The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-04-21


ply OF Party Suicide.
The Congressional Investigating Committees
which petty politicians have got up to vent
their personal spite against the President, and
to ventilate magnificent charges of corruption
against the administration, had completely
failed in their object, and were about to sub
side into merited oblivion in the corrupt pool
from whence they emanated, when circum-
stances of personal nature led one of them q
few days since to stumble upon Developments
which, if rightly read by the people and the
politicians, will be productive of immense
good at this critical juncture of our public
affairs.
The letter of Mr.. Buchanan and the state
ment of facts with which its publication was
accompanied, by ex Governor Walker, are not
to be lightly read, taking only what appears on
the surface of them. They reveal the condi-
ton of things which has been the deadly ele-
ment of every political party hitherto, and
which, after having killed the old wing party,
and destroyed the more recent American
organization, is about to operate with
terrible force in Charleston, and few
days will tell US whether 1t has not given
the death blow to the present democratic party.
This letter and the accompanying facts reveal
the whole philosophy Of party suicide. A sue
cinct review Of the occurrences, not only as
they have been brought to the surface, but of
the real though unseen chain Of action, will
best elucidate the subject.
The advent of Mr. Buchanan's administration,
in the spring of 1857, succeeded terrible po-
litical conflict, in which the democratic party
was saved from entire destruction, more
through the folly Of its antagonists than by
merit in its own leaders. The Kansas danger
still stood with its menace of civil war, which
would have involved the surrounding States,
and perhaps the whole Union, in its flames.
Mr.. Buchanan at once directed his attention to
avert it, and In the summer of that year Mr.
Walker was sent out as Governor, with pro-
gramme that promised to conjure the storm.
and on which the whole Cabinet were supposed
to be in agreement with the President But
this was not the case The demon of intrigue
was at work in the very Cabinet to secure the
triumph of certain school of politicians who
aimed to rule the party, and Kansas was the
field Of operations. Secretary Thompson,
backed by the Mississippi resolutions which he
had got up for the purpose; Secretary Cobb,
who had secured similar public expression in
Georgia, and Secretary Floyd, combined to use
the power of the administration to thwart the
views Of its chief, and bend the party to their
wishes.
Governor Walker had already begun his
labors with every promise of successful effort
at pacifcation, and his correspondence with
the President assured him of the unity of policy
between himself and the administration. The
Lecompton Convention was to meet and pre-
pare State constitution, which was to have
been submitted to the people, for it was saga
ciously seen that no possible good could &C.
crue to the South or any portion of the Union
by fsrcing constitution upon them against
their will. The policy gave satisfaction to the
party, but not to the clique that sought to
govern it In the fall their conspiracy began
to develope itself, and Calhoun, a Massachusetts,
democrat, was selected as their tool. Election
returns were forged, the Convention was pack.
ed, and few days before the vote was taken.
its President Calhoun, revealed the proslavery
plan OF Thompson, Cobb & Co. to Governor