The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-04-07
The Administration, ts,e DemOcaaoic Party
epd the Charleston Convention.

eDd the Charleston Convention.
We transfer to our columns to-day, a calmly
considered and instructive leading article from the
Charleston Mercury, on the administration Of Mr..
Buchanan, the treacherics and defectious of the
democratic camp, and the gloomy prospects of the
party, as national organization, for the next
Presidency. This Southern review of the de-
moralizations Of the democracy it will be OBJ
served, covers substantially the views which have
been repeatedly expressed through our own edi
toral columns, and fixes the responsibility ID re-
gard to the present orlorn condition of the party
| exactly " here it belongs. We also entirely con-
cur with our Charleston cotemporary In his OPT
Mon that from these factions and sectional de-
molaliza,ions among its reckless leaders "thc
democratic party has no party cohesion, and is
no party at all,n but is reduced TO confused
aggregation of conflicting factions.
We should be sorry, however, to believe that
beDceforth there are only TO be 'two parties in
the Ubion-a party OF the North and party of
the South" II is true that the Northern cleo
tons of last fall, and the Northern elections of
the last few days, from Connecticut to st. Louis,
indicate the consolidation Of the opposition forces
of the North upon the general anti-slavery doc
trines of The republican party. lis equally true
that the Southern controlling wing OF the demo
cratic camp has Of late become so intensely
! pro-slaveIy as to foreshadow its separation
! from the broken democratic battalions of
! the North; but Htll there is chance
| for the Union, through the saving in
| tervention Of a new third party, upon con-
stiutional and Union platform The materials
for this movement are abundant in both sections
and need only judicious general plan of or
gaDization to amalgamate them into a powerful
parry. But let the Presidential contest>be limit
ed to q struggle between the Northern republi-
can party and the Charleston Convention, and
the next step after the election will most proba-
bly, be q general and disastrous Southern dis
union agitation.
| With regard to the Charleston Convention the
Mercury says:-"We are not sure that any such
| convention will meet" but that, eff it does un-
( less it is limited exclusively to delegates from
the South, it will be no convention Of the demo-
cratic party" These opinions are very signiii-
cant and suggestive; but, assuming that there
will be q convention, can we, looking at the
elements and issues which will control it. expect
any other result than the definite organization
Of purely Southern sectional party
The Kansas question, the tariff, the filibus-
ters, and that new Southern element Of agita-
ton, the revival Of the African slave trade, will
We fear, operate TO reduce the Charleston Presi
Dental ticket and platform to an intensely sec.
tional movement; or that, failing in this, under
the twotbirds rule, the Southern ultras will SC.
cede from the convention, and get up for
themselves. a majority of the democratic
candidates for the succession, if not all Of
them, are. more Or less, opposed to the
administration Of Mr.. Buchanan, and those
who have proved Themselves most faithful
to his domestic and foreign policy are the
very men who are regarded with the least favor
by the Southern ultra managers Of the party
We cannot perceive, therefore, how the Charles
ton Convention can make any available conces
sions to the Northern democracy without driving
Off the Southern fre-eaters, nor how these fire
eaters can be appeased without sacrificing the
Northern wing Of the party. We must conclude,
accordingly, that the convention will result in
the division Of the party by Mason aud Dixon's
line, or in ticket and platform so intensely pro
slavery az to cut of every Northern State.
The only hope of national democratic re-
union in 1860 depends upon a general reunion
around the administration Of Mr. Buchanan. But
the proceedings Of the late Congress and the
present movements and declarations Of The