way. We join the Tribune in express
ing regrets at the result of the weldireced and
earnest efforts of Mr. Greeley to bring about a
fusion. II is to be deplored on all hands. Di-
visions in the ranks of the opposition we know
keenly felt by Mr. Greeley and his faction
of the party We know this because they say
so, and because they manifest great sensitive
ness at kindred difficulties in the democratic
party. Mr.. Greeley, ever hopeful, is still hopeful
With two tickets in the State, he pleads for one in
each of the congressional districts. We cannot see
how, falling at Syracuse, where they had several
candidates, and might have arranged each to have
its SHARE they fuse in the congressional districts
where there can be but one man in the field. The
whole case is in the last degree discouraging; but
then says the Tribune, ''the combination, sooner
later is inevitable We are inclined to believe,
Aecting as we do upon the brilliant exploits of Mr.
N Sergeant, Of this city, and the sudden and dsas
trous termination Of has movements, in connection
with the unhappy events at Syracuse, that the com-
binaton" TO which the Tribune refers viii be "later
than 1860. At all events, IL the know-nothings and
republicans in permanent decline, as they
would seem TO be, referring 10 the elections
since 1854, cannot comprehend how flu
sion is to restore them. That eclectic med-
cine may very wen when the system is
full of rccuperativo energies, but it win never do
for that nervous debility aud febrile prostration
which seem 10 have done so much 20 lquidate the