The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-29
WASHINGTON, ID. G.
THE RADICAL DEMOCRACY OF NEW YORK AND
THE INDEPENDENT DEMOCRACY.
Lsrr, fom Senator Chase, Of Ohio, 10 Hon. b.
F. Butler Of Nec York.
WASHINGTON, july 10. 1852

DEAR SIR. The wear lS4S will be memora-
bic in history as a year Of movement, OF pro
gre,s. of enfranchisemcnt In that year it was
NV fortune 10 be closely associated with you in
political action We were both members Of the
Convention Of the Free Democracy which as
sembled at Buffalo both members Of the com
mittee which unanimously reported the resolu-
ton. which were unanimously adopted by the
Convention as its platform and both members
Of the committee designated by the Convention
10 advise Martin Van Buren, of his nomination
as the candidate Of the Free Democracy for
the Presidency Of the United States.
The grand object Of that aSsemblage. declar-
ed bv itself was the union of the people, un-
der the banner of Free Democracy in q solemn
and fD"l declaration Of their independence Of
the slave power. and Of their fixed determina-
ton 70 rescue the Federal Government from it,
control The immediate and pressing neces-
sity Of the hour was the exclusion of slavery
from the Territories acquired from Mexico
but il was clearly understood that this exclu-
sion. if accomplished would not be final set
tlemeu, OF the controversy between slavery and
freedom /, was seen on the contrary. that
the slave power. resulting from the unity and
magnitude Of the slave interest, and it, firm
eztabl ,hment in nearly half the States would
still be able To- control the National Govern
nent and prescribe it, opponents through the
action Of national administrations by its old
policy Of refusing support to any political par
" not prepared 10 acquieSce in It's demands
and giving support to that party which would
most completely acquiesce The Convention.
therefore. did not confine itself to a simple
declaration in favor Of the prohibition of the
extension Of slavery into free territory and the
nomination of candidates hostile to such extern
sion but while denying the right of interior
ence by Congress with slavery within the lin
it, OF any State. resolved. nevertheless that ii
is the duty of the Federal Government TO re-
leye itself from all responsibility for the exist
cnce or continuance Of slavery wherever that
Government possesses constitutional power 10
lcgisatc On the subject, and is thus response
bic for It's existence >" accepted the issue
rendered bv the slave power; and to its de- |
mand Tor more slave States and more slave |
territory gave the calm but final answer |
" no more slave States and no slave Territory: |
and declared that the Government ought to |
return to its original policy, which as the his
tory of the country clearly shows was not to |
extend, nationwide. or encourage but to limit. |
localze aud discourage slavery Having thus |
Y,
having. also unanimously agreed upon II plat !
form of principle, and measures, embracing all |
the important political question:, of the day. |
the members of the Convention solcmnly pledg- |
ed themselves TO each other and the country. |
IN this emphatic declaration
Rcyolrcd That We in>cribe on our banner.
Free Soil, Free Speech Free Labor and Free
Men and under it will fight on and hight ever,
until triumphant victory shall reward our
eXertIons."
well remember the qualification and delight
which you expressed upon the unanimous adop-
ton Of this platform by the committee and
when az Its chairman. you reported it to the
Convention The scene which then ensued |
will not soon fade from the memory of any who |
it, The vast multitude animated by |
)ne impulse literally shouted for Joy They |
seemed To- feel that Democracy had, at length. |
broken the bonds OF the slave power, and would |
have free course in its mission of |
and elevation, and that our
country guided by It's maxms and penetrated |
by is spirit would exhibit to the world the ex-
ample OF Government openly, fearlessy and
in favor Of freedom everywhere |
and for all
Nor shall ever forget the honorable zeal |
with which the New York Democracy Joined |
in this great movement for human liberty |
Their devotion to freedom was not then for the |
first time proved No sooner had it become
evident that the war with Mexico must result
in vast accessons to the territory Of the Repub-
he, than, with signal unanimity, they joined in
the demand for the exclusion Of slavery from
the new acquisitions At first they were almost
unanimous in this demand; but the prOscrip-
tive denuncations with which the slave inter.
est assaulted all the friends OF prohibition, shook
the resolution of many, and converted the for
ward zeal Of some into cold indifference or
open hostility. The Radical Democracy of
New York however stood firm and when. i'm
l847, the opponents Of the Proyiso. having OBJ
tanned, az was alleged, by force and fraud, the
control OF the Democratic Convention at SYRIA
cuse rejected resolution in favor Of that
great measure, the Radical Democracy. assem-.
bled ut Herkimer Inscribed the Proviso of
Freedom on their banner and rejected the
nominations Of the Syracuse Convention. in
surfing thereby their rejection by the people.
The members Of the Legislature which assem-
bled the succeeding winter at Albany. repre-
senting both divisions Of the Democracy. united
IN n call for a State Convention to meet at
Utica, to appoint delegates to the Baltimore
National Convention, agrecahly to the estab-
hshed usages Of the party A committee of
the Syracuse Convention had already called
another Convention, to meet ut Albany for the
trmc purpose Both Conventions assembled
and appointed delegates The appontees of
the regularly called Utica Convention were
trends-those of the Albany Convention oppo-
nents-of the Proyiso Both sets of delegates
attended ut Baltimore Some of the slave
States, rs usual. were represented by numerous
delegations, vastly disproportoned to their
electoral votes, and We're unanimous in their
hostility to the Proyiso and its friends The
Committee OF Credentials reported against the
admission of the Utica, and in favor of the nd
mission Of the Albany delegates The Convcn-
ton rejected the report; and yet, refusing to
decide the question of right resolved to admit
both sets, thereby neutralizing the power of
the regular delegation quite rs eifcctually AS If
they had been excluded Thus prescribed on
account OF their principles, the New York del
egatOn refused to take seats in the Conyen-
ton and. returning to their constituents. issu-
ed call for Convention Of the New York
Democracy, to assemble at Utica on the pod
Of June, 1913, for the purpose OF taking into
consideration tho existing condition of political
affairs. and naming candidates Tor the Presi.
dency and Vice Presidency
The Convention assembled and nominated
MARTIN VAN buren,, of New York. and
HENRY DODGE, of Wisconsin, ~ candidates
for President aud Vice President, and issued
an able address to the people in indication of
their position and action, In this address, the
Convention, after declaring in the most explicit
terms the devotion Of the New York Democ-
racy to the principles and measures of the
Democracy OF the Union, said
The head and front of our offending con.
slsts merely in this We had simply declared
that while We would faithfully adhere to all
the Compromises of the Constitution. and
would maintain inyiolate all the reserved rights
OF the States we We're uncompromisingly OPP
posed to the extension of slavery by any ac-
ton of the Federal Government into the ter