The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-15
Tho Late Northern Elections, and Their
Significant Results.

Tho Late Northern Elections, and Their
Significant Results.
The late local elections in Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Indiana, Iowa and Minnesota, unimpor
tant and indecisive as they may be regarded
touching the momentous question Of the next
Presidency, are pretty conclusive upon three
points. AT all events, we draw from them the
following important conclusions
First-That the democratic party of the
Northern States is in that melancholy condition
of sick man which affords no symptoms of
convaiescence.
Second-That the late great American or
third party of the North, has disappeared and
ceased to exist; and
Third-That henceforward, to the close of
the Presidential campaign of 1860, there will
be only two parties in the North-the repub-
lican and the democratic-and that into the one
or the other of these two parties all the loose
materials of the North, with some trifing ex-
ceptions will be absorbed.
Upon the first point-the melancholy prostra-
ton of the Northern democracy-very little is
hooded To AvrIain tho causes ana character of
cold" which the party contracted from that des-
perate Southern Presidential experiment of
Douglas and Pierce in I854the repeal of the
Missouri Compromise. The instantaneous and
overwhelming Northern revolution which fol-
lowed that repeal will explain the whole mys-
terry. The violent and impracticable move
ments of the Southern pro-slavery democracy
in the way Of retaliation have only contributed
fresh fuel to the fire from that day to this.
Under this terrible pressure from both sides,
the democratic party in 1856 would have been
crushed to atoms but for the saving interpo-
sition of Mr. Buchanan. 1t was a rescue as
from the very jaws Of destruction, and lesson
which should have taught something Of wisdom
to the various factions and leaders of the party.
But instead Of this they commenced the game
of rule or ruin with the new administration
from the day it came into power; and so, while
on account of these faithless and rebellious
leaders and cliques, the democracy of the North
have been beaten and trampled under foot,
from the lakes Of Maine to the lakes of Mime
sofa, the democracy Of the South have been
degraded to mere sectional faction upon the
"onc idea Of slavery.
Oursecond considerations disappearance
of the late great third party Of the North-only
darkens still more this otherwise sufficiently
gloomy prospect to the demoralized democracy.
The materials of this late third party, upon the
broad, general and practical Issues of the fede-
raj government, are the natural allies Of the
republicans 1t is only upon Stewards Nirre
pressible conflict with the South that they
have hitherto stood aloof as a separate oppo-
sition camp. But now, as the republican party
appear to be disposed to repudiate the extreme
antslavery platform Of Seward and as the
American party has died natural death, the
bulk Of the loose materials of the latter will
be absorbed by the former; for such are the
manifestations of these October elections.
Thus, with the people Of the North divided
between two parties in 1860, instead of three,
as in 1856, we may say, from the Northern
elections Of the last and present year,
that in every Northern State this side of the
Rocky Mountains the democracy will enter
into the contest as a demoralized minority
party. How they will emerge from the battle
is another question; but, from the general drift
of the tide of these October elections, the dull
est politician cannot fail to perceive that an op-
position President may be elected in 1860 with
out the electoral vote Of solitary Southern
State
To this complexion Of our political affairs have
we been brought by that desperate South
ern electioneering experiment of Douglas
and Pierce in 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska bill,
and it's appendages Of sectional agitation The
democracy Of the North are nrostrated and
broken up by one sectional party, while the
democracy of the South are themselves re-
duced to mere sectional camp. Between
these two sectional parties there yet remains,
however, conservative opposition Southern
party, and it will prove, we hope, lucky acct
dent which at this crisis has given this conserv-
alive party the balance Of power in the new
Congress. Here we recognise the nucleus Of
great national opposition coalition aud in this