The New York herald., 1863-01-25
/ Tho Reign OF Terror At Alsany-whas

The Reign OF Terror at AIbany-What
Ncxty
The dsgraceful and demoralizing scenes In
the Assembly at Albany yesterday cannot be
analysed without the most fearful forebodings
They wildly remind US of those turbulent pro-
ceedings in the French National Assembly
under Louis XVI, which eliminated in the
Jacobin Club, and its bloody Reign Of Terror
The inquiry very naturally, therefore, and in
eyitably forces itself upon us, are not we drift
ing to the same terrible state Of chaos we, the
people Of New York, and of the loyal States OF
this Unionss We had some such scenes ~ these
OF Albany in the protracted struggle three
winters ago for Speaker of the House OF
Representatives at Washington, and we now
know that those violent outbreaks of sectional
passions were the premonitory symptoms OF
the exhausting civil war in which we are now
involved.
|. The factious, lyiolent and revolutionary ep-
position OF portion Of the democratic
members of the Assembly to Mr.. Callieot,
as the republican candidate for Speaker,
will surely operate to the prejadice
ofthe democratic party, as The psrty'ofI law and
order. and Union and barmony. Admitting thai
Mr.. Callicot has been bought by the republi-
cans, that the Speakership OF the Assembly Is
the price at which they have bought him, it does
not follow that, If fair means are insufficient
foul means may be adopted to defeat him; 1t
does net follow that the rowdyism Of Tammany
Hall may be introduced into the State Legisla-
tare. If the democracy choose to send up rep
resentatives to Albany who can be bought and
sold. It devolves upon the party TO take the
consequences. There il no Qualification for vio-
lence or personal intimidation, where legitimate
parliamentary tactics fall in case like this Of
Mr.. Callicot
But it must be admitted that these demoraliz-
ing proceedings among the democracy at Alba
ny are from the contagious influences of the
revolutionary scenes through which we have
been passing during the last two years. In the
numerous unlawful and unjustinable arbitrary
arrests and imprisenments of individuals made
during the last eighteen months by the authori-
ties at Washington we have the examples Of that
disregard Of constitutional restrictions which
il beginning to manifest itself in other quarters,
and,in various forms, and in more than one Of
our loyal States. We have been informed thai
had single democratic vote in the Pennsylva.
mia Legislature been cast for General Cameron
for United States Senator, that that vote would
have been followed by scenes of bloudshed and
confusion at Harrisburg. From New York to
Illinois it is easy to perceive that the popular
elements opposed to our present federal admin
istration are terribly in earnest in their opposi
ton to the arbitrary and unconstitutional ex-
tremitics into which it has been drawn by the
Jacobin abolition faction.
President Lincoln will act wisely in paying
some attention to the present tendencies of pub
lie sentiment in the North. They are too sig.
nifcant and serious to be treated with indiffer-
ence. They are dangerous and combusti-
BILE, and require delicate handling. In
these alarming scenes at Albany we have
only the outcropping of an extensive un-
derlying popular feeling in referenc to the
dominant abolition faction at Washington and
its destructive war policy. The Northern cleo
tions Of last October and November were but a
faint expression of public opinion compared
with that which would be given were those
cioCSiOub W % Icpoutco WN0y. V0 WOuAu
earnestly advise President Lincoln to the
policy Of cosciliating this predominant anti
abolition sentiment Of the loyal States-we
would urge him to invite. it, support by an
effort to restore its confidence in hs admlnistra-
ton. This ia his way Of safety, while the ultra
abolition programme which he is now pursuing
is the broad down-hill road to destruction.
We cannot contemplate these extraordinary
manif festations Of revolutionary spirit in our
State Legislature without the gravest appre-
tensions. We look at them as foreshadowing
greater evils soon to come upon US Of the loyal
States, unless something shall be done in season
to calm the troubled elements of public
opinion. The very air is charged with rcvo-
lutionary whispers. We have ceased to hope
for the speedy restoration of the Union, and
are becoming really fearful of the signs Of o
threatened state of anarchy, North and South,
like that of Mexico. We hope and pray that
President Lincoln may be inclined earnestly to
consider the signs Of the times, and to act ac-
cording to the exigenciss Of the day.
ABOLITION PREDicTIoNs vEarFrED.--When the
radicals were urging the President to issue the