The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-06-09
The Sectional Splits and Drift or Our Politl-
cal Parties.

cal Parties.
Our national political parties are subject to
two opposing forces, the centripetal and the Gen.
trifugal-the one the attractive and cohesive
power Of the public plumber" the other the ex-
plosive sectional element of the slavery agitation
Thus, while the public plumber operates to fuse
the most homogeneous materials under the univer-
sal law Of attraction, the slavery agitation ope-
rates to break up the most powerful national COM
binations, under the sectional law of repulsion.
Thus, while the old wing party was scattered to
the four winds Of heaven by the centrifugal
power of the slavery question, the democratic
party has only thus far escaped the same fate
from being more powerfully subjected to the
attractive and cohesive properties of the spoils.
Since the election of Mr.. Buchanan, however,
even the spoils have lost this democratic quality
Of cohesion, and have practically completed that
which the slavery agitation had commenced
dissolution of the national democracy into
sectional cliques and factions. In truth, the
spoils and plumber Of the Presidency have be-
come go enormous that the temptation to con-
troll them has become too powerful for that an
cient party discipline under which the various
aspirants Of the democracy were content &c wait
and be patient for ten, twenty, and even
thirty years. TIE causes which have
operated to reduce this ancient disci-
pline to a general scramble for the spoils
may be justly charged to those Astounding
fountains of corruption and Generalization, our
party conventions and caucus machinery. Thus
the Presidency has been degraded to conven-
ton game of chance, but game which has
been pushed to such excuses that the numerous
cliques and plots involved for the control of
the gamblers at Charleston may result in the
precipitate dissolution of the whole concern
convention, principles, plumber, party and all.
The probabilities lean very alarmingly in this
direction. In abandoning the safe anchorage of
Mr. Buchanan's administration, and in setting
up little party tabernacle each for themselves,
upon this pretext, that, or the other the jealous
and impatient leaders and contesting cliqaes of
the democracy for the succession have created
such discords and divisions in the camp that no
man can conjecture how they are to be healed
Overshadowing them all is that intensely Sec
tonal division Of parties and factions, North and
South, which seems to defy all appliances of the
spoils and plumber in behalf of national re-
organization.
For example, from the newspaper exchanges
now lying before us, we find in one-a Northern
Journal-the assurance, as from Mr.. Douglas
himself, that she ia immoveable in his resolution
to sustain no administration and no man for
President who does not stand squarely and firmly
upon the popular sovereignty PLATFORM" to
which Southern paper replies, that this de-
claration on the authority of Mr.. Douglas
simply means that he Is prepared to openly
oppose the nominations of the Charleston Con-
vention; for be knows, as well as all others
know, that the Charleston Convention will surely
repudiate his views Of the rights Of squatters
in United States Territories to legislate against
slavery in them"
We apprehend that the facts assumed in both
these extracts are sustained by the logic of past
and passing events. All our Northern cleo
tons since last October show that the Northern
democracy are very strongly impregnated with
these popular sovereignty notions Of Mr.. Doug
las. To be secure, therefore, among the North
eEn, and especially the Illinois democracy, he
must adhere to this platform. 1t is equally ma
nifest, from the overwhelming pressure of the
Southern democratic sentiment against him, that
neither Mr.. Douglas nor his popular sovereignty
can find soundings in the Charleston Convention.
He is aware Of this, and 80, while he will not pre-
sent himself at Charleston as candidate, be will
make his popular sovereignty" there sine qua
non. Upon this rock, covered with the wrecks
Of the party Of the last five years, the squadron
at Charleston, the last hope of the national de-
mocracy, win be very apt to go to pieces. And
what then?
What, then, but the final dissolution Of TIE
party upon the sectional slavery line? What,
then, but two democratic parties for the succes-
son-a Northern popular sovereignty anti slave
ry democratic party, and Southern Congress
sional slavdy-protecting democratic party ?
What, then. but Northern onpasil'an anti
slavery party, ard Southern opposition pro-