New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-23

but Gen Taylor, popular as he was lost every State
North. West Of the Ohio in '4s. Though elected
he carried none of the States formed from the Ma
tional Domain; and none Of thea voted for Gen.
Scott in 1852.
In 1856, Col. Fremont received the votes OF
Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa--So IN ALL
but lost those Of Indiana aud llinois-24. since
then. Minnesota has come into the Union aud
Kansas is coming, swelling the Electoral vote OF
the Nortb.West in 1860 to GA number which
will be raised in "a above 100 BY the Census about
to be taken The Northwest will thenceiorth be
the strongest division of the COnfederacy.
In the Presidential Election at hand, the Repub-
licans will certainly carry large majority both of
the Popular aud the Electoral Votes of the North
West. and may carry the whole. If they nominate
iudiciously and canvass thoroughly they may sweep
every State between the Ohio and the Missouri.
Outside Of the Federal Offices, there is no Demo
cratic party in the Northwest but that which looks
to Senator Douglas for guidance and inspiration,
and 6iS Democracy is hardly more acceptable to the
dark Power which is now riding the National
Democratic party to perdtion than that OF Jeffer-
son, Seward or Trumbul We believe the Sldells,
IversOns, Currys, Alabama Pughs, and Wises who
now direct the political machinery of the South, it
they shall ever be compelled to CHOOSE between the
election of Douglas to the Presidency and that of
Republican, will take care that the successful can
didate shall at all events not be Douglas.
Even the Democracy Of the Northwest may
therefore be regarded as revOlters from the dOmn-
Eor
be nominated at Charleston on any platform that
he could stand before the country upon without
conscious disgrace; and if he could be, the South
would bolt aud he would get the vote Of no Slave
State. Aud, while We anticipate the nomination at
Charleston of some Breckenridge, Hunter or Joe
Lane, in whose behalf electoral tickets will be run
and vigorous canvass made throughout the North
West as elsewhere, We judge that he has but on
even chance TO carry Indiana, half chance for IL
linos, and no chance at all fer any other North
Western State If he is elected, it must be BY the
solid vote of the South the seven electors on the
Pacific coast, and such aid as the money OF the
cottonized brokers and dry-goOds men of the At
lsntic cities can buy in the old seabosrd States.
Even the Democracy of the Northwest refuses the
new doctrines of the Slave Power, whereby Popu-
lar Sovereignty in the Territories is transformed
into popular impOtency; and, even if they should
hereafter accept those doctrines, the only conse-
Quence would be their own depression into a mere
meager and hopeless minority.
For the Public Land question is exercising, and
must increasingly exercise, commanding influence
over the political action of the Northwest; and
that influence enures to the benefit Of the Repubi-
cans. True, Mr. Dougles and othey Northwest
erp Democrats sustain the policy of Free Home
steads; but their party does nOt on the contrary
it opposes and defeats that policy. And this ques-
ton is, for hundreds of thousands in the North
West paramount to all others. That section is
! seeing hard times-hard even for new country
Its crops have in most localities. been very light
for three years past and have nevertheless sold at
low prices. The settlers have suffered by sOod and
frost and devouring insects. They were tempted,
three years since, to borrow money at usurious
rates to invest in lands; and those lands will not
paw the mortgages upon them. They have dipped
heavily into Railroads, and are sadly out of pocket
thereby. There are sections IN which need has
driven the majority to such desperate resorts as
stay-laws and reputation. Their currency Is OF
course dilapdated or invisible. Tens of thousands
are living as squatterG on quarter sections which
they cannot pay for, and which anybody may buy
over their heads. They could not borrow, even at
% per cent the money requisite tobuy their homes;
and if they could borrow it at that rate years must
elspse before they could pay it. For their produce
can only be sold at low rates and many of them
have little to spare at any rate. If every over
due mortgage were foreclosed, and every debt
pressed to execution, full third Of the People Of
the States west of the Wabash must be stripped OF
all they have. Many of them owed moro in 81
than they do now but they never had harder work
TO postpone debts or pay them than to-day.
From this sea of troubles, tho Republican meas
ure of Free Lands profers q present and palpable
relief. From the date of its passage, the poor
souatter will no longer look forward to the ap-
proaching land.sale for his district that which
will either strip him Of his home or compel him to
hold it on an article" binding him. on pain OF for
feiture to pay 5000 with interest at % to 81 per
cent to some greedy Spectator. Ii his quarter
section has not already been sold, it is his without
cost; if it has been, he can say to whoever holds
the deed or mortgage over his head, "Turn me Off
eff you will; can take up new quarter-sectiOn
without payment, and feel that it is mine beyond
contingency and forever" Free HomesteadS
would very soon reduce the rates of nerestcu
in the North West Figures that honest manmight
hope by industry and frugality to pay A new Life
would be breatbed into the trade, the agriculture,
of that noble region there would be hope on the
horizon and JOY in the hearts of hundreds Of thou
sonds now bordering on despair. Let US trust that