The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-07

Tyres I'm the Abolition Ranks-TAeir
PropouatApn % Change the Great Poli-
tical Issue.
The new recruits in the sboliti0nized black
republican ranks, Hickman, Haskin, &C., be-
deve in their young zeal, that they can change
the great political issues upon which the veto
ran leaders of their party are strenuously fight
ing for victory.
We announced some time since their inten-
ton, as soon as the House of Representatives
was organized, to ask for the appointment of
investigating committees, with the special OBJ
ject Of aiming their inquiries at all the details
of the executive action of the President and the
Cabinet officers, and it is now stated that they
are about to move in the matter These tyros
In politics believe that certain investigating
committees aimed in 1910 at President Van
Buren, effected his defeat and the election of
President Harrison in that year, and that
similar measure now would produce similar
political results to those witnessed in that cam
paign. If their premises were true, the accom-
panying circumstances identical, and the posi-
ton Of the country and of parties the
same, there might be some appearance
of logic in their deduction. But these
young converts to black republicanism
exhibit the same ignorant contempt Of
the veteran leaders of the party, and of the ex-
perience which time in leadership gives, that
characterizes all cadets. In the zeal of their
new conversion they fondly believe that they
can set aside old issues, supersede old masters
in politics, and wheedle the multitudes into
change, as easily as they have been wheedled
into deserving the political camp where their
faction.
A cursory examination of the precedent they
cite, and of the present positions of parties and
the country, will show how little they compre
bend the existing state of affairs, and of the
probable results of the movement which they
believe will have some Importance. In 1910
there was no great issue before the country
Mr.. Van Buren, was candidate for renomina-
ton, and received it from his party on purely
personal grounds The parties had gone
through the long conflict between Jackson and
the United States Bank years before, and this
had been followed by the great commercial re-
vulsion of 1887, the explosion of the pet bank
system, and the ruin of many of the great ma
terial interests of the country. The con-
sentative feeling was aroused everywhere,
to which was added the desire for
any change amid the existing depression.
For want of political issue the attempt was
made to fasten the existing dissatisfaction per-
sonally upon Mr.. Van Buren,, the candidate for
reelection, and it was successful. Gen. Harri-
son, on log cabin and hard cider platform,
which meant nothing at all but anti-Van Blu
renism, was sung and swung into the Presi-
dency.
But how different is the present state of af-
fairs. Mr.. Buchanan is not candidate for re-
nomination, and positively refuses to take it.
The country is prosperous everywhere. Good
prices are obtained for the products of the soil
and Of labor, trade is profitable, speculation is
rife, and the conservative feeling, instead Of
desiring relief from change, is rapidly rising
in oppodtion to it. There is a great issue be-
fore the people, involving all the thought of
men, awakening their fears and thrilling with
electric touch every material interest in the
North and In the South. The veteran black
republican leaders are stimulating by every
possible means the fanaticism of their follow
ers. Helpers incendiary book is circulated
by them to every town, village and hamlet.
half dozen treason shops have been opened
in New York, where the moral poison is dealt
out over the counter. Those who cannot
afford half dollar for it, get it for q
quarter, and not customer il lost, even If it
has to be dealt to them gratis. Wendell
Phillips and Joshua 3. Giddings ill the
air Of New England and New York with
their rhetorical periods in favor of it Theo-
dore Parker philosophers on 1t from Rome
Sherman and Grow pour out their bitterness re-
garding it in Washington. Seward and Weed
plot, the political parsons howl, and the black
republican journals shrek continuously in the
cause
This is the state of things which Hickman,
Haskin, and q few more young beginners in
abolitionism, think they can change with their
popgun proposition aimed at the retiring states
manship of Mr.. Buchanan. They ignorantly
suppose that the year 1860 is but repetition
of 1910, and that personal attack directed at
that time against President who was candi-
date for the succession can be successfully re-
peated against one who refuses to accept a
nomination, and therefore is not in the fight.
But their shortsightedness goes even further
than this. They do not see that the course they
ask their new black republican friends to pur-
sue is direct attack on the veteran leaders of
that party. In clamoring for new and fool
ish issue, they proclaim, in fact, that Seward,
Phillips, Wilson, Theodore Parker, Chase, Sher-
man, Grow, and their fellow abolionists, do
not know what they are about, and are incom-
petent to lead the party they have organized.
dinU tho couf1dont a0oticun IF thooo