The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-10-03
nortty Address OF the whig state
Convention,
(sY MAJESTIC rELEosArH. ]

(sY NAaNsTic TELKdRAPH.l
The undersigned delegates to a Wing convention
held n Syracuse the Doth and 9th days Of Sep
tembcr, ult, for the purpose OF nominating Coy
srnor and other State officers, ha wing been com
PEELED 70 withdraw from the convention aud with
bold their appreciation Of its proceedings, have
deemed II proper to submit to your consideration
AstAtemcnt Of the reasons that have impelled them
70 this course. IL evident upon the Assem-
Of the convention that il was divided into two par
ties, one Of which WAS composed OF those who EN-
oracod tue peculiar principies, and regarded with
extraordinary favor the political course OF Mr.. w ii.
Seward one OF the Senators from the State of New
York. IN the Congress Of the United States, while
we opposite party represented the opinions OF that
CLASS which, while recognising the individo.., re-
ierred to 10 DC Wing, holding an eminent
position, yet regard his course upon questions
more inr,rtaht than any that divide the political
psru>sof the country with sentiments the reverse
It also soon appeared that majorty of the mem
bers were Of the former class. Between persons
thus differing, it is obvious that there was but one
basis Of union. Neither party could reasonably
expect to degrade the other by requiring it 10
abandon its principles Questions where diff
tercuces existed, but both might unite without
IorIenure OF senrespect upon such principles as
were heid IN common. 1t was, accordingly upon
TINS oasis that the undersigned constantly labored
preserve hnd secure the union of the Wing party
Of this State,
Immediately after the permanent or ganization of
the convention, committee ofeight was appointed
TO prepare resolutions for its adoption. Four of
the members Of this committee were appointed
from the minority OF the convention, and the other
iour were selected by the majority, and nominated
by the President at their request. This committee
after long session, in which matters upon which
anerences OF opinion existed were frankly and full
~ discussed, agreed upon a set of revolutions in
which all tho members of the committee, with a
s'ngie exception, concurred. The disse mcin-
Der, VINO was OF the majority party, willing to
give MS assent, II an addition should be made TO a
single resolution, which addition his three col
leagues OF the same party believed to be inmate
rial, and 1t was left doubtful, when the committee
ADJOURNED, whether he would not before the report
was made, give his assent unconditionally 30 that
such report might be unanimous.
Whcn these resolutions were reported to the
vontion, they were received with great and very
general applause, and, with exceptions, salts
iacnon beamed from every face at the prospect of
harmony and united action. 1t was not long, how
ever. before malign influence, proceeding not 80
much from members of the convention as from
others without it, and which was constantly at work
TO distract the convention, and thereby divide
separate the Wing party, began to exhibit itself.
Onoer the promptlngs OF certain individuals, symp
toms OF dissatisfaction were manifested, and mo-
ton was made and carried to lay the resolutions
the table for the purpose of proceeding the nom
nation Of candidates. This motion was stated and
carried, not however as a test question the
Iutions but as having reference only to the order
oi business; and when it was represented to the
minority that this proceeding left them in igno-
rance whether resolutions framed in spirit Of
compromise were to be adopted, or whether others
sent or submit to- The convention refused 10 pro-
coed to the nomination of candidates, and after
making the resolution the special order on the as
:embling OF the convention the next morning, and
thereby giving them precedence over the nomina
lions, Immediately adjourned.
After the adjournment of the convention, the
delegates OF the majority party met together, and
sat in secret session till a late hour of the night
The undersigned were not permitted to be present
even as spectators. On assembling of the conven-
ton in the morning, the effects Of this extraordi
nary proceeding were manifest. The spirit of
harmony seemed to have fled from the majority
They moved together and voted together, solidly
and lmpenetrably reversing the proceedings of the
preceding day. They laid the special order on the
TABLE, and proceeded to the nomination Of candi
dates After this business was completed, one of
the majority (Mr. Cornwell) introduced series of
resolutions, which, it is presumed, agreed
upon In caucus the previous night, and which he
moved as substitute for the resolutions reported
by the commttee-to some of these resolutions the
undersigned were strongly opposed, for the reason
mat tney considered them as implying censure up
on the President and his cabinet, and countenan-
eng renewal OF agitation on the subject OF sa
very. The substitute, together with the original
resolutions, was, after an earnest appeal, allowed
TO be recommitted to the committee on resolutions.
10 which eight new members added but it
was soon apparent that the concession was one of
form, and not of substance.
The three members Of the committee who had
warmly supported the compromise resolutions
opposed them now. The substitute of Mr.. Corn
we'll was insisted on without any alteration that
rendered it, in the slightest degree more accepta-
bic to US. The committee being thus unable to
agree reported that fact to the convention when
the resolutions of Mr.. Cornwell were taken up and
passed Upon them passing, the undersigned left
the convention az they had heretofore given notice
they intended to do.
Thus il appears that after the majority would
have been satisfied with the passing OF the rcsolu
tons reasserting all the principles heretofore
serted by the Wings of New York, harmony
might have been preserved, and the Whigs have
e a fu Iedc
the consequence would be a secession from the
convention and division Of the party, they insisted
upon an introduction of matter highly offensive TO
the majority and certain to produce disunion and
defeat. The resolutions OF Mr.. Cornwell, to which
objections were entertained, were the following:
"o Ltsoired. That our thanks especially due
10 the Hon. William II. Seward, for the signal abil-
ity and fidelity with which he has sustained in the
United States Senate those beloved principles Of
public policy 30 long cherished by the Wings of
the Empire State, expressed in State and County
conventions NJ well as in the votes and instructions
OF our State legislature-those principles emf
nentiy national and republican, because they arc
just and equitable.
SO Resolved, That the Wings Of New York have
confidence in the honest purposes and patriotic mo-
tves which animated the Wing Representatives
from this State in the Federal Legislature, upon the
embarrassing questions which have been agitatcd
during the present Congress.
90. Resoired, That the admission Of California
into the Union az State with free constitution,
meets with our hearty approval, and as terrific
Fi"i SoscihiHeut - ceaDilHned iOr NcW
and Utah, without any prohibtory clause, on the
assumption that slavery is excluded by other causes
1t IN the solemn duty Of Congress to extend the JEFF.
fersonian ordinance over those Territories the
hrst indication that slavery or involuntary scrvi-
tude is likely TO be introduced into the Territories"
Any one at all conversant with public events will
at once understand what the embarrassing
Questions alluded to in the 9th resolution of Mr..
Cornwoll, and the Sth resolution of the committee.
Reference Ia had TO the bills for establishing terri
torial governments in New Mexico and Utah, and
the bill for the settlement of the boundary of Texa,
and especially TO the latter measure. The Presi-
dent OF the United States recommended the settle
ment OF the controversy relating to the boundary
OF Texas by fixing line by agreement of the par
ties, and allowing equivalent in money to Texas
for the territory to which che surrendered her
claim. Thirteen Wing representatives from the
State OF New York voted for bill framed in
cordance with the policy OF the President The
Wing Senator and sixteen Wing Representatives
from New York voted against that bill.
In the opinion Of the undersigned, the President.
the thirteen Wing representatives who supported
him, were right, and the Senator and the sixteen
Wing representatives who voted against the rec
ommendation of the President, wcre wrong. New