The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-07-01
The Barnburners-- Their Position Their Last
PrOnunclnm ent0.

The Barnburners-TheirP Position Their Last
PrOnunciamsnto.
The movement commenced by the barnburner.
of this State being of great importance in the
present state of the country and of parties we have
spared pains trouble in fully explaining it in
the columns of this journal. We accordingly pub
lished reports of John Van Buren's speeches, on
several occasions ex-President Van Buren, letter
to the Utica Convention; full report of the pro-
ceedings and nominations of that convention; and
to-day, we publish In our columns, the promumcia-
mento OF that convention, to all good and true
barnburners, in this and all other States, on the
earth, over the earth, and in the waters under the
earth-out of which il is supposed Mr.. Van Buren,
has been fshed by some of the faithful, with a
hook baited with the Presidency.
| This pronunciamento is curious and remarka-
BILE document. 1t embraces, in full, the principles
advocated by the new party called bambumers,
and contains clear exposition of their doctrines
and position. 1t purports to explain the causes
that compelled them to hoist a separate standard
repudiate the proceedings of the Baltimore Con-
vention, and nominate candidates of their own for
the Presidency and Vice Presidency. 1t is from
the pen of the Hon. Benjamin F. Butler, or Citizen
Butler, as he has been dubbed by the new party
The opinions and views promulgated in it, attract
prodgious deal of attention, and are looked upon
as OF great Importance in this part of the country,
and soon will receive equal attention in other parts
of the Union, especially in the North and East.
The importance OF the movement, however,
is much overrated, in consequence of Mr..
Van Buren's personal connection with it,
and from the fact Of his beng nominated
fbao dot Nfs h. ..
the smallest feature about it. 1t has, in fact, gwen
Importance to him, and not he to it. This attempt,
on the platform of the Wilmot proviso, and ulti-
mately to embody the whole ant-slavery sentiment
of the North, has given to Mr.. Van Buren, person
ally an importance which he does not deserve,
and degree of consequences dangerous conse-
quence-which he has never heretofore possessed
In any of the various positions which he has been
placed in before the country. 1t Is like digging
him out of the retirement of Lindenwald, as geo.
logiss dig beneath the earth for some curious and
extraordinary fossil remain, to attract the notice
of philosophers and spectators. It is like exca-
waiting the mountains for saltpetre and sulphur, to
furnish materials for general explosion of con-
tinent.
And why all this Importance to Mr. Van Buren,
AS man, he utterly destitute of public princi-
ple of any kind For a long neriod of his life he
occupied bold and manly Southern ground on the
slavery question, and he never saw or acknow-
lodged any immoral tendency in that position, un-
til he defeated by Southern influence, and re-
stored to his private residence on the banks of the
Hudson river, as one whose public life was for
ever finished and sealed up. But he has changed
that position; and from knowledge of the circum-
stances and of his past history, together with the
course which he is now pursuing, the conclusion
is irresistible that he has meditated it ever since
his defeat in 1874, and on the nomination being
again rendered to him IN 1S4S. All the letters
which have come from him, and all the develope-
ments which have been made, within the last two
years, show that he held himself in reserve for
| the nomination in Baltimore and it being with
held from him, and given to another and more po-
pular man. Mr. Van Buren,, with his personal
DeehtfNcal friends, has thrown himself into
this new movement-this terrible current, this
dangerous rapid-combining, it does, all the mo-
raj and immoral sentiment, floating through the
Northern States, in hostility the slavery institu-
tons of the South He and his party have, indeed,
planted themselves on the principle contained in
the Wllmot provlso, as fulcrum on which to use
their lever; but that is all nonsense-a mere baga-
their journals, their speeches, their letters, and il
the proceedings Of the convention at Utica. i
amounts to one thing only, and that is, to form I
great Northern party, for the first time in the hsto
ry of the country, in opposition to the Southern
States, on the institution of slavery.
This movement acquires greater force, and NOR
interest, and additional DANGER from the fact tina
the Southern members of Congress, of both of tn
old parties, assume position directly opposite t
that assumed by the barnburners. They take thei
ground broadly on the platform of slavery, and OF
its extension to the new territory acquired from
Mexico by the treaty which has recently been rati
fed Mr. Calhoun boldly, decidedly and deter
minedy marks out this policy, and is followed il
the same strain by Mr.. Berrien, of Georgia, win
seldom chimes in with Mr.. Calhoun. He llkewis
takes bold, plain Southern ground, openly an,
above-board. Yet Mr.. Berrien is whig, and
supporter of General Taylor's nomination. In ad
dition TO this, find that the discontinued journal
in this region of the country, which have hereto
fore been in favor of General Cass, have repudia
ted him, and are assuming the position taken b.
? this Northern party, which Is being organized o.
anti-slavery ground. The Tribune, heretofore
leading wing journal, jumps into the new move
ment with ecstacy, rejoices that the question q
slavery has at length come up, and that New Yor
has uttered her sentiments through Mr.. Dix. 1t
probable, therefore, that the Disconnected wings c
Z New York, with the odds and ends of all pare
which entertain feelings of hostilityto the Soutf
will unite in the Northern movement, and organic
vast and terrible party on anti-savery principles
! ground Of opposition that may lead to unuttera
bic danger to the country at large.
The convention the disconnected wings at Wol
cester, has evolved new feeling on the subjec
and the applause and shouts in favor of Mr.. Va
/ Buren,, and of the position which he has taker
: may be looked upon a foregone conclusion, thu
. there will be a vast accession of force to TIL
{ movement from Massachusetts and other Eas