The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-10


sociste democratic deserters from the camp of
the administration.
In any event. this Kansas controversy in
Congress il but an incident-slthough the lead
ing ihcident-in the preparations on all sides
for the grand campaign of 1860. With the
settlement of the pending question in any way,
we may anticipate the reorganization of parties
for the succession upon sectional lines of divi-
sion. From the general indications of the anti
slavery feeling of the North, and from the hume
rous abolition petitions presented to the Senate
from time to time by Mr.. Seward, we may
safely predict that the platform of the anti
slavery alliance for 1860 will be- "no more
slave Territories, no more slave States; freedom
is national slavery is sectional and Congress
may interdict il in, Or expel it from, Territory
at any time
On the other hand, the national democracy will
perhaps fall back upon liberal margin for
filibustering, and upon the doctrine that slavery
follows the supreme law into all the Territories
over which the federal constitution may be ex-
tended, and that when new State, with pro-
slavery constitution, knocks for admission into
the Union, she should be admitted, without go
ing behind the record for a pretext to reject her
on account Of slavery.
If the national democratic party, democrat
lied and divided as it now is, can be re united
for 1860, it must be upon such platform as this
But the Southern democracy, without any fur
ther effort to harmonize with their Northern
brethren, may prefer to set up for themselves,
and the dem ocracy of the Northwest may, per-
haps be thus driven into a different sectional
movement in behalf Of their candidate. Before
we can predict the reunion of the democracy
they must be reunited upon the administration.
All these enumerated contingencies of sectional
parties and factions, therefore, are foreshadowed
in the shinings and d. fittings of politicians and
parties in Congress upon this Kansas question
The solid phalanx Of the Southern men of all
parties upon the Lecompton programme admO-
nishes us Of the universal sentiment of the
South upon the broad and general issue of
slavery; and the majority which the anti-sla-
very pressure of the North has accomplished in
democratic House of Representatives. in the
face of the administration, is significant of the
depth and strength and increasing momentum
of this Northern anti slavery pressure.
For good or evil, the shaping of parties and
party issues for the succession and the probable
consequences towards union or disunion, hang
upon this incidental issue of Kansas. The ac-
ceptance of the LecomptOn constitution "with
slavery" may give q temporary advantage to
the antislavery party Of the North; but this
will be more than counterbalanced by the act, rs
a measure of Southern Cancellation with the
democracy A Northern man, here and there,
may fall as q martyr but " the blood of the
martyrs il the seed of the church, In any
event. the contingencies depending upon the
solution of this Kansas problem, to all sections
and parties and to all the financial, CONNER
cial and industrial interests of the whole coun-
try. are more momentous and comprehensive
than those of any preceding crisis in the history
of the Union.
If it is decreed by Congress that there shall
he :" no more slave States or if Northern
President is elected upon the platform of "No
more slave States and no more slave Terri
tories" We have seen enough to know that
the South will proceed to the deliberate work
Of a southern confederacy. And, from every
a sectional and disunion reconstruction of
parties are such as should command the most
serious attention of every honest representative
of the people and of every good citizen of the
republic in behalf Of law order and the har-
mony Of the Union.