The New York herald., 1870-03-07
The ADDroachhg Political Cansaisn-Tss
New Labor Reform Party.


paign. The signal gun will be fired to-mor-
row in the New Hampshire election. It's ap-
| pretended, too, that in that quarter the two
| guerilla factions, known as the temperance
party and labor reform party, will somewhat
disarrange the local plans and general calcula-
tions of the republicans. In any event the
political campaign of 1870, which will be
opened in New Hampshire tomorrow, will be
| in its results of the highest Importance, in
reference to the Presidential succession and the
dominant party under the next administration.
The Congressional elections Of this year
determine the political complexion of the next
House of Representatives, and upon that
House, in the event OF an indecisive scrub
race for the next, Presidency, may depend the
election for the succession. And why not
scrub race in 1872 as well as in 1924? The
year 1924, the last of Monroe's administration,
'the era of good feeling" was marked by
new organization of parties. The old federal
anti-war party, under many defeats,
had gradually melted away, and the
old republican party, under Monroe, had full
filed its mission. Thus it was said that the
people were call republicans and all federal
lists" under Monroe. Out of this happy state
of things, however, four Presidential factions
came into the field in 1S24-the factions OF
Jackson, Adams, Crawford and Clay. The
election was thrown into the House and Adams
was chosen. The results were charge of
''bargain and sale" against Clay by the friends
Of jackson, and the fusion of the factions of
1924 into the Jackson and the Adams parties
of 1928. Thus the late dominant democratic
party and the powerful whig party were
brought into existence-Genera al Jackson being
the founder and dictator of the one and Henry
Clay the embodiment Of the other.
The slavery agitation-''the almighty mig
ger"-was the ruin Of both these parties. It
demolished the whig party in 1852 because Of
Its disturbing anti-slavery affiliations, and it
broke into pieces the democratic party in 1860
because of its rampant, domineering, pro-
slavery, dsunion and secession excesses and
tendencies. 1t is probable that the Southern
democratic pro-slavery ultimatum Of secession
would have been tried in 1856 but for the
interposition Of third party-the Know Moth
ing or American movement, under Fillmore
which cleared the way in Pennsylvania and
Indiana for Buchanan. In 1860 this third party
had disappeared, and the democracy, broken
up North and South, between Douglas and
Breckinridge, on slavery, opened the way for
Lincoln and the new republican party, boldly
marching under the ensign of s'No further
extensions of slavery" into any of the Terri
tories of the Union.
Then came secession and the Southern pro-
slavery rebellion. Next, in the midst of the
war, came the reelection of Lincoln on the
merits of his proclamation, as a Union war
measure, declaring slavery abolished in the
rebel States. Next came the contest between
Congress and Andy johnson on Southern
reconstruction, in which johnson was baffled
and beaten at all points. Next the election Of
General Grant on the reconstruction measures
of Congress as issues settled by the war; and
| now, at the beginning of the second year of
Grants administration we have the settlement
of all these issues of reconstruction-the aboli-
ton of slavery, the enlargement of citizen
ship and equal civil and political rights, regard
less Of race or color, fixed in the constitu-
tion-sthe supreme law of the land" So
completely has this amazing revolution been
carried out that citizen Of African descent
now sits in the Senatorial chair left vacant in
1861 by jeff Davis.
Thus, saving Mormon polygamy-a mere
incidental issue which is settling itself-the
mission of the present republican party is
fulfilled. It has no other platform now than
General Grants administration, and General
Grants policy is the mild metheglin policy Of
peace, economy, retrenchment, reform and the
execution of the laws. He has evidently
resolved to make good record Of his admin
istration of the Treasury; and his first years
report Of nearly one hundred millions rsduc-
ton of the public debt, as compared with the
deficit of the last year of Johnson, is some
thing to be proud of. So is the appreciation
of the government note bearing the image of
Secretary Chase to within thirteen or fourteen
cents Of the gold dollar. SO is the fair pros
pect of an early resumption Of specie pay
ments and steady extinction of the debt,
and steady reduction Of our national taxes,
without any very serious shocks or fluctuations
in our financial general business affairs.
Upon this exhibit, and with the democratic
party still adrift, the republicans, under the
banner Of Grants administration, one would
think, have but little to fear in the elections
for the next Congress We understand, how
ever, that this new labor reform party Of New
Hampshire is part of an extensive organiza-
! ton working with view to the next Presi-
dency; that it counts upon all the trades
| unions Of the country that in Governor Geary,
of Pennsylvania, it has already singled out it's
Presidential candidate, and that it Actually
calculates npoh welding the balance Of power
in the election. If, therefore, these labor re-
formers show any sipns of sfrenpth In tho