The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-07-13
The Presidential Issuo-The Northern Demo.
cracy-Wnsre are They TO Go!


In 1856 the success Of the democracy depended
upon the vote Of Pennsy lyania, and the Presi-
dency ana the parry -~-n fms secured through
the personal popularity of Mr.. Bucua-.-, whoae
name in that famous. October local election
arrested the victorious march of Fremont, and
settled the question against him month in ad.
vance Of the main battle. But how stands the
matter in reference to the succession? Pennsyl-
vania has been reconquered by the opposition,
and, from the hot dissensions there prevailing in
the democratic camp, we may pretty safely count
that State on the opposition side in our estimates
for 1860. Indeed, from the local elections of
the last twelve months, and from the Intestine
discords Of the democracy here, there and every
where, it is by no means improbable that by
December next they will be dispossessed of
every Northern State, including even California,
and excepting only Oregon.
This Northern view exhibits a most uu.
promising condition of things to any democratic
aspirant who dreams Of entering the White House
through the door Of the Charleston Convention.
And yet, from the manifest earnestness and con.
fdence of Governor Wise and Mr.. Douglas In
their ability to accomplish this wonderful achieve
ment, each upon his own peculiar platform a
superficial observer would naturally suppose
that the nomination of either the one or
the other by the Convention will be
equivalent to his election. We presume
that the theory of Mr.. Douglas is, that
if nominated upon his own hobby be will be
able to carry Northern balance of power safii-
GENTLY heavy to weigh down the loss of two or
three Southern States; and that Governor Wise,
in addition to the solid vote of the South, be-
Ieves in his capacity to carry as many Northern
States as Mr.. Buchanan.
But there is fatal hitch in these calculations
on both sides. Mr. Douglas cannot be nominated
at Charleston upon bis favorite hobby of squatter
sovereignty, nor can Governor Wise be nomi
mated upon his doctrine Of Congressional inter-
vention in behalf Of slavery in the Territories.
If the platform, as usual, could be postponed till
after the nomination, and then be reduced to q
few "glittering generalities," susceptible Of
various readings, the party, upon either Wise or
Douglas, might be reunited; but in making the
platform the main question, as these men have
done, it becomes the first, the paramount and
the decisive issue with the Convention. Thus.
the platform will have to be declared before the
candidate is nominated; and as there can be no
doubt Of Northern majority in the Convention
opposed to the policy Of Wise, it is highly pro-
bable that, before the question Of the nomination
is touched the party will be dissolved by the
abrupt secession Of the Southern FIRE eaters from
the Convention.
And there is this formidable impediment to any
satisfactory drawback from the extreme pro-sla-
very ground assumed by the leading dem cratic
politicians Of the South, to wit: the strong pro-
slavery ground now occupied by the new South
eIn opposition movements Third, in making
any compromise acceptable to the Northern de-
mocracy, the other wing of the party may be
shorn Of half 6 dozen Southern States. And
this "fire in the rear" will, most probably, com.
pei even the Southern liberals of the democracy
to surrender to the demands Of the fire-eaters.
Witness, for example, the late flibustering and
African slave trade speech of Alexander Il.
Stephens, Of Georgia, heretofore considered
,alm and reliable Southern conservative.
Thus, carried out of the Charleston Conyen.
ion, 1t would not be surprising next to find the
southern democracy transformed into red hot
ectioual proslavery filibustering and African
lave trade party. But should the Northern de-
nocracy be thus relieved Of any further necessi-
y 70 carry the heavy burthen in behalf of |
'ou'nefn slavery, which has broken them down, !