Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-10-22

merits but upon their influence over faction having It's
origin in revolt and distinguished only by the history OF
its political offences True to its original instincts and
its antecedents the section itself would stand ready
TO its assaults upon just authority The PROJECT
justly denounced as an effort TO organize body OF
political Dagettys within the party which the tmld
could be made to propate and with which knayes could
deal
The effort to establish this kind Of coalition
theess persevered in had partial success and thence
to the present time the Free-so faction and some poll
tcans whose interests promoted thereby have con-
stantly struggled to maintain distinct sections in the
Democratic party thus seeking under the false preence
of desire for union and harmony TO give undying
perpetuty to faction and discord
In the autumn of l8i9 men witnessed the singular
spectacle Of two conventions composed OF delegates no
nay Democratic convened at Rome openly endeavorng
to form such coation but these bodies separated with
coming to any agreement The Freesoers aimed ut
too much and in that instance failed to accomplish the
union they desired.
Soon afterwards they passed. at meeting of those who
happened be present day in interior country
town. certain resolutions affirming Freesoil doctrines and
through their presses announced that upon the basis Of
these resolutions union between themselves and the late
Cass party-as they styled the Democrats-had been
formed and in actual existence. fasehood well
persisted in sometimes wins at last degree Of credit
and from this small beginning arose the union Of the
| sections.
| In the same autumn the Democratic nominating con-
venton for State officers most unwisey authorized
miee to withdraw one-half of the upon its ticket
and form, with the Freesoers mixed one. This
done The aim Of the Freesol leaders appeared to
be approaching its accomplishments they henceorth at
tended the primary elections sent delegates to the Demo-
cratic State conventions and introduced into the political
vocabulary that perncous phrase, our section of the
| Democratic party
In the State Conventions of 80 81, and 80 large
number of delegates, calling themselves "the section,
and claiming be recognised SUCH attended and
allowed seats. AS consequence mixed tickets were no.
minated. At first the Democrats such tickets were
generally defeated and the Freesoers elected but after
short working Of this system the poison which it
Democratic
ration nearly all the important nominations fell under
the control of the Freesol section" Insal these
venons the National Democrats elected majority Of the
delegates but it is fixed and rrevocable law OF such
associations that recognised minority faction always
control and that their control leads to the utter demo-
radiation of the whole body substituting capacity for
intrigue in place Of all the virtues which should command
popularity and lead to emnence. The members of mi
nority faction bound fidelity toward each other by
the ties Of danger and perforce kept in
unity by the external pressure of superior opposing
force The honors of official station in the convention
itself, the presidency, &c., and the offices to be filled,
afford them ample of temptation, and are in their
hands efficient weapons of offence and defence. They
have but to assign to themselves the lions share of these
and enough will still be left corruption fund where
with to purchase the small number of votes usually
CURED the scale If the factions stand forty
to sixty it is only necessary to purchase eleven votes
and where four good Offices is usually the case be
offered to the weak the wicked, the soft among the
sixty, it will rarely be difficult for the lesser faction to
prevail This may seem paradoxca but however con
convince any sound thinker that it is practically true.
The political history Of New York since lS49 illustrates
and yerihes it to the letter
have said that this system Of bringing together and
keeping up recognised opposing sections, within the
political party corrups and demorszes the whole
body Witness its effect upon the Freesoilers Uniyer
sally condemned nsncere in their professions of SEN
tmenta loyalty to the principles adverse to those
which their section founded, they subjected to
the contempt of all honest and to the derision of
each other.
What has been its effect upon the Democratic party
upon my section, the nomenclature sought to be e
gtimated by authority would require to call it? No
limitations office at these conventions, in which the
Freesoi section had Seats could be obtained only by
intrigue, except in and exceptional cases and
monty the existence and consummation of that intrigue
demonsraby proved by the very fact and method OF
the nomination. A Democratic candidate observed
to have the entire and undivided vote Of the Freeso
minority faction this elected him. being added to small
corps of his personal friends and those of two
other Who like himself, obtained nomi
nations at the same time and by the same vote COM
bnnton with the Freeso minority faction against his
section at apparent and was denounced ac-
cordngy Driven by that denuncaton into the ranks Of
his former foes, allied to him by the advantages
sulng TO both from their successful intrigue the nomi
found employing the power and influence of
Office in forwarding the views of the faction which ee
waited HMM securing Office its members wreaking
vengeance upon the members of his original section who
honest enough TO become Disguised with his in
trgue and hard enough to oppose its consummation.
These men, to cap the climax Of their Generalization al
Il
section. They might be known by their continual use of
the following conversational phrases, the united
Democracy" (" union and harmony, the union of the
party, sour section Of the party" "your section Of
/ their party" and the like
All this is we'll excmplifed by the and fortunes
OF several distinguished citizens high in Office under
the State and General Governments whose names will
at to every welinformed New Yorker. 1t is
not necessary and might be thought invdious, to
\ them. by their deeds they are known.
What experience has proved in respect to this recog
milton of sections apparent to me in l849 From the
instant the coalition first proposcd-from the first
broachng Of the idea that there be two recognised
sections in the party, down to the present hourin all
places where the subject up and to oil persons be-
fore whom have spoken upon either ubect-with
the most undertaking consistency, and in the strongest
terms of reprobation could command have denounced
both the coalition itself and the perncious policy Of
cognising sections sectional divisions in the party
| This was known to every Democrat who has ever had
occasion to know any thing concerning my opinions; it
was known to all who were concerned in comforting office
upon me.
In the State Convention Of 1850 where for the first
time Freesol members set with Democrats they held
themselves aloof n section claiming to act such
they denounced the leading Democrats Of that day. such
the Hon. William L. Marcy for their political
duct" they voted against the Democratic PLATFORM and
yet they not expelled, but the contrary,
awarded share of the Offices; but l openly and most
distinctly opposed the unhalowed combination. In the
same season member Of the socalled Democratic
Convention for the district Of my residence which nomi
mated for Congress notorious Freesoer and aboonst
pronounced both these conventions METEOROLOGICAL rregu
lar and possessed Of binding authority; because they
had in effect admitted the section which the honorable
Secretary requires to be formally and distinctly
cogniscd section and such fed from the public
treasury | declared my opinions, and announced in
the most public manner my determination TO wage un-