The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-07-23
IMPORTANT FREE SOIL COHREsPUN.
DENCE.
Letter from senator Chase, Of Ohio, to Hon.
n. r. Butter, OF New York.
WAsHISeroS CRY, July is, 1862.

as year Of movement, of progress, of enfrau.
chsement. La that year il was my fortune To
be closely associated with you in political nc.
ton. We were both members of the conven.
ton of the free Democracy which assembled al
buffalo; both members of the committee which
unanimously reported the resolutions which
were unanimously adopted by the convention
/ as it's platform and both members OF the com.
mittee designated by the convention TO advise
Martin Van Buren, of his nomination, as the can
didate of the free Democracy, for the Presiden-
cy ofthe United States
The grand object of that assemblage, declared
| by itself, was "the union of the people, under the
banner of free Democracy, in a solemn and
final declaration of their independence of the
slave power, and of their fixed determination
to rescue the federal government from its con
troll" The immediate and pressing necessity
of the hour was 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 freedom.
| 1t was seen, the contrary, that the slave
power resulting from the unity and magni
tude of the slave interest and its firm establish
ment in nearly half the States, would still be
able TO control the national government, nro
scribe its opponents through the action of
national administrations, by its old policy of re-
fusing support to any political party not pre-
pared to acquesce in its demands. and giving
support TO that party which would most COM
pletely acquiesce. The convention, therefore,
did not confne itself to simple declaration in
| favor of the prohibition of The extension OF
slavery into free territory, and the nomination of
candidates hostile to such extension; bu! while
DENYING the right of interference by Congress
with slavery within the limits of any State, re
solved, nevertheless, that it is the duty of the
| federal government to relieve itself from all
responsibility for the existence or continuance
| of slavery, wherever that government possesses
constitutional power to egslate on the subject,
and is thus responsible for its existence ac
cepted "the issue rendered by the slave power"
and to its demand for 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 relurnto its original policy, which, as
the history of the country clearly shows, was
not to extend, natonaze, encourage but to
limit, localze, aud discourage slavery" Having
thus defined their position in respect to slavery
and having, also unanimously agreed upon a
platform of principles and mea ures, embracing
all the important political questions of the day,
the members OF the convention soemnly
pledged themselves TO each other and the coun
try, in this emphatic declaraton:-
Resolved, That we inscribe on our banner,
Freesol, free speech, free labor and free men,
and under it will fight and fight ever, until a
triumph and 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, as its chairman, you reported it to the cor
yention. The scene which then ensued will not
soon fade from the memory Of any who wit
messed it, The vast multitude, animated by one
impulse, literally shouted for joy. They seemed
to feel that Democracy had, at length, broken tie
bonds of the slave power, and would henceforsn
have free course in it's mission of enfranechse-
ment and elevation, and that our country, guided
by its maxims, and penetrated by its spirit,
would hencefurth exhibit TO the world the exam
pie of government openly, fearlessly, and con.
sistently 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 do
votion 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 republic, than, with signal
unanmity, they joined in the demand for the ex-
clusion of slavery from the new acquisitions. At
first they were almost unanimous in this demand;
but the prospective denuucatiors with which
the slave interest assaed all the friends of pro-
hibition, shook the resolution OF many, and con-
verified the forward zeal of some into cold indif-
ference or open hostility. The radical Demo
cracy of New York, however, stood firm, and
" hen, in l847, the opponents of the proviso,
having obtained, as it was alleged, by force and
fraud the control of the Democratic convention
at Syracuse rejected resolution in favor of that
great measure the radical Democracy assembled
at Herkimer, inscribed the proviso of freedom on
their banner, and rejected the nominations Of
the Syracuse convention, ensuring thereby their
rejection by the people. The members of the
legislature, which assembled the succeeding win
ter at Albany, representing both divisions of the
Democracy, united in call for a State con
vention to meet at Utica, to appoint delegates
to the Baltimore National Convention, agreea-
hly to the established usages of the party A
committee of the Syracuse convention had
already called another convention, to meet at
Albany, for the same purpose. Both conven-
tons assembled and appointed delegates. The
appointees of the regularly called Utica cOnven-
ton were friends--those of the Albany conven.
ton opponents--of the proviso. Both sets of
Delegates attended at Baltimore. Some of the
slave states, as NSUi were ItpItScutOu ny Uuul-
erous delegations, vastly dispI oportioned TO
their electoral votes, and were unanimous in
their hostility to the provyo and its friends The
committee on credentials reported against the
admission of the Utica, and in favor of the ad-
mission of the Albany, delegates. The conven-
ton rejected the report and yet, refusing to de
eide the question of right, resolved TO admit
both sete, thereby neutraizing the power of the
regular delepation quite as efiectually as If they
had been excluded. Thus prescribed on account
of their principles, the New York delegation re-
fused to take seats in the convention, and, re
turning TO their constituents, issued call for a
convention of the New York Democracy; to VS.
semble at Utica, on the 22d of June, for the
purpose of taking into consideration the existing
condition of political Attire, and naming cand
dates for the p esidency and Vice Presidency.
The convention assembled. and nominated
Martin Van Buren,, of New York, and Henry
| Dodge, of Wisconsin, candidates for Presi-
dent and Vice President, and issued an able ad
dress TO the people in viudication of their posi-
ton and action. In this address, the conven