The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-10-03
A DEFENCE OF THE BARNBURNERS.

WASHINGTON, September Is, 1850
| To the Editor of The National Era:
Your structures on the action of the recent Con-
vention at Syracuse, think call for reply.
You charge the Barnburners who participated in
itno prUoee,rinys OK tss v IN ssis
--i,t-- - .,,,a) .ahsodopmeDt of the pripcipIes
| promulgated in the Bunalo Convention, and con-
| tended for in the Presidential election of lS4S,
and especially by adopting the Baltimore resolu-
tions Of 1SioI4S, on the subject of slavery. You
assume that they openly acknowledge to the
world that they were wrong, and the Hunker sec
ton were right, in their action on this subject.
This is a very serious charge to make against any
party, and when it is made against body of men
who for three years, have been subjected to more
insult and misapprehension than any party ever
before in our political history, it should be
promptly met and refnted-and the statement of
a few simple facts will think accomplish this
The Baltimore resolutions express the position
| of the Democracy on the subject of slavery, past,
present, and futme That is, that Congress should
not interfere with slavery in the States, or take
any mcipiea steps that may lead to such inter-
ference The Democracy are strict construction
| lists of the Federal Constitution and hold that
the individual States with the exception Of the few
subjects enumerated in the Constitution, are sepa-
rate sovereignties and that New York has no more
right to interfere with the municipal institutions
| of South Carolina. her directly or indirectly
than she has with those of Great Britain or Hol-
Nsnd TA5 D.. S1az .2lzN therefore IS re- tn,.Sy
consistent in adopting this resolution--not only
now. but would have been so had they adopted it
| in lS4S.
But this resolution in ls4s did not fouoa the
question in issue. 4he question was slavery in the
! Territories, not IN he States. The Mexican war
closed with II vast acquisition of free territory
and the "slave Interest," demanded that it should
be surrendered TO slavery, by a constitutional
construction. The nominee of the Baltimore Con-
vention mdrectly admitted this construction by
giving an opinion that it would be violation Of
the Constitution to enforce opposite one. His
election and endorsement by the people would
therefore have been an indirect admission of the
demands of slavery.
On this the New York Democracy took their
position 1t was to defeat such indirect admission
and consequent construction of the Federal Con-
stitution they placed themselves on a vital prin-
cipal, immensely transcending in Importance the
right or wrong of slavery, the destinies of
| the territories in question: principle in fact
that involved the whole structure of our govern
ment, and that was to decide which was the pre-
pondersting element in the Constitution, slavery
or freedom. They therefore separated from the
National party, and the party and personal
friendships of many years--cast behind them all
| the Establishments Of power and the emOuments
of office, and subjected themselves to more abuse
and persecution than was ever before ia modern
times, inflicted upon political party and they
passed through the fiery ordeal with cOnstancy
and unfnching bravery that challenged the ad-
miration of the very millions opposed TO them
The defeat of Gen. Cass and consequent safety
Of the Constitution, accomplished the great lead
ing object for which they had separated from their
party and subjected themselves to trial ;
but they also wished, as a practical question, TO
exclude slavery from the Territories in question,
and in THIS they were joined by another body of
men, who, believing that slavery is a great wrong
inflicted upon the black race, and acting wholly
upon and always in opposition to the Constitution,
were necessarily opposed to its extension into the
Territories. The Convention at Syracuse ASSUME
that the admission of California practically settles
the question: and that slavery is or will be wholly
excluded from the Territories The Barnburn-
ers therefore having first decided the great prin-
ciple involved, and then excluded slavery from
the Territories now assume the position that they
have always occupied in regard to slavery in the
States and the causes that separated them from
the National party having passed away, they
again take their place in the ranks of the Ma
tional party with whom they have always fra
| ternized.
| This is statement of the facts in the premises,
and you now charge them with an abandonment
| Of their principles and with bad faith to their
| allies on the Territorial question. You assume,
that by acting with the Liberty men in common
object, when that object accomplished they
were bound to adopt the prior creed of their allies,
and thus contradict the leading prinnpeS upon
vhich, as political paytisaas, they had always acted
and which, with the venerable Ex-President at
their head, would have held every man of them
up to the scorn and ridicule of the world There
is suppose, no doubt that out Of 100000 votes
cast for Mr.. Van Buren, in the Presidential cleo
ton in the State of New York, a majority were
Barnburners and if you had reasoned in pre-
csely opposite direction, and reached the conclu
sion that the Liberty men were bound to adopt
the Baltimore resolutions, the prior creed Of the
Barnburners,) and thus become usfm and arailabie
Democrats, your skill logician would have
been better displayed, although such conclusion
would scarcely have been reached by a
BARNBuRNER.