The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-11

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him up from the depths of his obscurity and re-
tirement, ID Old Blair, of Silver Springs one Of
the shrewdest politicians the age, political
writer Of some force, who Is b, leved to have
largely contributed to Helper " impending
Crisis" He was originally dem ,rat, from
Kentucky, and in the time of Jackson became
editor of the old GLOBE. He was not very polite or
obliging to Polk, who, after his election to the
Presidency, in 1914, compelled him to retire
from the Globe and its spoils. He ostensibly
sold out to Rives, who had been his printer,
but secretly retained an interest, which, we be-
ieve, he holds to this day. He went into q
rural retreat, at place called Silver Springs,
some twelve or fifteen miles from Washington,
in the State of Maryland. Though he has
never since been able to gain public promi-
nence, he has continued to pull the political
wires in secret, and is famous at intrigue. He
always goes to work when Congress meets, and
has q sharp lookout for the printing spoils.
His candidate for the printing of the House is
Mitchell, of the st. Louis Ne,os, who, under his
inspiration, hoisted the flag Of Bates for the
Presidency. If Mitchell gets the contract,
Rives will get the work, and Blair will share
in the job, while the chances of his candidate
for the nomination at Chicago will be mate
rally promoted. He was successful in pro.
curing the nomination of Mitchell as Printer in
the republican caucus. But Weed, who is
wide awake and as shrewd politician as him
self, thoroughly understands his game, and
will endeavor to checkmate him. Already he
has upset the arrangement to give the spoils to
Mitchell, and has managed to get the caucus
nomination transferred by majority Of one to
Defrees, of Indiana, who is the representative
of Wendell. We need scarcely inform our
readers that Weed is the managerin-chief for
Seward his man Friday. The parties to the
faction fight, therefore, in the republican or
ganization for the House printing spoils and
the federal spoils of the Presidency are Bates,
Blair, Rives and Mitchell, on the one side; and
Seward, Weed, Wendell and Defrees on the
other. Mitchell and Defrees are only men of
straw, and Rives and Wendell are only men
Of business. The political champions are
Bates end Blair, against Seward and Weed.
Bates is like child in the hands of Blair, but
not so Seward with regard to Weed. Seward does
his own thinking, and Weed who is smart
politician, merely carries out Stewards ideas.
Seward is not to be managed by the news
paper editors, and hence there is no entente cor
dale between him and Greeley. He does not
believe in Greeley's discretion or political sa-
gacity, and Greeley considers himself under
rated, and resents 1t now and then by sly,
sinister stroke at Stewards ribs. Bates, on the
contrary, is the kind of man that suits Gree
ley, for he is approachable and manageable
indeed, the right sort of man for the politicians
generally. Greeley entered into the plans of
Blair to bring out Fremont in 1856 in opposi-
ton to Seward, and he now enters into his
plans to bring out Bates in 1860 in opposition
to the Senator from New York. For it was
Blair who drew from his retirement the hero of
California. We remember he called several
times on US in 1856, just after we returned from
Europe, and urged us to sustain Fremont.
Having understood from Mr.. Buchanan himself
that he was not to be candidate, and seeing
no other candidate in the field, we did, by way
of experiment, support Fremont as an opposi-
ton candidate to the democracy, which had
become fearfully corrupt and demoralized
under the administration of Pierce. There
was then no national, no vital question
involved, as there Is now, and it was generally
believed that change would be beneficial to
the country at large. And very nearly was the
desired change accomplished. Chiefly through
the intrigues Of Weed In Pennsylvania, who did
not want to see moderate and conservative
man like Fremont elected, the explorer of the
South Pass was defeated. Weed could not
trust Fremont respecting the spoils Blair
could not trust Seward in the same regard. It
was then diamond cut diamond between Weed
and Blair, and 30 it is now again.
The first trial of skill between the two Presi-
dent makers was in the contest for the Speak
ership. In that Weed came out "second best"
Sherman, the extreme man, the endorser of Hell
per's book, was Stewards and Weeds candidate.
Pennington, the more moderate republican, was
the available" candidate of Blair and Gree
any significance, unless to show that Forney,
who is overwhelmed with debt by his sinking
Press, sold himself and his two members, Hick-
man and Schwartz, to the black republican
party generally, in the battle for the Speaker.
ship, and his reward was the Clerkship. The
election of Printer is different affair. That
involves spoils for the corruption of the party
press and the establishment of newspaper
at Washington. Whichever Of the two fac
tions wins this prize will be placed in fair
way of winning the nomination at Chicago.
The contest, therefore, which will come off on
Monday next in the House is full of interest.
1t is evident, from the voting in caucus, that
they are closely balanced, and it is very hard
to say which will come off victorious.
From the report of the proceedings of the
House, published in yesterdays HERALD, our
readers may have perceived that Mr.. Stanton