Year: 1860

The near approach of the time for hold
ing the great political Conventions, and
the turn which political affairs have re-
Gently taken in Connecticut and Rhode
Island, induce us to believe that word
addressed to conservative men may prove
not unacceptable or be deemed out of sea
son. We have greatly mistaken the signs
of the times If We err ip supposing that the
good will of the country is as little enlisted
in behalf Of Republicanism as its hopes are
likely to repose any longer in Democracy
These Organizations, to be sure, are neces-
sarily looked to as mediums of the express
ion Of public opinion, and mere partisans
will continue to cling to them with the
desperate tenacity Of their nature. But
the great mass of intelligent citizens are
i'll at ease, uncertain, shifting, ready to
turn this way or that, according TO the in-
dicatioDs Of the hour, and the prospect,
remote IL may be, Of the formation Of a
new party whose principles and whose
leaders may afford substantial guarantee
Of political purity and constitutional f
delity. When a people are thoroughly
awakened to sense of distrtist, If not Of
danger, it is not false Inference to assume
that the conservative sentiment is aroused.
and the mistake Of pointing moral based
on the assumption, if such it be, merely, is
not objectionable.


1t must be admitted that the centre Of
Republican strength is found in the New
England States. It's flank rests on the
West and North but the corps d'arnpes
is grouped in compact columns arouBd the
homes of its chiefs, Seward, Sumner, Hale,
Wilson. But. as we have just witnessed,
tho main boly and flower of the Republi-
can forces have been repulsed, if not de-
Geated, on their own ground. How is this
to be accounted for? A leading paper in
the interest of the Republican party says,
that the result of the Rhode Island election
was not Democratic victory, though it
was Republican defeat, and it states that
this defeat was due "not only to the CO.
operation Of the Americans and Old Line
Wings with the Democracy--but also 10
the accession of a considerable force of con-
serudtioe Republicans" This singular and
almost unprecedented amalgamation of all
parties, even Republicans themselves, in
opposing the regular nominee of the Re
publican party, is too significant to be
overlooked. 1t carries its moral on its
face. We venture to affirm that numerous
prominent politicians who have been so
hasty in leaning towards, if not affiliating
with the Republicans, are sorely puzzled
and confounded at this spectacle. Perhaps
they would not be unwilling to efface the
latest entries made on their records. And,
in view of the course which conservative
men are taking, we cannot wonder at their
useless desire to recall the imprudent past


With very bad grace indeed the Demo
cratic papers are trying to congratulate
themselves on the victory effected in Rhode
Island by the strange condition just men
toned. II is evident, however, that they
cannot and do not rely upon the coalition
as permanent one, TO be made available
next November. A Democratic journal.
now before us trusts that the victory in
Rhode Island furnishes an indication Of
popular movement at the North which
twill not hereafter prove delusive. Upon
this. however, we cannot rely at present
with implicit confidence. Although there
seems to be throughout the North at
present an inclination to make straight
out fight for and against the Republicans,
although the movement for the organiza-
ton of another opposition party is princi-
pally confined to the Southern States get
if this organization Of the South can be ef-
fectcd no one can doubt that IL toiU be er
tend"d Immediately IN suchsu manner as to
include A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE MIDDLE
MEN AT THE NORTH"


When such an admission comes from a
Democratic paper, and when that very
paper calls these same "midde men" "con-
serUative men, we cannot doubt that the
"signs of the times" indicate some great
change in the sentiments of the country
with reference to its existing political or
CARNATIONS. In what this change will be
demonstrated, or whether it will prove suf-
6ciently strong 20 demonstrate its power
over the strict rulings of party discipline.
it would be impossible now to predict with
any degree of certainty. The next month
will probably bring to light some important
developments in relation to the coming
Presidential contest Baltimore american.