Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-08-15
1r.opa ~ Nssr. York. Herald ]

THE PROSPECT or LINC0LN'Ss ELECTION
THE DUTY OF THE OPPOSING Candle
DATES.
The election Of Abraham Lincoln as our next
President is now generally conceded TO be inevita-
bic. To be sure, the republican party, which can
not command an electoral vote in the Southern
States, is minority party in the Northern States,
and with the concentration Of the forces opposed to
it this party could easily be driven from the field
But while it is united like Macedonian phalanx,
the superior numbers of the opposition are divided
into several hostile camps. apparently more intent
upon the destruction of each other than upon the
defeat Of the common epemy.
The Douglas organs and orators, right and left,
are denouncing the Breckenridge ticket as the dis
union ticket the party supporting it as the South
ern disunion party, and Mr.. Buchanan is charged
with being mere instrument of mischief in the
hands os the Southern fire-eaters On the other
hand the organs and orators of the Breckenridge.
faction repudiate Douglas as trickster and trail
tor and semiabolitionst, playing away his hopes,
his fortunes and his FLOWERS into the receiving bas-
ket of the republican church. Mr.. Douglas, mean
tmc is on his travels here speaking to boisterous
company Of serenaders there to the curious popu-
ulation Of country village, and Eext at Yankee
clambake and everywhere all occasions, and
for all diseases of the body polite, advertising and
recommending his patent medicine of popular or
squatter sovereignty to the people.
Next there is the Bell-Everett or "the old gen.
in and cutting out, combining with or opposing
Douglas, or Breckenridge, or both, as the occasion
may seem to demand in this place. that place. and
the other. They would be thankful, too, for the
support of the republicans. where such support
would be useful-that is in the border slave States
and they doubtless expect to get it here and there
in default of a republican electoral ticket
Now. with these three parties or factions in the
field dividing the forces opposed to the republicans
into three separate armies, exhausting their amnu-
milton against each other, foolishly negotiating
impossible combinations, there is nothing in the
world to prevent the republicans cutting them all to
pieces as the first Napoleon cut up the divided for
ces of the Austrans at Rivoli. II is sheer
to talk Of any other result with the present divi
sions and dispositions of the anrepublican forces.
We cannot believe that there are ten men in
hundred thousand who can read newspaper who,
under the circumstances and party movements of
the day, anticipate any other result than Lncolns
election
With the union or cooperation of the popular
elements opposed to him, he could be defeated; and
in view Of this union or cooperation, we have
thrown out the suggestion Of National Convention
in New York of the independent conservative peo-
pie, without distinction of party. But such large
bodies move slowly. This convention would take
time even if undertaken at all and time is precious
There is n shorter and more practical method for
accomplishing the end in view. II is the withdraw
al Of the three tickets Of Breckenridge and Lane
Douglas and johnson, and Bell and Everett, from
the field and the adoption Of single ticket upon
which these three parties may unite.
But how is this to be done? Not by party
cuses or conferences. No If left to the respec-
tive friends" Of Breckenridge, Douglas and Bell,
no arrangement Of this kind would be made, if the
election for their accommodation postponed for
ten years. But there is way whereby this scheme
of fusion may be consummated, and it is very sim
pie. Let Messrs. Breckenridge and Lane, Douglas
and Johnson, Bell and Everett, meet together in a
little convention OF six or, il they would rather
have it seven let them take in General Houston,
and let them agree among themselves to withdraw
from this canvass, and recommend joint stock
ticket to the people including candidate from each
Of the two great sections Of the Union and Lincoln
may be defeated.
We assume that with each of the seven men afore-
said party is nothing; personal disappointments,
preudiceS and sacrifices are nothing and the empty
huSks of party distractions nothing, weighed
in the balance against the Union. We take il for
granted that they are patriotic men, and have sense
enough to see and to know that the election Of Lin
coin will pat the Union in jeopardy at once, and
may speedily destroy it. They all know that the
fixed purpose, the lone idea" Of the republican
party is to root out slavery. not only from the Ter
ritores, but from the United States. The seven
distinguished candidates aforesaid know that Mr..
Lincoln is pledged to this programme; that he be-
lieves in it; that he is an honest man, and a reSo
lutte man, and will not be diverted from what he be-
lieves to be his duty. until the backward step may
be too late to us from dissolution. All this is
plain as day light.
Furthermore, Lincoln's election, with his
programme, will naugurate new epoch and new
order of things under which all these outside can
didates, leaders and parties Of this day will be sub
merged. Consequently, if Breckenridge and Lane,
Douglas and johnson, Bell and Everett and Hous-
ton, would he heard of after this election they will
move now, as We have indicated, to turn it in the
right direction to save the day.