The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-28

The Real issue OF tho Coming Campaign.
All parties in all sections of the Union are
now defining their positions and making their
issues with view to the coming Presidential
campaign In another page we publish the
interesting proceedings Of public meeting of
the citizens of Charleston, S. c., convened to
appoint delegates to State Convention to be
held at Columbia, for the purpose of selecting
delegates to the Democratic Presidential Con-
vention to be held at Charleston on the 23d of
April. The democrats Of Charleston have
wisely determined in favor of sending dele
gates to the National Convention, and they
have defined their own position and the posi-
ton of the South with the same good judgment.
We are sorry we cannot say so much for
those who ought to embody the wisdom and
conservatism of the nation. The democratic
members of the United States Senate have held
a caucus, in which the majority have defined
their position to their own satisfaction, If not
to the satisfaction of the country. They have
constructed platform large enough for them
selves to stand upon, but too narrow to admit
the whole Of the conservative masses of the
people in all sections of the Union. They have
elaborated and complicated an issue whose dis
tinguishing Characteristic is its extreme simpli-
city. They have unnecessarily introduced ques-
tons about Territories, when there is no such
issue before the country now. The Kansas
Territorial question is settled, and Kansas will
be admitted as free State, as she ought to be.
A very different issue is before the nation.
1t is not a miserable squabble about the 60
vernment Of Territory with from $4,000 to
100000 enthusiastically as many as are
contained in one of the wards Of our city-it is
not contest about squatter sovereignty, but o
contest for the very existence of the Union.
And the grave and reverend seigniors" over.
look this grand, broad issue, with all It's conse
quences, and all the mighty interests it in
wolves, and they proceed to manufacture small
side issues which have little or nothing to do
with the case, and whose sole object seems to
be to exclude one aspirant for the Presidency
and to admit another. 1t is petty, pitiful aud
contemplate, if not criminal, at such juncture
as this. Its only fitting parallel in history is
Nero fddling while Rome was burning They
Of the country standing as it does on the very
brink Of a bloody revolution. 1t is not
the business Of the national Legislature to
anticipate the people in the construction of a
platform. 1t is their business to listen and to
obey rather than to dictate. Moreover, some
OF the questions they undertake to settle are
beyond their province, and belong solely to
the jurisdiction Of the Supreme Court. 1t is
no matter in what way they decide them, their
decision is Of no avail. The questions are
questions Of constitutional law and can only
be decided by the competent tribunal. The
introduction of these topics, therefore. into
national platform is calculated to distract and
divide the people, and to divert attention from
the true issue.
And what is that issue, aud how shall the
Senators make it ups We answer that they
may save themselves all trouble in the matter
They have not TO 60 in search of it. The issue
is already made to their hands. and they eau
not alter 1t If they would. 1t "comes home to
their own business aad bosom and If they