The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-07-23

Geruit smith ON che Presidential Qaes-
tion-'rhe Irrepressible COsfict."
A characteristic letter from Gerrit Smith
white MANI to Frederick Douglass (black
man. on the Presidential question we submit
this morning to the careful consideration of our
political readers. Emanating from one of the
great lights Of radical temperance and radical
aboitionism, this epistle presents a gloomy
picture of the prospects Of both total abstinence
and universal emancipation. Mr.. Smith de-
clares that the :" cause of temperance is pros
trate;" that ii has been betrayed by its friends
and that a like treachery explains the like low
condition of the antislsvery cause
But notwithstanding all this, the veteran abo-
lition sage of Peterboro tells us "that the
parties of the day vastly overrate the import
ance of the petty issues between them" that
" the battle is to be fought between the slave
holders and the abolitionists, and will be fought
Just as soon as these parties that block che
way get out of the way" and that the result
will be not this or that condition, this or
that liability Of slavery, in Territory
but nation all oyerspread with slavery or all
emptied of it," This is the irrepressible con-
6ict" proclaimed by Mr.. Seward and by Mr.
Lincoln, and yet Lincoln is no more satisfactory
to Mr.. Smith than Breckenridge, Bell Douglas
or Houston They all stop short at some re-
cognitions Of slavery, while Smith, "constitu
ton or no constitution, would have the North
vote slavery to DEATH or ask permission Of
the South peaceably to leave the Union,
These points Of the letter in question are
very suggestive OF matter for wide range of
reflection. Granted that the battle is to be
fought between the Shareholders and the aboli-
tionists for the indefinite extension or absolute
suppression Of slavery, as soon as these par
ties that block the way get out of the way" we
must still submit that our present interests and
attention are all directed to the immediate con-
test between these parties now in the field.
Out Of the revolutionary condition and conflict
of these parties, the events and the order
of things which are to govern the future
must be shaped. We therefore propose,
from the elements laid down by Mr.
Smith, to consider the main question, which he
has overlooked-the nature of the present con-
lict between our existing political parties and
the probable results.
Mr. Smith deplores the present low condition
Of the anti-slavery cause. He weeps over that
Decentralization which has carried the great
body Of the abolitionists from q heroic fight for
| principles into a mere scramble for the spoils.
But are not kings and politicians always ready to
profess anything and promise anything TO OBJ
-, tor IL Ia
| rived from the popular vote, are not our polit-
| cal parties compelled to court the popular
sentiment, and even the popular prejudices, o.
this or that section in order to ride into power
And will not these facts sufficiently explain the
existence Of the several political parties of the
day and the conflict among them for the con-
troll of the government?
We have four parties in the feld-the repub-
lican party, Northern aud Southern demo
cratic party, and so-called constitutional
Union party. The republican party was Or
ganized, exists aud holds its ground upon that
| prevailing sentiment, and those prevailing
inherent prejudices, Of the North opposed
to the Southern institution of slavery; the late
national democratic party has beer broken into
two hostile sectional camps upon this sectional
question. and the constitutional Union party
vainly undertakes to ignore this sectional con-
fict as G conservative national party. IL Is
easy to discover, from glance over the field,
i that the Southern democratic or Breckenridge
party will probably command the SURFACES of
! all the Southern States, and that the republican
party will sweep the Northern States, or that
they can only be defeated by the co operation
| Of the conservatives in Pennsylvania and other
| central States with the Breckenridge party.
And wherefore is this Breckenridge monopoly
| of the Southern, and this republican occupation
dowedi 1t Is because the cvershsdowing idea
| In the North Is hostility to slavery, while the
| vital question in the South Is the maintenance
| of slavery; and IL Is because the republican
| party upon this issue Is the accepted Northern
party, against the Breckenridge democracy, the
accepted Southern party.
| Thus between these two parties, the "irre-
pressibIe conflict" suggested by Mr.. Smith,
really exists, and the only party which "blocks
| the way, is the Bell-Everett party, which s
| powerless to prevent the success OF the repub-
lcan anti-slavery party, except as Northern
balance Of power In cooperation with the South
ern prosiavery party. Believing, too, as we do,
that the North, with an overwhelming and ra-
pidly increasing majority In both houses OF Con.
grcss, Is perfectly. safe against any aggressious
from the South, and that the South, depending
entirely upon the justice and moderation of the
North, has good cause of alarm, we also believe
that the true policy Of the conservative Union
men Of the North In this contest Is the policy Of
cooperating with the South to defeat the re-
publican party.
II Is folly TO talk Of Mr.. Douglas. H. ID
practically Northern candidate, ut
terly powerless Ia his own behalf
| IL "a folly 70 talk Of electing Mr. Bell