The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-01-21

proceedings Ia, however, very curious enc,
inasnuch as MIR. Sherman says that when he dis
covers that his name stands as barrier to an
organization he will retire from the field. Con-
gress has now been in session eight weeks, and
up to this time Mr.. Sherman has been the only
republican candidate foe Speaker, aud despite
of the numerous votes which have been taken,
there has been no one elected to that ONCE.
Can be longer doubt that he Ia an obstacle in
the way Of an organization, and that he ought
to retires We shall see
The Republicans In Congress Cernered
by Thuraew Weeds Tactics.
The programme which the republican MI
nority In Congress are 90 persistently aud
factiously following out il one which was laid
down In this CITY last August It was con-
oocted by Thurlow Weed, Haskin, Fornsy, and
Sherman himself and the agreement entered
into was that Sherman should be Speaker,
Forney Clerk of the House, and Sam Bowles,
or some such person, Printer. The republicans
not only anticipated q majority, but even
hoped to secure, substantially. coalition Of
all Of the opposition elements In the House Of
Representatives. This was, however, before
the raid of John Brown into Virginia, and be-
fore the Specification Of the Helper pamphlet
had become generally understood.
IF Browns invasion had not taken place, or
had been deferred few months, there is little
doubt that the immediate ends of Messrs.
Weed, Forney and their friends would have
been gained, and Congress have been at once
organized, under their auspices. A solid
groundwork would thus have been laid for Mr..
William II. Stewards nomination to the Presi-
dency. Helpers pamphlet would have pro-
badly escaped notice for the time, or have
been regarded as the mere distractions Of
fanatic. The logical as well as chrome
logical order, however, in which the ''irrepres-
sibie conflict" speech at Rochester; the wide
dissemination of the "Impending Crisis under
the auspices Of sixsy-eight members of Con-
e,ess, and the niurderous foray at Harper's
Ferry, succeeded each otbes made it evident
that they were all alike parts OF the same prac.
teal scheme Of treason. The eyes of the coun-
try were opened, and the success of Weeds
combinations of last summer rendered an i'm
possibility.
Nevertheless the republican members Of the
nouss VI Representatives, mindless Of changed
circumstances, have been instructed not to
abate from their instructions one jot, not even
to adopt any new plan of battle, but to adhere
to the very crudest stupidities in political en-
cheering. By this course they have more and
more deeply each day identified the entire re-
publican party with the John Brown slaughters,
and their more moderate friends in the North
are becoming terrified at being justly held re.
sponsible for such acts. The democrats see
this; so do all Of the conservative, national men
in Congress; and they have, therefore, with
great foresight and wisdom, nailed their own
colors to the mast. At the same time they COM
pei their adversaries to remain in an unfortu-
nate, disgraceful attitude, where they are be-
coming the scorn and Laughing stock of all
who despise bad and inefficient generalship.
Had the republican leaders comprehended
their position they would have Instantly
changed front, after the outrage upon Virginia
and the South had been committed, Sherman
and all of the endorsers of Helpers book
would have been dropped, and, with the tact
that the occasion required, Gilmer or Hick-
man, or some such man, would have been put
into the Speakers chair by an overwhelming
majority. They would then have had control
of all of the committees, and could have forti-
fed themselves impregnably by searching
work through Investigating committees into
the endless series of frauds, populations and
robberies which have disgraced the various de-
partments of the federal government under de-
mocratic administrations The Issues before
the country would have been changed, and
they would have attained field of action
where they conld have combatted with nearly
certainty Of victory
Such miserable Leadership would be inexpli-
cable, excepting on the superstition that Weed
and Seward will allow no rivalry with their In
terests in the republican party. It is, in fact,
manifest that, divided as the republicans are
with respect to the relative claims of indi-
viduals for the Presidency, the factions existing
in their ranks would more than overthrow Mr..
Seward if they were permitted to become
united And this Mr.. Stewards friends are
fully determined to prevent, by adhering to the
rule or ruin policy with which his name is
identical They are resolved that either Mr..
Seward shall be the next President of the Uni
ted States, or that the party to which they be-
long shall be broken into fragments This is the
true explanation of the false position of the re-
publioans in Congress, and of the moral as
tendency, becoming daily more invincible, of
their national opponents
IMPORTANT FROM EURoPE-The Circassian
which arrived at St. Johns yesterday, has
brought US two days later intelligence from
Europe The news thus received is suggestive