The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-26

in consequence Of these indications the Zurich
Conferences are allowed to slumber. If the
Italians continue moderate in their counsels
and in their acts, there may yet be satisfied
nationality" from the Alps to the Mincio and
from Turin to Florence.
The Vanderbilt may be expected here today
with the details of these interesting events.
Presidential Movements--The OPPOSE
ticn-Thoir Road to Ruin and Their
Way 10 Victory.
The preliminary movements ofparties, cliques
and politicians for the next Presidency have
neve, before now been so actively in progress
so very early in the season. But there are
very good reasons for this extraordinary state
of things A universal presentiment that the
Presidential contest of 1860 will be the most
momentous and the most critical in the history
of the country, and very general belief that
for good or evil it will decide the fate of the
democratic party, are among the principal
causes of this early agitation of the great
subject.
Apparently, upon the conflicting slavery
distractions of WISE Douglas, Davis, Hunter,
and other apostles of the faith, the democratic
party is hopelessly torn to pieces. There ap-
pears to be no hope of escape from tremen-
dous explosion at Charleston, if we may credit
the professions of democratic leaders, sections
and factions, as to what they intend to do
if this man or that man be rejected, or if this
doctrine, that or the other on slavery shall be
set aside. But when we look into the declara-
ton of Mr.. Calhoun, that this great party is
not party of principles, but party ''bound
together by the cohesive power of the public
PLUMBER" we must recognise the probability
of reunion and cohesion of the wranglng
democracy at Charleston.
Unquestionably this reunion will require the
suppression of all such impracticable sec
tional slavery doctrines as those of Wise and
Douglas, and the dropping Of all the party
candidates involved in the scramble for the
nomination, from Douglas and Wise down to
poor Pierce, Dickinson and Seymour. But what
of all this? Do not the democratic conventions
of 1874 and 1852 show that the spoils managers
of the party, when put to the pinch, are equal to
fore, rely too confidently upon row and split
among the happy family at Charleston, upon
such empty distractions as squatter sovereign
ty, Congressional sovereignty, or judicial sove-
reignty over slavery in the Territories when the
substantial spoils and plumber of one hundred
millions year are at stake. Some candidate
never heard of before, and a few glittering gene
ralities on niggers, (which, forwards or back
wards, will read all the same" may recombine
the party as firmly as they stood in 1856 upon
the solid platform of Mr.. Buchanan's name and
public history.
In anticipation of this possible contingency.
what is the true course of the opposition forces
of the country? In the aggregate they repre-
sent popular majority, and heavy popular
majority of the Union at large. In 1856 this
over the democratic vote, and yet Mr. Buchanan
was elected. How? Between the two opposi-
ton tickets of Fremont and Fillmore. Indeed,
since the last election of General Jackson, in
1882, the Presidential victories of the democra-
cy may be set down as the triumphs of united
majority opposed to them. Thus, upon three
or four candidates the opposition strength
was frittered away in 1886; thus upon Birney,
the abolition candidate, in 1874, the oppo-
stion balance of power in New York. which
would have elected Henry Clay, was thrown
drawback of Seward and the disgust and
chagrin of Webster and Fillmore and their ad-
herents, poor Pierce was permitted to walk
over the course.
On the other hand, when the opposition ele
ments have been united, they have carried
everything before them, as in the memorable
carnival of 1910 and the handsome victory of
lS4S. But what was the secret of those power
full coalitions of the opposition elements? A
popular national man for the succession and a
platform sinking the slavery agitation in the
practical issues Of federal retrenchments and
reforms Thus the road to ruin in the one
direction or the way to victory in the other is
at the discretion of the opposition leaders. 1.-THE
republican managers are resolved upon nothing
less than "the irrepressible conflict" of Seward,
tickets, as in 1856; but if they can be persuaded
to turn to the teachings of experience and con-
sent to fight the battle of 1860 upon the general
Plan Of 1910, they may sweep the country again
as by whirlwind
In this connection, we understand that some
Of the sagacious opposition leaders contem-
plate in the approaching Congress succession
of investigating committees into all the alleged
abuses Of every department and every bureau
of the government at Washington. This gene
raj indication of this budget of Investigations
will suggest to the reader, in connection with
the House investigations of last winter, a
budget of corruptions, wastages, extravagances,
jobs, frauds, entertainments and fleeing
contracts which may be turned with prodigious
force against the democracy in the campaign