The New York herald., 1869-06-09

| Gus.
| The active managers of the republican party
it is said, have resolved upon the agitation of
the Alabama claims on the ul timatum sug-
| gested in Senator Summers speech as the
leading issue in the approaching fall elections.
All the old issues of the last eight years having
been settled or used up, it is cOntended that
unless the republicans can bring forward some
new proposition appealing powerfully to the
| popular sentiment of the country the party
will fall to pieces. Hence this project Of
bringing the Alabama claims into the fore
ground. The idea is not bad one as party
| movement. Since the American war of inde-
pendence every political agitation of hostility
to England has been winning card with the
American people. Jefferson and the old re-
publican party came into power in 1900 as the
anti-English party against the federalists as
the anti-French party. The republican party,
thus coming into the possession of the govern
ment, was 80 greatly strengthened by the war
Of 1912 against England that the federal or
British party became at once powerless mi
nority, and from that time getting weaker and
weaker till 1920 it wholly disappeared in the
second election of Monroe.
In 1924, the federalists being merged with
the republicans, new organization of parties
was initiated in the Presidential scrub race of
that year between Jackson, Adams, Crawford
and Clay. This election was thrown into the
House, where it resulted in the choice of
Adams, as was charged, by 'sa bargain and
sale" between Adams and Clay. Upon this
cry Jackson was brought out again in 1928,
and upon his victory of New Orleans over
the British, against Adams as the so-called
British party candidate, Old Hickory was
triumphantly elected 1t was the strong
popular feeling Of the country of hostility to
England, intensified by the capture of Wash
ington and the burning of the national Capitol
in 1914, that gave to Jackson his great popu-
larity; and thus the Jacksonian democratic
party came into power. Nor could this party
be ousted until, in 1910, the wings took up
General Harrison as their candidate, man
who had also gained his victory over the
British in the war Of 1912. Thus the great
gun of the democracy as the anti British party
was spiked, and they suffered smashing
defeat.
But in 1874, on the cry of ''Texas and
Oregon-ffty-fou forty or fight "a war
with England)-the democratic party came in
again; and in 1s4S they were again beaten,
this time by General Taylor, not only as the
hero of Buena VISTA lxit as hero of the war
of 1912 against England. From Taylor down
to the election of Lincoln the slavery question
swallowed up all other questions in our politi-
cal contests; but even upon the slavery ques-
ton the democrats used to some purpose the
cry that the abolitionists were but the tools of
England, bought by British gold, to assist in
her grand design of breaking up the Union on
the slavery agitation. This, because 1t was
substantially true, was always a strong card
for the democrats.
From the outbreak Of our Southern rebellion
down to this day it has been the good fortune
of the republicans to stand as the Union war
party against the South, against the Northern
democratic party and against England. The
republicans thus hold the inside track on these
Alabama claims, and in agtating the settle
ment involved in Senator Summers exposition
they have nothing to lose, but everything to
gain. As Jackson upon his glorious slaughter
of the British redcoats at New Orleans secured
the Irish vote Of this country to the demo-
cratic party, so, now, a republican party move
ment promising a difficulty to England, which
will be Irelands opportunity, may win the Irish
vote and leave the forlorn democracy hard
aground.