The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-08-26

they must prefer an honest Obscurity to the un
grateful and demoralizing associations to which
they are at present condemned.
Mr.. Breckenridge fn TroubIe-Thc Presi
Dental DimcuIty and Its Solution.
| In another column we publish letter from
friend of Mr.. Breckenridge, written from thu
town in which he lives, indicating that gentle.
man Gin regard to rumors and statements nov
| in circulation of a most injurious character
| The writer states that "he is authorized by the
Vice President TO say that he will himself short
| ly reply to all these base charges and false as
sertions." We shall be very glad to hear from
Mr.. Breckenridge. Our columns are open Ia
him, and we hope he will do himself Justice
He is very good man personally, and an able
man; but be is identified and associated with O
great many men at the South who are as dan.
gerOus to the existence of the Union as are the
rankest aboltionists of the North. Let him cut
the connection as soon as possible Some OF
these men have played part in Congress just
as factious as the partisans Of Douglas, and Mr..
Breckinridge's Identification with them cannot
fail to do him injury with all who are devoted to
the Union and are determined to maintain its in
tegrity. The political niger drivers at the South
and the rabid niger worshippers at the North
are equally revolutionary and equally OBJ
noxious to the conservative masses of the coun.
try, who do not belong to either category.
For our own part we do not care for any of
the candidates. We have no prejudice against
them nor feeling in their favor. What we want
is to put down the republican party and pre-
vent it getting into the White House-an event
which would be fraught with danger to the
country, the forerunner Of revolution and the
ing of the mighty empire of the West, now felt
as a great tower on the earth, into contemplate
fragments of no account, the consequent inter-
necine feuds and horrible border wars, the de-
struction of the trade and commerce OF the
country, and the wide-wasting ruin of every in
terest of man. This peril we want to obviate
and prevent.
There is another thing we want to prevent,
and that is the throwing of the election into the
House of Representatives by the failure of the
college of electors to elect the President. Dud-
ley Field made great speech the other day at
Philadelphia on the danger of letting the cleo
ton 60 To the House, and the republican press
have made q great fuss about it. But il the
electors are impressed with due sense of the
weighty responsibility which devolves upon
them, they will enectuslly prevent this danger
by deliberately proceeding to elect President
in defiance of all the corrupt party conventions,
which ought to have no weight with any honest
citizen. They will select the best man, without
reference to any candidates nominated by con-
ventiops or fragments Of conventions, and, II
necessary, 60 outside Of these depraved and rot
ten organizations to seek for statesman who
is worthy of the honor and fit to be entrusted
with the destinies of the nation. The constiti-
ton never contemplated party conventions,
organized for the purpose Of forestalling the
free choice of the electors For many years
after the foundation of the government, and in
the brightest and purest days of its history,
there was no such unconstitutional machi-
merry to anticipate the action of the elec-
tors and secure the succession to one
of two or three individuals, who, either
in their own persons or through their friends
and agents, had intrigued for months and years
against the fair chances of better men than
themselves. The convention system is unknown
to the constitution, and the electors ought not
to be bound by it. The claims of the whole
country, the demands of patriotism, are stronger
than the dictates Of little cliques and cabals of
politicians, who would sacrifice all thngs-risk
even the destruction Of the country itself-for
made by electors under the mistaken idea of
party claims can be binding against the para
mount authority Of the constitution, and in the
presence Of an overmastering danger which
threatens the destruction Of the political fabric
The evident intention Of the constitution Is that
the members of the different colleges of electors
should not have their minds made up for or
against individuals beforehand but, after con
sulting together, and aided In their judgment by
the collision of intellect and the appeals Of pa.
triotism, should solemnly render their decision
as If they were upon jury who held 10 their
hands the issues of life and death of fellow
citizen.
Indeed, on the forthcoming occasion, the cleo
tors Of all the States ought to meet each other
at Washington, or some other central city, be-
fore the time appointed for returning the votes
to the President Of the Senate, and then aud
there select ct and proper chief magistrate,
agreeing to vote for the came at the meetings of
the electoral colleges in their several States on
their return home. Thus would unanimity be
preserved, and the election be prevented from
going into the House Of Representatives.
The simplicity of the constitution has been
set aside by the Vaccinations and devices of
party machinery, and the only safety in this
emergency Is to return TO first principles, and
overthrow the whole system Of conventions.
We trust the conservatives Of every section of
bo T-piop xsll holr ma To- sh;. ~~nos -.