The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-02-06
ALBANY, Feb 3, 184s.
a Glimpse at the Divisions in the Democratic
Partu-The ResuHs of those Dirisiona

Party-The Results of those Divisions
The position OF the State of New York being re-
garded at the present moment with intense inter-
est, we have taken some pains to ascertain the
causes of the division in the democratic ranks
in this State, and the probable results to which
these divisions will lead.
The main differences heretofore between the
two branches OF the party have arisen on the
question Of State banks, internal improvement,
and the tariff. Messrs. Mircy, Croswell and
Corn ing, have generally advocated the charter
Of numerous State banks, and the prosecution of
works of internal improvement, and the estab-
lishment of a high tariff So recently as win
ter before last, for instance, Messrs Cros-
well and Corning made journey to Wash:
law of 1886: Mr.. Marcy, through his con-
nection with his father-in-law, Mr. Noah,
was always largely interested In protective
tariff; and all these gentlemen, as the suoscrip-
created The contractors who were inter-
ested in internal improvement, and whose
fsvorite leader was Governor Bouck, joined
ss, , f9r'e: %a M o Hb 0,o'ws II M.e es
(ths Secretary Of War; and an intimate
union existed between the interests of the con-
tractors, the, tariffites and the bank specula-
tors. These leaders, and those who follow them,
tive or old bunker party of the S ate. of
New York /; they have great skill, activity,
and talent; and have, till within few years,
always controlled the action OF the democratic
paYty, either by debating It's movements, when
in a majority, or by throwing it into minority.
At the head of the radical or barn-burning por-
ton Of the party, stands Azariah G. Flagg; ASSOC
ciated with him have always been Messrs. Dix,
the younger leaders Of the party-Messrs. John
Van Buren,, Preston King, George Rathbun, G..
P. Barker, (recently deceased) Grover, Tilden,
Field, and others. The radical portion of the
. sound system Of internal Improvement and
finances, and have resisted the charter of banks,
and have refused to participate in the profits Of
the distribution of their stock.
A reference to these principles OF action will
readily enable an examiner to comprehend the
course taken by these two divisions In regard to
every important public question which has arisen
withia the last ten years, The hunkers opposed
the profits of the banks, Of which they were
directors, and stockholders, and borrowers
The barn burners supported it, being free from
such entanglements. From 1871 to 1874 tho
to the By Mr. ISo%s
known as " the peoples resolution" and intend.
ed to restrict the Legislature In the creation of
State debt. The hunksrs opposed this amend
provement schemes Of Mr.. Bcuck and his friends;
but the popularity Of the amendment itself, and
the extent to which the State debt was swollen,
under the influence of the Messrs. Ruggles,
Severe, and others, enabled the barn-burners,
this amendment into the constitution in the mode
pointed out by the old constitution, to force
through the Legislature, with the aid of the
wings, the celebrated act calling q convention
was ferce!y resisted by the hunkers with the
Argus at their head but 1t became law, and
the new constitution IS the result OF that strug
gle. The tariff act of 1916 was another victory
Of the barn-burners over W.. L. Marcy and his
friends, Messrs. Croswell and Corning; all three
of these gentlemen being largely interested in
manufacturing associations, the profits of which
were reduced by this act.
Such are the general principles and measures
which have divided the barn-burners and hunk
srs in the State of New York.
In 1874, and for some time previous, 1t became
obvious, that eithersfro dissatisfaction with
Mr.. John Van Buren,, who had become promi-
nent bsrnburner, or from fear on the part of the
conservatives that Governor Bouck might not
be renominated, and that the elder Van Buren,
would not reinstate them in Offices which they
had enjoyed, In fact, during the greater pat of
rous that Mr.. Van Buren, should be nominated
for President. Although lending to his nomi-
nation formal support, it is suspected that, by
active corresponde1nce with other portions OF the
defeated his nomination. When Mr.. Polk came
to Washington, Mr.. Wright was the prominent
candidate Of the democratic party for the sue
cession; and the hostility, to him as the con-
ceded head of the radical democrats In New
York, called forth all the address and activity
Of the conservatives in fofestalling his influence
with President Polk. Mr.. Polk, himself, had
been much connected with banks IN the
by this bond of sympathy, no difficulty was
found by the hunkers, aided by ambitious aspl-
rants in other States, In giving the New York
represe ntation in the cabinet to the present emf
4. e Al 81.
4,h Of March, 1915, to the present day, the in
huence of the administration at Washington,
directed by the knowledge and skill Of Mr.. Mar
cy and of his friend Mr.. E. Croswell, has been
freely used for the prostraton OF the barnburners
in New York. With this view nearly every Off
Ger of the general government appointed in this
State has been conservative, or an Individual
under conservative control. Thus fortified, the
hunkers defeated the election OF Mr.. Wight In
1916. and the nomination of Mr.. Flagg in 1917.
The evaporation growing out of these cir
cumstances, together with the position as
sumed by the wing and democratic .rties
on the Wilmot proviso, threw the State, last fall,
iato the hands of the wings by nearly 10000 ma
jority. The barn-burners, although they have
never made the Wilmot proviso test at an cleo
ton, have uniformly insisted in conve ntions,
caucusses, and legislative action, that the State
Of New York should declare Its incorporating
hostility to the extension of slavery to territory
now tree: The conservatives, wi hout venturng
to deny the correctness of this position, have al
ways objected TO the declaration as unseasona-
BILE calculated to divide the psrty-to separate
the democracy of New York from that OF the
Union-and as d.senabling them to sup. ort tor
the next Presidency either Messrs Buchanan,
Cass or Dallas (who have assumed an adverse
positIon), or Messrs. Polk or Woodb ny, who
are supposed to agree with these last nam I'd gen.
tlemen.
The Syracuse yconvention, under the influence
of the conservatives or hunkers, laid the Wilmot
proviso upon the table; and assumed to alter the
establi shed mode of choosing delegates to ma
tional convention, from the general ticket TO the
district system. To prevent State convention
central committee, and clothed it with power
to call State conventions. All State conventions
previously held, had been called by alegislatIve
understood, would not call a State convention TO
send dele gates to the national convention The
conservatives had thus arranged m itters to their
entire satisfaction. The barnburners, however,
under the lead of Mr. John Van Buren,, assem-
bled at Herkilner and Re -atfi rmed. IN the name