The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-11-17
Manifesto OF the Free Soil Party.

Manifesto of the Free Soil Party.
From the WASHINGTON National Era, Nov 10, 1S4sl
The Presidential election Is ever, and General
TAYLOR is 10 be our President for the four years
commencing the 4th March next We are
not surprised Last June, one week after his no
minaiion we made certain calculations, crediting
HIM with nearly the precise number OF electoral
votes which have Just been cast for him. Some of
our democratic friends deemed US visionary; but
they will now admit the strength OF the grounds
on which we founded our predictions.
General Taylor possessed three great elements
OF availability. He was capital fighter, and had
won several brilliant victories; he was native
and citizen of the South, and belonged TO the class
of large shareholders; he was a no-party man, and
Throughout the campaign, was entirely uncommitted
upon any characteristic doctrine or measure of any
party. He was strong, not only in himself: but
by reason of the weakness of his principal OPP
ponent. General Cass was merely a civilian
he was a citizen OF the North, and a non-save-
holder: he was the author Of what is called the
Nicholson letter, which. while it failed to place
him on level with General Taylor in the conf
dence of the South, involved forfeiture of standing
at the North.
The election of General Taylor is IN accordance
with republican precedents IN this country; -
AT the close OF the year 1852, we shall have had
three non-saveholdng Presidents, each IN office
four years, and eight slaveholding Presidents,
whose united terms of Office will amount to fifty
two years AS the non-slavehoders constitute at
least twenty.nine thirtlehs of the whole voting
population, the inference seems pretty reasonable
that, not being able generally TO find men qualified
for Presidential office among themselves, they
have found II necessary to select from the small
class of shareholders who are born with the jus
d,rtnun,. Another inference equally reasonable
is, that, in the estimation of the three million
wing and democractc Christians and republicans
of the United States, there ls something II slave
holding peculiarly in harmony with institutions
founded upon the doctrine "that all men ere
created equal with ceTts in lnalienaB- rghts",Sc,.
Let us for moment glance at some OF the beas-
~ al nlA e.l.~~
1t has settled no principle: General Taylor
would not allow himself to be regarded as the
exponent or representative of any principles or
measuree.
the field as candidate before the wing conven-
ton assembled at Philadelphia. He declared re-
peatedly that he was not and would not be the ex-
elusive candidate OF any party. His nomination
which, so far from imposing any party obligations
upon him, torbore, In respect tor his declared p0-
Icy OF Recommendation, the expression of any
principles. The nomination made BY independ-
ents was endorsed by the whig cow ention, and at
the ballot box was ratified by majority of the
wing party, by native Americans, neutrals, and
many democrats.
What, then, are the gains of the wings IN this
Taylor triumph First, an assurance that, shOu Id
they be able to carry through both houses of Con-
gress bill for the repeal of the tariff of 1886 and
the renstituton Of that OF 1912, no executive veto
shall arrest the measure secondly, hope that, as
for his election, he may use the appointing mower
tor their special beEeflt.
But the hope may prove a groundless one and
the assurance Is no gain at ALL for the simple rea-
son that they will not be able to carry any such
bill through both houses OF Congress. There Is
one measure, however, which at the North they
profess TO regard as paramount, and which is more
likely to pass both houses than the repeal of the
tariff-we mean bill for the establishment of ter.
ritorial governments in New Mexico and Calitor-
MIA, with the antl-slavery proviso in lt-but they
have no assurance that such measure will not be
arrested by the executive Veto In other words,
they have the comfortable assurance that General
Taylor will not veto a bill that cannot pass, but
utter ignorance whether he will not veto one
OF still more Importance which may pass.
What else have they gained! Factltious ma
sonal popularity Of their adopted candidate, and
also in some OF the Northern States, IN conse-
quence of divisions among their opponents-ma-
joritles that will melt away as rapidly as they
have been gained.
But what have they lost The confidence of
large portions Of the American people In their
consistency, their honor their fidelity to their own
protested principles. They have lost many Of
their best and most influential adherents. They
have lost the first two wing States IN the Union,
Massachusetts and Ohio. Cass carries the latter
by ten thousand majority; the tree democracy
have possession of their citadel, the Western Re
serve; and old Massachusetts has gwen a MAORI
ty of twelve thousand against their candidate,
who, though he may receive the sanction of her
Legislature, has thus been repudiated by the peo-
pie.
But where are the democrats Routed-shame-
fully, ANONYMOUSLY routed-routed so effectualy
as to forbid the suppositlon that they can ever be
rallied on the same ground. or under the same
leadership They have hardly carried enough
in these States, with one or two exceptions, their
maorliIes are greatly reduced. In Ohio, they
triumph temporarily because the tree A dem %Ia
to the rank Of third party, and in Pennsyya-
MIA, their old stronghold, they are prostrated.-
Never have they sustained such defeat. To at
tribute it to such causes as the greater zeal and
better organization Of the wings, IS sheer nom
sense. Sour friends" says one of their papers,
"ln various States, have been mistaken IN their
calculations. They have deceived us, and we have
deceived others The wings owe their triumph,
zatlon, which has descended to private and dom-
ciiary visits; whilst the democrats, confidlng too
much in their strength, have not exerted the ne
cessa1y energy to counteract their efforts. II Is
not to be concealed, too, that they had that militia
~ ground swell which carries away many of the
people. 1t was supposed that this enthusiasm was
much abated as not to excite any serious tears.
In addition to these causes, there were numerous
wing vote beyond alculation-pecuniary means,
the influence of banking capitalists and manutac-
tuipg monopolists. But it is unnecessary at this
time to spe city the various other causes which
have led to our defeat"
This will satisfy no democrat. It Is notorious
that the party was not confident of success. It
had reason to apprehend defeat and resorted to all
the usual devices of politicians, when all ls at
stake to avert it. The democrats were Jealous,
watchful, laborious. They worked with the press
and with money, by letters and lectures, becom-
ing, like their wing opponents, all things to all
men. And after all, with real majority of voters
in the country, as tthe whole history OF the GO
vernment proves, they have sustained an unprece-
dented defeat The paragraph above overooks the
real causes of this catastrophe, with single ex-
ception: ''the military ground swell which carries
away so many neople." This, doubtless, had much
ed to prevously-the slaveholding relations Of the
wing candidate. But the principal cause Is to be
found in the false position In which the democra-
k,,. ell ah,1l aIr