The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-08-28
The Coatest in virEinia-Ignoran nee OF
tho Politicians OF the True Issue.

The Cootet in Nirgtnia-IgnOran nee Oi
tho Politicians OF the True Issue.
The campaign in Virginia has fairly opened
| and the speeches of Senators Hunter and
Douglas, which we published yesterday, show
the petty calibre Of the contest between the
two fragments Of the old democratic party, and
the limited range of the artillery they have
brought into the field. Ex-Governor Foote has
also been there; but be only succeeded in get
ting into one Of those wordy contests for which
he is celebrated, and which, after all, amount
TO nothing.
Hunter and Douglas are the representative
men thus far of the democratic factions, and
their respective capacities as public men are not
dissimilar. Neither OF them possesses power
Of generalization which would enable him to
perceive the true character of the revolu-
ton through which the country is passing;
and, therefore, in the great fight now
going on, they have little ability to
hurt any one but themselves. They have not
the calibre necessary to comprehend and direct
the storm which is raging. Instead of contem-
plating the deepest and most vital interests of
confederation of thirty millions of people,
and embracing continent in its territory, they
have both accepted some imaginary little Ro-
| binson Crusoe's island as the scene. and the
question of squatter sovereignty az the ISSUE
Of one of the greatest conflicts in which free
people was ever engaged. On this they bring
their restricted intellects to bear, and, working
away in the old and beaten paths of tram
melted party organization, neither of them pre-.
SCENTS a new idea, or exhibits any cognizance of
the new events which are developing around
them.
The squattcr sovereignty fight is fight that
existed in the old democratic party organiza-
ton, but it has no connection with the political
issue now before the American people. There
are two reasons which make it part OF the
dead past, either Of which would be suaisient to
kill il In the estimation of every public man
possessing grip in his Intellectual grasp. First,
the democratic party does not now exist; il has
no followers among the people; and if the men
who once played an important part in its Or
ganization could settle the abstraction upon
which they quarrelled, they would then form
nothing but an empty shell, like that which the
old whig and other party leaders have pre-.
sented to the world for years after their parties
have ceased to exist Second, the principle,
after they had settled it, could not be applied
10 a single square mile Of territory within the
limits Of the confederation. They would have
to seek some Robinson Crusoe territory where
to apply it Slavery cannot be legislated into
any territory unfit for it, as has been abun-
dainty proved in the case OF Kansas; nor can
white or free negro labor be legisiated into
existence in climates and on soils not adapted
to IL This question has been settled by natural
causes, which are superior 10 all the efforts of
men.
There is an issue before the country, porten-
tous in its aspect which the people are rising
10 meet, unbidden and without leaderships,
while the old political leaders are wasting their
time in petty quarrels over obsolete ideas 1t
IL the issue Of the supremacy or the subsection
Of faction in our national councils. For twenty
years a set Of monomaniacs, calling themselves
";he Massachusetts, school" but drawing their
IDEAS from Exeter Hall, George Thompson and
the rest OF the British abolitionists, have been
organizing and banding together in the North,
gathering strength from holding the balance Of
power between political parties, and adherents
from The breaking up Of old organizations, until
now they are emboldened TO make rush to
seize the sovereign powers Of the government
and WELD them for their own factious purposes
On the other hand, set Of equally shortsghted
fools in the South set themselves up as the true
opponents Of This Northern faction, with threats
ofsecession ard the slogan of disunon creating
another party to play into the hands Of its
Northern fellow. In view Of this state of things
q third faction rises up in California, with the
fallacy Of separation and a great Pacific empire
while q fourth broods over a secession Of
Texas and the conquest Of half dozen of the
Northern Mexican States, TO make a fourth
great confederation.
Heaven only knows how many other schemes
Of this Kind are brooded over by the spirit OF
faction, now 20 rife among the leaders Of poll
teal organizations, who thrust themselves for.
ward, some as railsplltters like Lincoln. and
others - haiSpli,tsrs, like Hunter and Douglas,