The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-10-01
The Decisive Battle Near "a Hand-Ths
DelIlKerentx and the Prospect.

We have entered tae mouth Of October, aud
Tuesday, the 9Th day Of November, viii be
signalized by the most momen,ous Presidential
contest In tbs history of the United States.
One month and enc week will bring US
face to face with the day and ths struggle
which will determine, perhaps forever, the issue
OF Union or disunion, peace or war, between the
free labor system Of the North and the slave
labor system Of the South. But how stand the
belligerents in regard to this momentous issue,
and what is the prospect Of the battle
There are four great parties in the field. re-
presented by the four tickets OF Lincoln and
Hamlin, Breckenridge and Lane, Bell and
Everett, Douglas and johnson. The party Of
Lincoln and Hamlin-a progressive, offensive,
sectional anti.slavery organization is practi-
cally limited TO the Northern States. II will
not receive solitary electoral vote from q
elave State, and thus, in the outset, we have
positively secured against il 120 electoral votes,
requiring the addition Of only thigty-two OF
the l63 eiec.ora! votes Of the North to
deiea; Lincoln and his sectional anti slavery
party, by casting the election into Congress.
The official returns Of our Northern elections
OF the last -four years also show that in Penn
syiva1ia New Jersey and New York there is Z
very large majority Of the popular vote ar
rayed in opposition to the republican party;
that this party never has approached anything
Near popular majority in either of said States;
and yet, siugularly enough, these are the very
States which the republicans count upon carry
ing by the heaviest piuralites. We say plurali-
ties, because the common enemy is confident
that in these three aforesaid States the over
whelming conservative forces opposed to Lin
coin will be FILTERED away between the Doug
las, Bell and Breckenridge organizations.
In support Of this anticipation il must be
conceded that the stamping tour Of Mr.. Doug
las low drawing to close in the West, has
betrayed bis object to be not 90 much the de
feat Of Lincoln as the prostration Of the Brock
inridge democracy. Thus, while he ha, insti-
gated the nomination OF independent Douglas
electoral tickets In some Of the South
ern States, the only effect Of which,
if they have any effect OF all, will
be to divert the vote of those States from
Breckenridge to Bell, we find Mr.. Douglas at
every point the persistent enemy OF any coali
ton with the Breckenridge democracy in the
North, a policy which, If followed up, can only
result in the election Of Lincoln by the solid
electoral vote Of the Northern States.
The plea Of Mr.. Douglas in support Of this
singular course on bis part is, that the Southern
Breckenridge democracy are scheming and reck-
less disunionists, and that the defeat Of their
candidate, therefore, is as essential to the peace
Of the country as the defeat OF Lincoln. But
as Lincoln cannot be defeated except through
the assistance Of the Northern Breckenridge de
mocracy, Mr.. Douglas, in repudiating this as
sistancei is simply laboring to elect Lincoln.
This can hardly be doubted when it is consider
ed that in no possible event can Mr. Douglas,
OF Nr. johnson, in the settlement Of this imbro-
Clio, become the next President Of the United
States.
The Douglas democracy OF the North, how
ever, in a choice between half loaf and no
bread at all, are very wisely inclined to take
he half loaf With Lincoln's election
they are at once adrift and without
local habitation or name; with Lin
coins defeat they are at once identified with
the victorious alliance which will thencefor
ward become the party in power. Grant that
in casting the election into Congress there will
be no choice OF President, for want OF time,
by the House is II not morally certain that, in
the Vice President who will be elected by the
antirepublican Senate, whether Lane or Eve
re,t we shall have President who will organize
bis administration upon the Union basis issues
and elements Of his elevation to the White
House.
Acuated by this idea, and properly esti-
mating the Southern disunionists 10 this can
vass as negative quantity, the Douglas
democracy Of this State and OF Pennsylvania
have shown . proper inclination TO come to-
gether in behalf Of the paramount object OF
Lincolns defeat. Here and there, however, o
few factious and wrangling Douglas and Breck-
inridge politicians continue to stand 10 the
way, upon what they call democratic princi.
pies when the only principle at stake Is that OF
the peace Of the Union against the disunion 'ir-
repressble conflict OF the republican party.
We apprehend that, from this state Of things
State elections, which come or on Tuesday,
the 9th instant, In Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana,
Iowa and Minnesota Ia all these States we
anticipate republican msjorities, excepting
Pennsylvania. She has the materials for Union
victory against the republicans these materi-
ais are combining upon Foster, the democratic
Union candidate for Governor, and with the
hope Of bis triumphant election. Thus Ia lSG0,
as in 1856, Pennsylvania may turn the tide Of
the battle. and settle In October the issue Of
the November election.
In the meantime the anu.republican factions
Of New York, laying aside all their paltry per.
scnal considerations 10 reference 10 Breckin
ridge or Douglas, or Bell. or in regard 10 Dean
Richmond, Dickinson, Washington liant or
BOBBY Brooks, or in relation to squaIter soye-
reiRnty or Conversational intervention or the