The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-26
The Middle Ground and Party Between tn
Sectional Factions OF the Day.


II cannot be denied that, In abandoning the
safe conservative administration of Mr.. Bucha-
nan, the Presidential leaders and Southern mana
gers Of the democratic party have substantially
reduced that party, for all practical purposes to
a mere Southern pro-slayery agitating faction.
The governing wing OF the democracy have thus
Gu, down the party 10 a spurious organization
a. thoroughly sectionalized az the republican
camp. Nor, on either side, can we detect any
symptoms of amendment The late speeches by
republican leaders OF Congress- endorsing the
revolutionary abolition manifesto Of W. H. Sew
ard, and The still more recent ultra pro-slavery
declarations Of the leading Southern fire-ea,ers
Of the Senate, have apparently Fixed the position
OF roth these sectional factions on the slavery
question. Between them the issue is decreed TO
be no slavery or pro-slavery-an issue which
arrays the North against the South, and the
South against the North, with all the embttered
aIimcsiiies Of the various spasmodc slavery agi-
tations Of the last forty years
tween these two sectional factions there IL,
as yet, no broadly organized national inter-
mediate party; but there are abundant materials
ahoat for such party, and the exigency for its
organization II sm'nently favorable. Nor is this
all. Certain initiative steps, In several States,
have been taken by the opposition elements
OF the South In the right direction. Their late
State Convention of Virginia, In particular has
resulted in a fusion Of their forces, which has
already very much operated to the confusion
and alarm Of the wrangllng and demoralixed
local democracy. Indeed, the chances for an
opposition victory in Virginia this year are In
hnitely better now than they were In 1855, when
the mysterious Know Noihings threatened there
to carry everything before them, as they had
already carried everything In Massachusetts, and
in some Of our large cities
| But their shocking nativisic oashs and re-
ligous tests Of prescription, and their dark Ian
tern mummeries and stuff aud nonsense. dis
gusted thousands Of respectable men Of the OPP
position camp; and thus Henry A. Wise, after
a most jealous and energetic campaign against
the dark lantern fraternity, routed them Ia q
perfect Waterloo defeat Now, however, the
beresies OF Know NothingisIn, dark lantern. Sc
cret lodges, borrid oaihs, Puritanical blue law
prescriptions, and all, having been cast aside as
the foolish excresccnccs Of bgotry, anailcisn
and ignorance-now what do we sec' A Hrllal
opposition reunion In Virginia upon those broad.
national, practical constitutional issues upon
which, at this day there is the most inviting
field, North aud South, for this Identical party
movement
In this view, and In view Of the present dis
mantlcd craft Of the Virginia democratic party,
there is very good prospect Tor a. opposition
victory there In May, in the election Of Mr. Cog.
gin az Governor The present Governor, Mr..
Wise, has gone of at tangent from the circle Of
the general administration camp. lie, taroagh
bis central organ (the Richmond Epgairsr.) has
fatty and Indignantly rcpudiated the policy Of
Mr.. Buchanan, foreign and domestic, upon every
important specification Of the December mes
sage. The Governor. too, has doublless Gao.
ton at BIZ back capable Of doing much mischief
In an election involving the support of the hd.
ministration- Thus, should Mr. Letcher, the
democratic nominee for Governor, proceed. after
the adjournment Of Congress, TO the BUSINESS Of
the Virginia canvass, lac win doubtless he re-
quircd 10 show his hand His opponent. Mr..
Goggin, an able and experienced eampaigncr.
will be on the stump, and win compel bis rival
to speak distinctly concerning The general policy
Of Mr.. Buchanan. Should Letcher endorse The
President Wise and bis faction win give him
the cold shoulder; but, should Lescher s4.,aia
the views Of Wise, thee the Hunter PresIdeu.i.l
clique may fail In their duty.
Thus Mr. Letcher Is placed between two Gre.
He is believed TO be Hunter man he has been
accepted by the Wise faction BE- hss proved
himself, thus far, 10 b. well disposed towards
the administration but Of late we Ear h.
has been wandering of into the Dismal swamp
OF Southern distractions Regardless q Wis.,
and Hunter, and In a bold and fearless advocacy
Of Mr.. Buchanan's foreign and democrats policy.
doubtless Mr.. Leicher could combine toe Vim.
GINA democracy. They have ever been loyal
to democratic federal administration They
have always bad special liking Coz Ire con.
servative principles Of Mr.. Buchanan; snd upon
the financial issues Of the Say they knsx AZ.
views as well in 1856 az they know them Low.
But there Is reason TO fear that Ia playisr
fast and loose between Wise aud Hunter. M
Letcher may ALLEVIATE the managers OF bo.,,
factions, and also the friends Of the I'D nIal.,ra-
ton, who care little or nothing for either Hunter
or Wise. In addition to these intestine ,rouble.
there is the paramount difficulty to Mr.. Le,cher
of the sectional proslavcry and secession ten.
denotes Of the governing Southern wing of IN.
general party camp. The sober people OF Wiz.
ginia have no taste for disunion sectional agi.
taton. They WANT peace. Their geographical
position Is between the two sections, AMI their
political policy is the same. They know Il.
Hence their heavy vote In 1856 for Mr. Buchanan.
IN spite Of the disunion fire, fuss, blood AMI
thunder harangues Of Gov. WISE But, between