The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-08-16

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don wheat engaged in ships bags at 1ltid., and
-four at So Cd
Plain Duty OF the Northern Conserve.
tives.
The speech of Senator Seward at Boston,
which we published yesterday, is an important
landmark in the contest now before us, and,
though his words were brief, they are full of
evil omen to the highest and dearest interests
of this whole land
A significance is added to them by the past
conduct of Mr.. Seward towards other Presi-
dental candidates of his party. When General
Scott was brought forward in 1852 Mr.. Seward
refused to support him, and went through the
campaign in silence, because he knew that he
was in every way national and conservative
man, who could not be governed by radical
revolutionists- In 1856 his part in the cam
paign was also an inactive one, because he
knew that Colonel Fremont was a Southern
man by birth and education. and that if elected
his government. too, would have been a con-
servative one. But now the case is changed.
Although his party rejected him as it's Presi-
Dental candidate, it has brought forward a
man who confessedly could neither read nor
write till he was twenty-one, aud consequently
cannot be expected to know much; whose only
demonstrated ability is to maui rails and sell
whiskey, and, therefore, will require somebody
to manage the government for him. Here is
the key to Mr.. Stewards altered department to-
wards the candidate of his party. He strikes
in now to secure the substance if not the
honors of power, and his words indicate clearly
the spirit In which he designs to administer 1t.
He tells us that be has ''stnded in the school
of Massachusetts" at the feet of the sage of
Quincy, whom he visited when the people had
driven him from power, in order TO learn "what
became a citizen of the United States,r
and that be now supports Lincoln for Presi-
dent because his "claim TO that seat Is
that he confesses the obligation Of that higher
law, and avovs himself, for veal or for woe,
for life or for death, soldier on the side of
freedom in the irrepressible conflict between
freedom and slavery" This is an an
nouncement pregnant with all the odious
and destructive theories that have ever been
proclaimed by Seward Helper, Greeley, Phil
lips Garrison and their coadjutors and follow
ers In the Massachusetts, school. 1t means revo-
luton Of the most thorough kind. the interpre-
tation Of the constitution as an abolition instru-
ment, the reorganization Of the federal Courts
under abolition Judges. the issuance of writs
Of habeas corpus for every slave, the guarding
of these Courts in the Southern States by armed
bands of negroes, and the thorough and COM
plete denial to fifteen States Of this Union of
the right Of self government.
An administration Of the federal powers in
such spirit cannot but produce the most dis.
astrous agitation and contest between the North
.ern and Southern States Of the Union. The
South will be forced to act In self-defence. and
every tie between us will be gradually severed
until we are precipitated into q civil war, for
which, In bitterness and bloodshed, no parallel
will be found in history. In the face
Of such future, the South is nobly
evincing her determination TO rebuke at
home the men who mean disunion
and 70 leave TO their brother conservatives ia
the North to deal with the fanatic sectionalists
here. When Il comes 10 the worst they will
take their stand in defence Of their rights; but
they hope and trust that the great body of
Northern conservatives will not permit, through
their divisions, fanatic minority to succeed in
their greedy clutch at power.
The duty of the honest conservatives in the
Northern States is, therefore. plain before them.
The danger is imminent, and they must unite
upon a single electoral ticket In every State.
not to elect any one man, but to prevent a mi.
nority from casting the vote of such State for
Lincoln. II matters not who IL Is cast for, be Il
Breckenridge, Bell, Douglas or Houston the
happy result will be secured by popular con-
demnation Of the odieus and dangerous theory
that there is higher law" than the cosstitu-
ton and the statutes, Of which every man Is
Judge In himself That the conservative masses
are ready 10 effect this union there can be no
doubt, and The only obstacle in the way Is the
selfish claims Of the professional politicians
and party wire pullers If these remain OBJ
stinate in their disunion they will merely de-
feat their own aims, for II Is evident that no
one party clique among them can succeed by
itself Should they not unite for the common
good they consign themselves to oblivion, and
a scattered and divided people viii remember
them with Just indignation when the bitter
fruits Of their insane chickering's In This time of
danger ripeu for the country.