The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-14

Pierce will do.
New York Polltics-The Hard She'll and Soft
Shell DemOcrats-Thc State Canvass.
We publish in another part Of this mornings
paper the official canvass of this Safe for Presi.
Dental Electors. Tomorrow We will give tho re-
mairder of the vote, including the State and Con-
gresional tickets. These tables are valuable, and
are worth preserving. They are illustrative Of
very interesting political campaign.
A political joke was current among the wags some
years ago. something to this effect. A countryman
being met by traveller near the boundaries of this
State and Pennsylvania, and having with him his
family, live stock, goods and cha:tels, was asked
where he was going, and what was the cause Of his
removal? He replied, that he was about to settle
in Pennsylvania, although he had preferred living
in the State of New York; but after trying it seve
raj years. he had found the politics of tho State SO
complicated, that it was impossible to keep The run
of them, or to understand them. H ! had therefore
determined to remove to State where plain man
could comprehend its politics. in order to know
which way to vote.
If this honest countryman had lived in our times
and endeavored to understand the INDUS operuwd,
by which the recent divisions Of the democratic
party, called hunkers and barnburners were unitsd
by their respective leaders, and again divided into
the factions of "hard Shells and "soft Shells
he would have seen new causes Of perplexty, and
reasons for removal from the State. II is curious
to run over the records Of party names which have
sprung up in the democratic party Of New York from
time to time, since its first formation in the days Of
George Clinton, in 1885, under the name of anti f.
deTal and have succeeded each other uatil the DR.,
sent time. Leaving out of view the names which ave
been rational, tie following may be given in nearly
chron illogical ORDER as party names in divisions of
the democratic party, most of them peculiar to this
State, viz lintonians (under Governors George
and Dewitt Clinton), Lewisites. or Quids, Burrtes,
Goodies, Martling men. Bucktails, Van Baren men,
Conservatives, Fanny Wright working men, Original
Locofocos or Equal Rights Subterraneane, Hunkers,
Bsrnburners, Freesoilers, Hard Shells, and Sof.
Shells We have probably omitted some of the
we have given enough for our present purpose.
The recent emeute at Tanmauy Hall, in which
the bard SHELLS, composing the majority OF the Demo
cratic General Committee, were driven fro their
quarters to the Aston House, of them receiving
bodily injury; and the division Of the Ele,teral Col
ege ct Albany into two dstinc. parties, show that
new feuds have sprung up which threaten seriously
to disturb the harmony of the party in the disri
button Of effce.
In former times, it was seldom that much
importance was attached to the circumstance
Of an individual being placed on the ticket
for electors, one man being considered as good
as another, to perform the simple duty of
casting his votes !or the candidates Of his
party in the Electoral College after which, the
elector retired to his own home, and was forgotten
But party discipline since the electors have been
chosen by tie people, has given rise to tho custom
of clothing the Presidential electors with real or
imc ginary influence, in the disposition Of oaic.,
under the general government There has come
quently been a strife in both parties to get the
repre- senta.ves of particular ciques placed on the
electoral ticket As long ago as 1910, we remember
that there was an attempt made by the friends Of
Robert G Wetmore who was then candidate for
Cclle ctr Of the Port, TO nominate him for one of
the Harrison electors; and this was defeated by
the frmness Of some Of the conservatives, VII,
were probably favorable to Edward Curtis, after
wards appointed Collector The most successful
operator, as Presidential e!ec.or, We have ever
known, perhaps we should gay after the late John
Targee who was chosen one Of tae Jackson electors
in 1928 was Joe H0xe, who, it will be recollected,
in virtue Of his position one Of the whg electors
in 1915, claimed and obtained the appointment by
the Taylor cabinet Of his friend Zebedee Ring, ms
Surveyor of the Port. The subsequent influence Of
Hoxe in custom house matters is well known, as is
the successful part be played in procuring the ap
pointment by FilmoIs's cabinet, Of Mr. Bokee as
Naval Officer.
We mention these circumstances to show the
Importance which is now attached to those
really temporary functicnaries the Presidential
Electors At the recent meeting Of the Elec.
torsl College at Albany, therefore, it is not
surprising that there should have been struggle
for ascendancy in tho choice Of President Of the
College, and in other matters, between the two sec.
tions Of the democracy Of which the Electoral Col
lege was composed, designated rs 'hard shelly and
"soft shells " By the term "hard shells il under
stood that section OF the party composed of the old
hupkers under the division of 1913, VINO supported
Cas- for President and who disavow all connection
with the barnburners or freesoilers escep. SO far
necessary to secure their votes and the tri-
unIh Of the party. The "sof. shells are composed
Of the barnburners and portion Of tho hunkers,
who, under the leadership Of Mr Elk Secretary Mar
cy and Mr. Seymour, the Governor elect, consent TO
full union with the barnburneFs particularly 10
the distribution Of off C; while the ''bard shells"
ar xious to exclude the former bar burner, en-.
,irely from governmental favor The cd questions
Of anti slavery and free SOL are, it IL argued to be
buried ia oblivion, by general consent among the
different sections Of the democracy Ths priscipl
obstacle, therefore, TO union and harmony in the
party, it would appear arises from the question Of
how the fpoils Of vi,,ory shall be divided.
Under the circumstances which we have en-
deavored 70 explain The state Of parties IL the lato
clectoIs! college IL matter Of interest to the d..