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

the most important witness tney oan summon
Is the District Attorney, and let him be care
fully enjoined to bring all his papers before
them.
The Agitation In tho South and tho DIs-
organixation OF the House-Fhcir Sad
Fruits e Northcra Interests.
We give In another column an important
letter from Senator Clay, of Alabama, on
the pending question of the day, and the rights
and duties Of the Southern States in relation
to it.
The journals and leaders of the abolition
lied republican party are endeavoring to hood
wink the people Of the North as to the real
Importance Of the question which is agitsting
tho country, from the lakes to the Gulf Of Mexi-
co, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean,
and to the inevitable result which its decision
must bring to every interest in tho North a.
we'll as In the South. That reeult will be the
restoration Of peace and confidence, if the
policy of equal protection TO the rights of ell
is established as the policy of the federal go
vernment; but If the aggressive tendencies Of
tho blackrepublican party prevail, then will
come to the industrial, commercial and material
interests of the Union that division into North
ern and Southern sectionalism which has al
ready divided the churches and the political
parties of the land. When this Is accomplished
civil war will not only be at hand, but 1t will
be irrepressible in its coming 1t is this CON-
viction that is at this moment preventing the
organization Of the House of Representatives,
by banding together the members of the South
in sufficient numbers to prevent by all proper
and parliamentary means the passage of the
plurality rule, which would be equivalent TO
the election Of Sherman fer Speaker.
And they are right, perfectly right, in SO
DOUG. The question for them is o question OF
life or death for themselves their wives, sisters
and children, and for the entire social fabric o.
the Southern States. For Eve and twenty years
few fanatics in the North have been advocat
ing the adoption of their abstract and iit-con-
sidered notions, as the guiding policy of 60
'SA-----t, - aaAanca Of evarv nrinninIA If
logical right and existing ties and interests in
society. They have preached crusade of the
most bigotted, violent and destructive kind,
against Southern men and the institution OF
slavery in the South. They have characterized
the social Organization in those States as "the
sum Of ell villanies." Every crime in the
decalogue has been justified IL committed by q
slave. Theft, arson, murder, rebellion and
massacre have been counselled and abetted
and glori6ed when the perpetrator was negro.
These theories have now been taken up by
Cauora or1orood hv Chorcrac srS csx<r .nrov,
of his companions in Congress, and endeavored
to be put in practice by John Brown. It may
be and it may not be true that the practical
operations at Harper's Ferry came little
sooner than the black republican party aud it's
leaders desired. Some of them, bat not all,
and not even the majority, hesitate to claim
John Brown a. their apostle, martyr and saint,
and assert that they desire to destroy the South
and its institutions only through and by the
law.
It matters little whether they attain their
end by wrestling the law to their purposes, or
by defying the Law, as several of the black re-
publican State Legislatures have done in the
case of the Fugitive Slave law. The results
will in either case be the same. The South
must defend its rights, its interests, its pro-
perry and the lives and homes of its people.
1t must resist the efforts Of the abolitionists to
obtain control of the law making power; and
the first step in this resistance is to prevent the
election of Sherman as Speaker, who has placed
bis hand and seal to the bloody counsels of
Helper, and now refuses to withdraw them
upon simulated point of honor, and only as
part of bargain by which he hopes to obtain
Office and power. In times of great public
danger there is no point Of honor, nor any
bargain thirst with the true patriot. The love
Of the common veal overwhelms all scruples
and all desire for compensation.
But the election of Sherman, by whatever
means obtained, can only increase the popular
agitation in the South, and augment the danger
to every Northern interest The industrial
and commercial separation between the North
and the South will receive from 1t mighty
impulse. 1t will begin by the cessation Of the
use of Northern luxuries, to be followed by the
stimulus of home production and direct impor-
tation of necessaries, and the demand of specie
for the cotton, sugar and tobacco which North
ern industry and Northern needs must obtain
from the South. Such action as this, even
AZ Il II T.