The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-10

we're unchai ged
The Presidential Qu~stioo--Thc Demo-
cracy and tAo Administration.
The cal nd dispsssionate article on the
| Presidential question which we publish this
| morning, from a conservative opposition paper
| of Tennessee comprehends several important
| points, to wit: first, that the democracy, as
usual, will contrive to harmonic at Charleston
| upon the basis Of the spells and plumber; Sc
| cond that from all the signs of the times there
is little or no prospect Of the union Of tho OPP
position elements; and third, that lit now
seems more than probable that the battle of
1856 is to be fought over again"
Upon these three propositions let US take a
passing review of the field. Admitting that
the cohesive power of the public plumber" is
very great in the democratic party, is yet a
fixed fact that this party of spoilsmen has
been torn to pieces by the slavery agitation.
It came back into the government in 1852
with popular majority of both sections Of
the Union, which promised an uninterrupted
tenure Of power for twenty years TO come.
Thus restored by the people as the
party representing the great compro-
required to do was to stand fast
to that settlement of the slavery trouble,
and to administer the government within the
bounds of moderate degree of economy, de-
corum and progressive activity. Bat in 1854
the Pandora's box of that ansas-Nebraska
bill was opened in Congress, and in moment,
we may say, the apparently solid and impreg-
nable fabric of the democratic party tumbled
to the ground, with the weak administration of
poor Pierce
Mr.. Douglas, supposing that the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise, in securing him the
grateful sufrages of the South, would secure
him the Cincinnati nomination, introduced his
bill in the Senate. Poor Pierce, after hard
struggle in his Cabinet between Marcy in op-
position to this dangerous experiment, and
Jefferson Davis in support of it, surrendered
to Davis and the Southern fre-eaters. But had
Marcy made the suppression of that bill the
condition of his continuance in the Cabinet,
Pierce would have yielded, and the democratic
party would have escaped the terrible disasters
it has suffered. Marcy, however, was not the
the Albany Regency, he equivocated, hesitated,
submitted, and yet endeavored in his submits
sion to leave both the Northern and the South
ern democracy with doubt in his favor. He
was indispensable to the administration, of
which he was really the master but he lacked
II 10 <a1yo fha hsoh
the occasion invited, and which would have
crowned him with the lasting appreciation of
he country.
The consequences thus indicated need no re-
capitulation here. They will suggest them
selves to the reader in the narrow escape Of the
democracy from o crushing defeat in 1856; in
the factious Generalization Of the democratic
majority Of the last Congress; in the existing
conflict of discordant aspirants leaders, cliques
and factions, and their dirty intrigues in refer
ence to the Charleston Convention, and in the
heavy opposition majority elected to the new
Congress which will meet in December. Mr..
Buchanan, who saved the party from the very
jaws of destruction in 1856, would have restored
the party to its ancient strength through the
general policy Of his administration; but there
were too many aspirants for the succession in the
party camp, and they were too eager to rule to
consider their present necessities Hence the
existing discords and divisions in the camp be-
tween the cliques of Wise, Douglas, Davis, Hun
ter, Brown, Slidell and others, and allupon the
most contemplate slavery distractions. And
r. A. Lao nd fhair al:
of them 90 int the Charleston Convention re-
solved to rule or ruin upon their respective
negro distractions, still ignoring the admins
tratior there will be dissolution Of the Con-
yen.ion and of the party, in spite of the ''cohe-
sive power IL the public plumber"
ehave reason to believe that Mr.. Buchanan,
in his annual message of December next, will
reiterate his recommendations of last year. with
such notifications as intervening events shall
have rendered expedient. His schedule ofrecom-
mendations, thus adapted to the practical wants
Of the country and the progressive spirit of the
age, will furnish, a platform upon which all the
scattered fragments of the democratic party may
combine. And should the President further
recommend diligent inquiry into the ways
and means for the reformation Of all the ia
| grant abuses which have crept into the several
departments Of the government, he will enable
the democracy TO silence the batteries of the
opposition on that question. Much legislation
WILL perhaps. be required to correct the cor
| ruptions resulting from the loose and reckless
administrations Of Pierce and Fillmore; but
let Mr.. Buchanan, to this end, take still
wider range in his suggestions Of retrenchment
and reform than in his good counsels of the
last two years. and much may be done to
arrest the opposition hue and cry of retrench-
| ment and reform.
| In word, the democracy defeated as they
have been for the last two years, almost every
| where and divided and demoralizpd "a they