The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-29


him to the Senate. though they did not yield
single demand of the Free Soil Democrats, wer'
vet much less obnoxious in their character thar
they finally became. through the alterations b.
which it was sought TO recommend them Z
slave State Senators But it is due to truth
further to say, that not single amendmen
was made in any one OF the compromise DliiS
designed to make them more acceptable 10 th'
opponents of slavery Every change was agalns
liberty.
The admission of California into the Unior
secured indeed the territory within Its hmlt
against the introduction OF slavery, excep
through the act of the State itself; and the
prohibition of the slave trade in the District o.
Columbia relieved the city Of Washington o.
the slave pens which had disgraced us; though
it continued to slavery ITSELF and to the ordi
nary traffic in human beings within the Dis
trict, the full protection of national legislation
The other acts, which converted vast district
of free territory into slave soil; assumed five
millions of the Texan State debt; undertook
without any constitutional warrant, to bind
future Congresses to admit slave States out Of
New Mexico and Utah. should the inhabitants
allow slavery and, in plain violation of the
Constitution, in derogatiOn of State rights, and
in disregard of the common principles of justice
and humanity, attempted to degrade the free
men of the North and West into the slave
catchers of the General Government, were all
utterly repugnant to the principles of Radical
Democracy To approve of any of these acts,
or 10 acquiesce in any OF them-except the act
providing for the settlement of the Texan
boundary, and the payment of the Texan debt
which was in its nature epealabe-seemed
impossible for Democrats who had pledged
their faith to freedom at Buffalo and Utica.
. Under these circumstances the Democracy
of New York met in Convention at Syracuse,
on the 10th of September, while the Compro-
mise Congress was yet in session. A united
ticket for State officers was again nominated
but the resolutions uttered no condemnation OF
obnoxious measures Of the Compromise, which
the Free Soil Democrats in Congress had perse-
yeringly opposed; urged no action against ma
tionaized slavery failed even to recommend
the repeal or modification of the Fugitive Slave
Law-mOre odous and more irreconcilable
with Democratic ideas than the Alien and Se-
dltiOn laws; but congratulated the country y
upon the passage of the Compromise measures
styled by the Convention the recent settle
ment, by Congress- Of the questions which have
unhappiy divided the people Of these States ~
Concurrence in this action by the Radical De-
mocracy was virtual abandonment of the
positions maintained at Rome and Utica, and
even of the lower ground taken by the Mass
Convention at Syracuse.
Disregard of the claims # freedom, far less
marked than this, had occasoned the Herki-
mer movement of ls47 Now, however ac-
luiescence was judged expedient by those dis
tingushed citizens who possessed their conf
dence, and again the Free Soil Democrats, with
visible reluctance on the part of many, sus-
tanned the nominations of the Convention
The same conventional action, followed by
the same asquescence, was repeated in 1851.
Still the Free Soil Democracy of New York
was uncommtted to the support of national
nominated upon any other than the
national Democratic platform of 1910, 1874
and 1913, which platform referred to slavery
'nly in single resolution which had generally
)een construed by the New York Free Soil
Democrats, as misunderstanding not constitu-
iona! opposition to nationalized slavery. but
unconstitutional interference by Congress with
slavery in the States
Under these circumstances, the Baltimore
Convention assembled in May last As in lS4S,
30 in 1852, slaveholding Conventions had de-
dared in advance their determination to sup
port no candidates nominated or not nomi-
mated by the National Convention, entertain
ng those views of slavery which the Radical De-
of New York had repeatedly avowed ;
which were cherished as sound and constitu-
ional by large proportion of the free State
Democracy and which had been solemnly pro-
claimed as the convictions of the whole De-
Of Ohio, by each successive Conven-
tion from lS4S to 1852 inclusive All Demo-
cratic statesmen who would not take the test
oath of allegiance to slavery were prescribed
~ inadmissible candidates, even for nominal
ton. AS in lS4S, so in 1852, many of the slave
States were represented by numerous delega-
tons, whose united clamors, upon all questions
not taken by States, were able to drown the
voices OF the delegations of the free States,
generally equal ONLY in number to their eecto-
raj votes, These numerous delegations were
appointed and attended in open disregard of
the recommendation of the National Conven-
ton OF lSlS, that the Democracy of each State
should send no more delegates than the State
was entitled to have electors in the electoral
college; and yet, when it was proposed. upon
the first day Of the Convention, to confine each
State to the recommended number of delegates
ana thus insure to esch its proper weight in
the Convention. it was opposed with such We
hemence and pertlnacity, that the proposition
was finally abandoned and the inequality again
submitted to- The Convention thus constitu-
ted under the operation of the two-thirds
made nomination impossible
without the concurrence of the delegation from
the slave Statcs--nominated FRANKLIN
PIERCE, of New Hampshire, and WILLIAM
II. KING, OF Alabama, as candidates for Presi.
dent and Vice President of the United States
have no word to utter in disparagement of
the Just claims Of either of these distinguished
citizens TO respect and honor for their private
virtues and public services | shall speak ONLY
OF their relations to the Free Soil Democracy
OF the country and Of their positions on the
great question OF slavery, which is NOT SET
LIED, whatever politicians or political Con-
yentons may affirm.
The recoSIi of General PIERCE. as a Repre-
sentative and senator in Congress, presents him
rs the denier Of reference and consideration
to the petitions of the people against nation
lied slavery, and as the supporter of the ex
trcme resolutions Of Mr. Calhoun in favor of
~" P"oHc Tecoru, Witnln my knOWl-
edge, indicates his position during those years
following his return from Mexico, when the
New Hampshire Democracy took ground
against territorial slavery and nationalized
slavery in this District In his recent letter,
accepting the nomination of the Compromise
Democratic Convention, however, after declar-
ing with what pride and gratitude" he should
cherish the recollection Of the fact that the
voice which first pronounced" for him, and
pronounced alone'n came from Virginia, he
proceeds to say
81 accept the nomination, upon the platform
adopted by the Convention, not because it n
expected Of me as a candidate, but because the
principles it embraces command the approba-
ton of my Judgment and with them ] believe
| can safely say that there has been no word
or act of my life in conflict"
The whole political life Of WILLIAM X
KING, the nominee for Vice President, has
hoan m. rL al ky hostility tn the plinciples al