The New York herald., 1864-02-22

opened lower but finally closed at about previous
prices. Hog products without decided change
wbskey firm. but not active. Freights deci-
dedy better, rather quiet American in
better favor, and command nearly high rates
British vessels Several packets ready sail dctain.
cd for want OF crews, and advance OF hundred
dollars per man was raid on Saturday to complete list.
Cotton was dull and heavy. Groceries generally
quiet and without especial change. Petroleum quiet
and shade lower.
The P1esidency-rh The Opportunity and
the Ticket for the People.
In the very beginning of the Presidential
agitation of 1864 we have the important fact
disclosed that. from the divisions and confu-
sion prevailing in our regularly organized po-
! litical rty camps. there is an inviting op-
portunity for an independent election by the
people.
The republican Presidential party Of 1860
| has ceased to exist. Its mission-the exclusion
of slavery from the Territories-was fulfilled
with Abraham Lincoln's election. South Caro-
lima go understood and accepted the result in
defantly seeding from the Union one month
afterwards, in pursuance Of Q preconcerted
programme for Southern confederacy. The
whole thing had been nicely c0ntrived under
Mr.. Buchanan's consenting administration, and
thus Mr.. Lincoln and his party and the loyal
States, with the retirement of the imbecile Blu.
chanau, were called upon to face a'forinidsble
Southern conspiracy, organized as an independ-
ent confederacy, and armed, ready and eager
| for war. The new administration, in behalf Of
the integrity of the Union. accepted the issue Of
war, and for time all opposition in the loyal
States was hushed by the spontaneous and in
dignant uprising Of their people in the cause Of
the Union. Thus from the great New York
war meeting in Union square in April, 1861,
in which even that now deluded peace man,
Fernando Wood, participated, down to the
show in any Of the loyal States of any serious
opposition to the administration.
But the extraordinary war measures adopted
in 1862, including the unconstitutional emanci-
patton and confscation acts of Congress. and
the sweeping and alarming arbitrary arrests and
imprisonments made under the secret orders
of the State Department and the War Office
alarmed the conservative elements OF the loyal
States; and next, the military blunders, fail
urcs and disasters Of the administration raj
lied these conservative elements into power
ful opposition movement. The general result
was a significant political reaction, involving
the defeat Of the administration In all the great
| Central States from New York to Illinois The
Northern democracy in these elections. upon
| their simple platform Of the constitutional
rights OF the people and vigorous prosecu-
ton of the war, had the way to success in
| 1864 clearly pointed out to them But their
factious peace leaders, such as vallandighaui,
the two Seymours. the two Woods and the two
Broohses, would not have ii so, and dragged
their party after them into the dismal swamp
of peace with JEFF Davis at any price, in which
they were completely cut to pieces and de.
molished as party in the elections Of 1863.
Thus broken up routed and scattered to the
four winds, we find to-day the dislocated
| fragments Of the Northern democracy
and their conservative allies from the rump
of the old Know Nothing concern.
In the hope, perhaps, that something
| may turn up" in the interval to their advan-
tage. we next find . Democratic National
Convention appointed at Chicago for the 4th
of July. We presume, however, that the
"shent- -per-shent'' administration OF the effects
of the defunct party, following the invariable
matter Of fact policy Of the tribe, will call
this convention together on the GLORIOUS
Fourth" only to knock it down to the highest
bidder excepting yallandigham, who has been
declared Ineligible for 1864 by the late deci-
sion Of the Supreme Court
And how stands to-day the so-called repub-
lican party? 1t has undergone so many trans
formations since 1860 that we cannot undertake
to conjecture in what shape it will next appear.
1t will suffice for the present that II is oil adrt.
1t is divided into three principal factions-the
Lincoln faction, the Chase faction and the
Fremont faction, and various little cliques.
The Lincoln faction is working actively to
supersede national convention; the Chase fac.
tion, as will be seen by its first campaign mani
festo, published to-day In another column,
Is engineering to secure and control a con-
vention; while the Fremont faction, Of the out
and-out German radicals, is organizing for the
specific purpose Of defeating the nomination or
the election Of both Honest Old Abe" and his
ambitious Secretary or course, from such q
state Of things In the administration and In the
opposition camps, we have the prospect before
US Of demoralising, dangerous and revolu-
tionary scrub race misfortune which 1t b.
comes the duty Of the people TO avoid By pro-
! viding for . smooth, harmonious and satisfsc-
) tory election.
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