The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-26

birth and q thoroughgoing Fourth Of July de-
mocrat, we have no doubt that he might aspire
to very high position under the British go
vernment. Many man has received blue
ribbon for services not half SO important ~
those Of our rapid young friend Train.
The Recent Union Meetings OF No Ac-
count.
The meetings which have been held in New
York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Trenton,
New Jersey, with the avowed object Of
preserving the Union, will have little or
no weight with the South. So far as the
meeting in this city is concerned, the fact
is patent that it was made up chiefly
from very suspicious materials, such as broken
down politicians, who are responsible in .
greater or less degree for the evils which
they now seek to remedy. The persons
who assisted in the disruption of the
democratic party at Charleston are not
those who would be likely to pacify
the South at the present juncture. 1t is quite
true that these hack politicians gathered about
them certain number of men of high charsc-
ter, and it is also the fact that the fervid elo-
quence and sound philosophy of Mr.. Charles
OConor were wasted upon an unreliable and
inefficient assemblage Nor can we see that
anything practical is to be accomplished by the
action of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania
Union men, The idea Of sending commissioners
to South Carolina is utterly absurd. 1t is like
deputing number of gentlemen to wait upon
the inmates of lunatic asylum, to re-
quest them to be SO kind as to con-
slider some very important question in
accordance with the views of the public
at large. The people of South Carolina have
worked themselves up to fever heat, and are
therefore quite incapable of listening to the
arguments of gentlemen in private life, no mat
ter how convincing those arguments might be
under ordinary circumstances. So the Union
meetings are really of no account whatever.
The question then recurs as to what measures
can be adopted to stay the tide of revolution.
Looking towards Washington, we see no signs
Of present or even prospective relief The Pre-
sident declares that in exhorting his fellow
citizens to preserve the Union, he has exhausted
all his powers. Congress is still worse. Both
houses seem utterly paralyzed. They are like
a weak man in a morass, too feeble to extricate
himself, and SO they remain stuck fast, aspecta-
Gle for the jeers and laughter of the boys. Con-
gress at best is q bruised reed when any real
work is to be done. or when any great question
arises. Now the storm has smashed the national
There seems to be no hope of relief from any Of
the means which have heretofore been adopted,
and it is time that we tried some entirely new
plan, and appealed to the incoming administra-
ton for definite exposition Of its views. The
old parties and their leaders have gone down
to their political graves; there let them rest in
peace. We have fresh combinations, new men
and novel diseases Of the body polite to be
treated. The old nostrums have all failed, and
we ought to throw the trash and lumber out of
the window and take an entirely fresh start.
In order to inaugurate the new movement, the
leading members of the republican party
should send a mission to Springfield to the
President elect, the only man who is in posi-
ton to assume the power once held by the Ro-
man dictator, and the man among all men upon
whom the responsibility of the nations future
ests.
We cannot shut our eyes to the fact that
the republican party has succeeded to power
according to the forms Of the constitution, and
hat Mr.. Lincoln has been legally chosen Presi-
dent of the United States. And for that reason
he alone is in position to still the raging
storm. Therefore let us have mission to Illi-
nois. composed Of such men as Shepherd
Knapp, James Gallatn, Moses II.
Grinnell, John G. Jones, and others
of the same calibre. We have no doubt that
these gentlemen supported Mr.. Lincoln in all
sincerity, and that th0 are quite as much
astonished by the effect of his election Us any
one else. The President elect could not refuse
to act upon their advice, and to take some inlme-
date steps in the path Of Cancellation. Mr.. Weed
has already been laboring privately with MI.
Lincoln. fixing matters about the city spoils,
&C., but the mission we suggest should be COM
posed Of merchants bankers, and other re-
sponsible men who do not depend upon
politics for o living. Such mission
would have more effect than any half
States, and Mr.. Lincoln would be in duty
bound to speak out in response to the earnest
request Of the responsible men Of his own par
ty. The effect Of declaration of conservative
principles on the part Of the President elect
could not fail to be happy one, and 1t seems
to us that 1t is the duty Of the men who have
brought the country into its present Troubles
to use every possible effort to oxtricate IT, The
leaders OF the republican party have assumed
fearful responsibility in debating utter
silence to the President elect. If he does not
speak out now the time may come when he
will bitterly atone for his reticencc.
PotIrrCAL MISSIONARIES TO THE Souri,
~. A.