The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-07-20
IMPORTANT FREE SOIL CORRESPONDENCE.

Letter from Senator Chase, OF Ohio, to Hon.
H. r. Butler. OF New York.
WASHINGTON Cry, July Is, 1852.
The year 1913 will be memorable in history as a
year OF movement, of progress, of chsement.
In that year it was my fortune to be closely assoc
ciated with you in political action. We were both
members OF the convention of the free democracy
which assembled at Buffalo both members of the
| committee which unanimously reported the reso-
lutions which were unanimously adopted by the
convention as its platform; and both members Of
the committee designated by the convention to
advise Martin Van Buren, Of his nomination, as
the candidate Of the free democracy, for the Pre-
sdency of the United States.
The grand object Of that assemblage, declared by
ITSELF the union of the people, under the banner
OF free democracy, in solemn and final declaration
| OF their independence Of the slave power, and Of
government from its control" The immediate and
pressing necessity Of the hour the exclusion of
slavery from the territories acquired from Mexico;
but it was clearly understood that this exclusion
| if accomplished, would not be final settlement
of the controversy between slavery and free
dom. 1t was seen, on the contrary, that the
slave power, resulting from the unity and mag
nitude of the slave interest, and its firm estab-
lishment in nearly half the States, would
still be able to control the national government,
prescribe its opponents through the action of
support to- any political party not prepared to
acquiesce in its demands, and giving support
to that party which would most completely
acquiesce The convention, therefore, did not con-
hne itself to simple declaration in favor of the
prohibition of the extension of slavery into free ter
ritOry, and the nomination candidates hostile to
such extension but while denying the right of in.
reference by Congress. with slavery within the
limits of any State, resolved nevertheless that it is
the duty OF the federal government to relieve itself
from all responsibility for the existence or continu
ance OF slavery, wherever that possesses
constitutional power to legisate the subject and
RI Ala vic 10
issue rendered by the slave power and to its 6 de-
mand for more slave States and more slave terri
tory" gave "the calm but final answer, no more
slave States, and no slave territory" and declared
nal policy, which, as the history Of the country
clearly shows. was not to extend nationalize or en-
courage but to limit, localize, and discourage sa
very" Having thus defined their position in respect
to slavery, and having, also, unanimously agreed
upon platform of principles and measures. en-
bracing all the important political questions of the
day, the members of the convention solemnly
pledged themselves to each other and the country,
in this emphatic declaration -
Resolved That we inscribe our banner, Free Soil
Free Speech Free Labor, and Free Men and under it
VIII hight on and fight ever until triumph and victory
shall reward our exertions.
| well remember the qualification and delight
which you expressed upon the unanimous adoption
OF this platform by the committee, and when as its
chairman, you reported it to the convention. The
scene which then ensued will soon fade from the
memory OF any who witnessedit. The vast multi
tude, animated by one impulse, literally shouted for
joy. They seemed to feel that democracy had. at
length, broken the bonds CT the slave power. and
would heDceforth have free course in its mission of
enfranchisement and elevation, and that our coun-
try, guided by its maxims, and penetrated by it's
spirit would henceforth exhibit to the world the ex-
ample of government openly, fearessly, and con.
sistently in favor Of freedom everywhere and for ALL
Nor shall ever forget the honorable zeal with
movement for human liberty. Their devotion to
freedom was not then for the first time proved. No
sooner had It become evident that the with Mex
leo must result in vast accessons to the territory of
the republic, than, with signal unanmity, they
joined in the demand for the exclusion of slavery
from the new acquisitions At first they were al
most unanimous in this demand; but the proscriptive
denunciatiops with ch the slave interest assailed
all the friends Of prohibition, shook the resolution
OF many. and converted the forward zeal of some
into cold Indifference open hostility The radical
democracy OF New York, however, stood firm, and
when in lS47, the opponents of the proviso, having
control of the Democratic Convention at Syracuse
jected resolution in favor of that great measure
the radical democracy assembled at Herkimer, in
scribed the proviso of freedom their banner and
reet ted the nominations OF the Syracuse conven-
tion ensurng thereby their rejection by the people
The members Of the Legislature, which assembled
the succeeding winter at Albany, representing both
divisions of the democracy, united in call for a
State convention to meet at Utica to appoint dele
gates to The Baltimore National Convention agree
ably to the established usages of the party. COM
nlItee OF the syracuse convention hGd already
called another convention, to meet at Albany, for
the same purpose. Both conventions assembled aud
appointed delegates The appointees of the regu
larry called Utica Convention were friends-those 0
the Albany Convention opponents-of the proviso
Both sets of delegates attended at Baltimore. Some
OF the slave States, usual, were represented by
numerous delegations, vastly dsproportioned to
their electoral votes, and were unanimous in their
hostility to the proviso and its friends. The
Committee on Credentials reported against the
admission Of the Utica, and in favor Of the admis
sion Of the Albany, delegates. The convention re-
Jected the report; and yet, refusing to decide the
thereby neutralizng the power of the regular dele
cation quite as efectually if they had been ex-
Guided. Thus prescribed on account Of their prin-
ciples, the New York delegation refused to take
constituents, issued call for convention Of the
New York democracy, to assemble at Utica, on the
I'D OF June, for the purpose of taking into consider
alton the existing condition of political affairs, and
naming candidates for the Presidency and Vice
Presidency.
The convention assembled and nominated Martin
Van Buren,, of New York, and Henry Dodge, Of
Wisconsin, as candidates for President and Vice
President, and issued an able address to the people
in vindcation Of their position and action In this
address the convention after declaring in the most
explicit terms the devotion of the New iork demo-
cracy to the principles and measures of the demo-
cracy of the Union, said -
The head and front Of offending consists merely In
this-we had simply declared that, while would faith
fully adhere to all the compromises of the constitution.
and would maintain nvioate all the reserved rights Of
the States, were uncompromisingy opposed TO the
extension Of slavery by any action Of the federal
ment into the territory of the United States already
hereafter to be acquired in which 1t does not exist and
that TO this end we desired. and far efforts
consttutonally directed could accomplish it, de-
signed that the prohibition of slavery contained in the
ordinance Of 1Sfrst proposed IN lei oy Thomas JET
rson-shoud We applied to these territories so long
they should remain under the government of Congress
But before the assembling of the Baltimore Convention,
the slave power in many of its conclaves sat in judg
ment Of these opinions, condemned them heretcal
denounced all who held them apostates from the de-
mocratic faith and resolved to support for the
Presd, ny Vice Presidency who should adopt favor
them IL 10 carry out these predeterminatous. to
give effect to these foregone conclusions tina. dele
gates were placed under the ban.
The effect Of these denuuciations upon the timid
and the time serving wildly portrayed in the
address MS also the energy and decision of the
New York democracy in this hour of freedoms
peril.