Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-08-23
We ale the foIlorinr frOm lhe Ner YOrk Herald, a


The Presidential COntrst--New and ImPor'an'
Phases.
As we draw closer and closer to the important day
when the issues Of the Presidential contest are to be de-
cded and with them the destiny perhaps Of the nation
the positions of the contendng forces are being more
and more clearly defined The fight, which up to this
time appeared to be quadrangular one between 'ne
forces Of Lincoln Bell Douglas and Breckenridge, Win
old Sam Houston performing little guerilla work on his
own account is becoming narrowed down to hand
tohand conflict between the legons Of black republican
ism headed by Lincoln aud the patriotic, practical con-
sentative of the people, headed by Bell The n-
significant and dsorganzed hordes Of punderers ana
freebooters that trained under Douglas and Breckndge
respectively have either dwindled away through insuo-
ordination and desertion else seen filing over, IN
disregard of their leaders and swelling the ranks OF the
main army under Bell and Everett. And we expect to
see before the eventfu day of conflict comes that the
true and loyal of the people, who are averse to
all sectional agitation, viii combine together NORTH
South East and West and present impenetrable front
to the abolition enemy.
There is no reason why should not be So The Dem
ocratic party is now thing Of the past The last and
fatal attacks to which it subjected at Charleston and
Baltimore broke up the little remains Of strength it had
left 1t never rallied 1t evidently beyond the aid
of all political quacks Breckenridge and Douglas, the
two rival resurreconiss made fent Of galvanzing the
old carcase of Democracy but hardly succeeded in get
ting the smallest evidence of vitality and now it is con-
signed to the Potters Field of defunct parties To be
sure this very precious pair of politicians persist in rep
resenting that the old defunct not Dead and each OF
them claims that he personies the real Simon Pure, I'M
nj. aaI in NAL I'M The
people laugh at them but they far from convincing
any one that there is kick left in the thing that was
De nocraoy.
No one regrets that it is out of the way. 1t had out
lived its responsibility, aad decent people had begun to
feel thoroughly ashamed Of it. 1t only needed the kind
offices Of those miserable politicians who assembled IN
Charleston and Baltimore the beginning of the sum
mer give it the coup de grdee-the finishing blow
By its fall the conservative Of the South have been
liberated from the allegiance they owed it, and are left
free follow tho patriotic dictates Of their own con-
sciences while hundreds of thousands in the North and
Northwest who when forced to choose between Democ
racy and Repubcansm threw themselves into the arms
OF the Aboionsts will now come back and enrol them
selves in the ranks Of that powerful organization about
to be nauguraed which is destined break all the idols
of abolition squater sovereignty, slavery extension and
disunion.
The many false issues that his been raised by the POI
iticns for the purpose Of cOntounding the popular
Judgment being swept away as the mists before
the beams of the mOraipg sun. and the contest is being
narrowed down single, well defined issue OF Alb
oltoaism. On the ore SIDE ranged those whose
avowed design and to get possession OF the gov
for the purpose Of bling them to carry on the
'irrepressblo conflict" between free labor and slave
labor on the other side be ranged those who dep
recate any interference by the federal government with
the question Of slavery in the States and who believe
that such interference would be not only in derogation
OF the constitution and compact of Union but would
pose the very existence of the nation fearful pers
This is the single issue which the Presidential conflict
i, to be fought Let the people, therefore, be mis-
led BY shallow journalists or tricky politicians into minor
and irrelevant questions about squatter sovereignty free
dom of the Territories slavery extension kindred ali
surdes These matters do enter into the present
canvass They are the imaginary creations Of rautiDg
demagogucs. Kansas, about which so much hubbub wss
Kicked up four years ago is free Territory, and will be
a free State and there the slightest probsbi
" offs being aught else In Territory of the United
Safes will the principle Of slave labor succeed that
Of free labor except perhaps in the Of New Mex
Ca miserable region, where American freemen will
not be particularly anxious to locate. All this fuss and
nonsense therefore, got up by the Lncolns the Stewards
the Summers and the LoyeiOys Of the North and the Yam
ceys the Rhetts the H's the Orrs and the BOyces Of
the South about slavery reStr elton and slavery extern
sion, ought not really to deceive any one The people
of the South have been Just making the discovery of how
egregouy they have been humbugged in this matter by
their ran,ing demagogues aud the people Of the North
should not be behiud-haud in making similar discovery
for themselves.
We believe that the public mind in both sections has
been undergoing complete revolution within the last few
months The South begins to reazs that the masses at
the North neither opposed to slavery where it exists
nor inclined to NEEDLE with it while the North recog
nzng the fact that it Is neither the interest the de-
sire of the people Of the South extend slavery into the
Territories. Breckenridge and Douglas are, therefore
behind the age There is no longer any for either
there
Having then made these mutual discoveries, what re
mains TO preveai the defeat Of sectonalism? Nothing
but combined effort of the patriotic, conservative mass
es Of the oOntry The movement has been auspciousll
commenced IN this State by the nomination of electors
chosen frOm aoug all parties opposed to Black Repub
caaisp, If the Breckenridge faction comes into the ar
ranement so much the BETTER if not they be dom
W; tbout for they of but little consequence one wa
ar The other Similar arrangements will probably be car
RED out in New Jersey Pennsylvania and other States
and NAV save all these States from Lincoln and give then
no Bell There is still time enough left TO give unity
strength to the movement Let that time be well use
in the Southern and Middle States aud Abe Lincoln
prospects Of sitting in the Presidential chair will have
. Melted ato aIF-ln,o thin air,
and all the evils of sectional strife will have been avoit
ed Truly the Presidential contest is becoming Interest
ing aud exciting.
Recent Publications.
ANcI.Nr GEoaRArhY arranQsd Nth Special Rsterenee