The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-21
NEW YORK HERALD MONDAY, JANUARY q, 1861

TIE PoLITIcAL JOURNALS AA0 iHA 9tAlA
ELECTIONS While the political payers % 'ne
MOI tn are becoming more strongly d. S'aea Oh
party lines in their opinions in regard ~ Tue
proper mode of settling the difficulties amer
which the country is now laboring, those at the
South have thrown away their partisan ami
mosities and are united on the one prevailing
sentiment, that that section the country must
secure and maintain the rights which were qua
ranteed to them when they became parties to
the confederation. The democratic journals of
the North have wisely obliterated, at least for
the present, the party division which was es-
tablisbed by the Charleston Convention, and
are now laborng TO convince the people that
if they would save the country some earnest
measures must be adopted, or some well defined
assurance given, to convince the South that
their rights in the Union and their privileges
under the constitution will not be ruthlessly
trampled upon. On the other hand the repub-
lcan papers are tomenting the excitement by
ridiculous jests and more ridiculous false state
meDts relating 10 the position Of the
Southern States They cry out "No
concessions" and urge upon their leaders and
repTes, ntatiyes in Congress to stand firm upon
The Chicsgo platform, even though II becomes
necessary to maintain its doctrines by the in
auguraton of intestine war md by the blood
Of thousands of our fellow countrymen.
There is no hope to be found in party leaders,
and the country must look elsewhere for its sal
walton. We must leave the wranglng politi-
clans in Washington to finish their fights in ac-
cordance with their tastes and inclinations and
direct our attention to the voice of the people,
as il will soon be heard through the ballot box
in three Of the Eastern States, at elections which
will be more important to the whole country
than any that have been held since the govern
ment was formed All that partisan traders
and demagogues have at stake are the fat offices,
present and prospective, while the great body
Of the people are the real stockholders Of the
country, and hold the peace, the prosperity
and the salvation of the Union at a price
far above the estimation Of the men who
are now occupying the balls Of Congress.
IN these elections the issues which arc to be
decided are more momentous than any that
have ever before been submitted to the judg-
ment OF the people. They are, on the one side
Cancellation and peace, and on the other black
rcpublicanism, the Chicago platform and civil
war. If the latter succeed, then indeed is the
country lost, because coercion would be sure
to follow, and when that commences the border
slave States, which are now hesitating, and
evincing such strong attachment for the Union,
will ho forcad IN take ono eida or tho othcr
They can then no longer occupy neutral po-
sition, but must throw their sympathies and
their power for or against their sister States Of
the South. The position they VIII take in the
event Of republican doctrines being pushed to
extremes does not even admit of a question.
Their strength will be added to the cause of
the South, and then will commence the war,
with sixteen States and two Territories, leav-
ing out those bordering on the Pacific, on the
one side, and fifteen States, with IN equal num-
Der Of Territories, on the other. We will ask
the people of Connecticut, New Hampshire
and Rhode Island, in which States elections are
near at hand, whether they are prepared for an
event like that?-whether they are ready to as
sist in bringing upon their country the disastrous
train of circumstances which is sure TO follow
civil war, or whether they will not at once tell
the partisan jugglers who have brought about
this trouble that they have gone far enough
If the Union i to be saved it must be done
now by the people themselves in their sovc-
reign capacity. And If those patriotic citizens
in New York and other places who are talk
ing Union so loudly and laboring to get up
monster petitions, which, when they reach the
halls Of legislation arc tumbled into the dark
vaults beneath the Capitols, would turn their
attention to these popular elections, the ship
of State may yet pass the rocks which now
threaten her and proceed on her prosperous
course before the close of the year.