The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-13
The New Congress-The Twenty-one OPP
p0sition Members Of the South.


position Members of the South.
The twenty-one Southern opposition men,
bers, in the all-important business Of the or
ganization of the new House of Representa-.
tives in December next, will occupy position
of the highest responsibility. They will hold
the balance Of power between the republicans
and the democrats, and this power may be ex-
ercised in the work of organization to the solid
advantage Of the Union for many years to
come. To this great end, should the occasion
require it, these twenty-one Southern conserya-
tive representatives, against the slavery agi-
tating disunion movements Of the day, will be
expected to stand as Leonidas and his handful
Of men stood in the pass Of Thermopyla, each
and all prepared to die in defence of their po-
sition. But though these Southern men will
hold this position, they will not be required to
sacrifice themselves to defend it. On the other
hand it will enable them to control the entire
field Of operations, and to dictate the whole
opposition programme of the Presidential cam
paign.
In this important view of the subject we have
already indicated the proper line of action
Nobody can expect these Southern opposition
men to enter into any coalition with the demo-
cratic side Of the House. Nor can it be sup
posed that they will capitulate to the republi-
cans as a simple matter Of choice between two
evils. These Southern opposition members are
the representatives Of Presidential party
and Presidential movement. Upon some
40 fhn ,1lo
of the old wing party, they would be
the natural allies Of the opposition ele-
ments of the North They have been separated
by the slavery agitation Remove this OBJ
struction, and these broken fragments will be
reunited The Southern opposition fragment,
weak in itself and for itself, is yet strong as
national balance of power. From its local
weakness it desires reunion with the North:
from its national Importance it has the right to
demand some concessions. And as the con-
cessions which it asks will have to be made by
the republican party to secure, in 1860, the
vote of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, we see
no reason why these concessions should not
enter into the practical business of the organi-
cation Of the coming Congress.
We may safely assume that, for some days and
nights at Washington before the momentous
first Monday in December next, there will be
some caucuses and caucusing Of each of the
several parties and factions Of the House The
republicans, the plurality party, will probably
first proceed to take their soundings for the
plurality rule, which would give them the I'M
divided control of the organization. officers and
spoils. To cut off this game Of the Seward ma.
nagers, it will be well for the Southern opposi-
ton members TO be early on the ground with
their overtures to the republicans, including
the Speaker, Clerk, Printer and other House
officers, all well considered and well adapted
for the basis of coalition. Thus, from the ne
cessities of their position, and from the imme-
date and prospective advantages which this
coalition will secure, the republican members
Of Congress in December next may be induced
to abandon w. II. Seward and his .irrepressi-
bic conflict with the South, for a Northern and
southern opposition alliance upon practical
and irresistible national platform.
In this connection, the greatest danger to be