Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-09-24
THE SYRACUSE CONvENTIoN--THE
NEW YORK CON GEOLOGICAL NO
MENCLATURE.

MENCLATURE.
We present in another column an abstract
of the proceedings Of the late democratic con
vention held at Syracuse, in New York In
doing SO we are actuated only by desire to
furnish our readers with the leading features
of an event which has created no little excite
ment in the political circles, just as we would
present them with the particulars Of steam
boat explosion on the Hudson or the Missis-
sippi.
Had such an exhibition been made in any
Of the smaller states-in Rhode Island, Della
ware, or Louisiana for instance, no general no
tce would have been taken of it. But it hap
pened in the State of New York-the Empire
State--and therefore all men must have seen
it or acknowledged themselves blind.
1t is in this latter view only that we feel it
incumbent on US to publish the proceedings of
the late Syracuse convention, and to make the
following remarks with regard to the concho-
logical nomenclature Of the State of New York.
Our readers will doubtless remember that
the two divisions of the democratic party in
New York were formerly termed the hunkers
and barnburners, respectively. But when it
became apparent that the Mexican war would
not terminate without an acquisition of terri
tory, the celebrated Wilmot Proviso was intro
duced in the House of Representatives. That
Proviso was attached, or proposed to be at
tached, to an appropriation to enable Mr. Polk
to negotiate peace with Mexico, and made it
a condition that slavery should not be permitted
to exist in any territory which might be ac-
CURED by treaty of peace and limits.
The barnburners then assumed the name of
the free-soil party, and under that name held
the celebrated Buffalo convention, and put forth
a platform of principles whose features are
familiar to our readers, and nominated for Pre-
sident and Vice-President Mr.. Van Buren, Of
New York, and Mr.. Adams, of Massachusetts.
That movement defeated General Cass and
elected General Taylor five years ago.
This was secession from the democratic
party, and it was opposed by those of the New
York democracy whodeprecated the anti slavery
agitation-who wished to maintain the ancient
bond of union between the northern and south
ern democracy rs the surest means of maintain
ing the union between the northern and south
ern States. These men were called the hunk
ers, and foremost among them was Daniel s.
Dickinson, who breasted the storm of fanaticism
with cool and calm determination, and with a
bold and manly spirit, which should endear him
to the whole nation as one who has done SER
vice to the republic when the republic needed
the services of true and faithful men.
Since the passage of the Compromise of
1850 many efforts have been made to unite the
bunker and free-soil organizations of New
York But it does not fall within the scope of
our present article to enumerate them, or to
mention the circumstances under which they
we're made.
In the progress of these efforts n portion
Of the hunkers united with the men who
the old freesoil organization, and
those thus united have taken the name of soft
shells, leaving the name of hard shells to the
members of the bunker party, who refused an
alliance of organizations, which would be mere
tricious, unless there was some coincidence of
feeling, sentiment, principle, and purpose.
With this brief explanation our readers will
understand the names and terms used at pre-
sent in New York politics.
We feel no disposition to become party to
the contests of rival State organizations; but
we fear that the one which has Just been re-
newed in New York will assume degree Of
national importance, which will not permit us
distance from the confines of that State-occu-
pying central position, and looking to n ma
tional circulation to reward our labors-we
deem it highly improper to NEEDLE in local
feuds, and we shall only do so when principles
and results are involved that may affect large
Having said thus much we would say no
more. But as this is the first appearance of
our journal, and being unwilling that any one
should believe that we fear to declare our senti.
ments, we state now, that our sympathies are
warmly enlisted in behalf Of those who have been
true to the democratic faith who have, in times of
trial, held fast to the right and labored to per-
petuate those feelings Of amity and concord
which should ever be cherished as the basis of
the confederacy.
The Democratic Conventions ut Syracuse.
Ii is well known that on the thirteenth instant
the democratic delegates from the several counties
in the State of New York repaired TO Syracuse,
for the purpose of holding State Convention, and
that the result was two separate organizations, as
well as the nomination of two sets of candidates
for Stale officers The particulars of tho proceed
ings have already been made known 10 the public,
and it now merely remains for to place the es-
sental reported facts record, in condensed
form.
That portion of the democratic delegates called
" Iards,' organized with eighty delegates; Ira p