The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-11-24

Total 523l57
Increase in total vote over that of 1874,
1925
Increase in total vote over that Of ls4S,
67S64.
Increase in Democratic vote since 1914,
! 24,65l.
Increase in Wing vote since 1914, 2,436.
Increase in Liberty vote since 1914, l0.lS8.
The vote in 1914 was full one. Parties
were we'll organized, and put forth severally
their utmost strength. The proportion of yo-
ters to the white population, was as to 5la
The divisions of lS4S, and the policy of the
Wing and Democratic Conventions on the Sla-
very question, disguised many of their adhe-
rents, and the result was, large mass Of vo-
tiers staid at home While the whole popula-
ton had increased nearly three hundred thou
sand, the vote fell thirty-one thousand
In 1852, the Democratic party succeeded in
temporarily reuniting its ranks, and the pres
tige of military commander prevented a
general disruption Of the Wing party, although
it could not produce entire unanimity The
result was an increase Of the whole vote of
thirty-seven thousand over 1874; but COM
pared with the increase of the whole popula-
ton, this was but small The population of
New York in lS45 was 1904 495-in 1850,
3,097394 In 1862, it must have reached
100000 Thus, while the whole population
had increased seven hundred thousand, the
voters had increased only thirty seven thou
sand. The vote in 1874 was as l to 5 IA of the
whole population; in 1852, as Ito Ga. Had
it then been as to a, the total vote would
have been nearly, $4,000 One hundred
thousand voters therefore, disafected by the
conduct Of the old parties, or alienated from
old associations, without having contracted
new ones absented themselves from the polls
OF this years vote for State officers, the Off
cial returns have not yet been published, but
it is thus estimated Wing $4,000; Hard,
$4,000; Soft, s5,OOO-Total, 900 The
Independent Democratic vote is not yet report
ed, and we have no means of guessing at
it, We doubt whether our friends entered
into any general organization. They were
deeply interested in the success of the Tenn
perance cause, and probably cast their votes
for Temperance candidates, with little refer
ence to any other question. But suppose their
vote should amount to Is, 900, the total vote in
the State in 1853 will be only 365 O0O-a fall
ing off, since last year, of $4,000. Adding
this to the 100000 citizens who did not vote
last year, we have two hundred and ffty-eight
thousand voters absentng themselves from the
sand are Wings, SO called, the rest men who
have generally adhered to the Democratic
party
The majority of these, We may presume,
have been dsaffected by tho policy pursued by
the Party Managers and Party Conventions on
the Question of Slavery.
As the Wing State Convention refused to
express any opinion on the Compromise or
Fugitive Slave Law, in other words, to adopt
the test of Nationality" as we may derisive-
" style il, and as it put in nomination ticket
composed chiefly of Seward men, the pre-
sumption is, that the vote, $4,000, is fair
indication of the average strength of the Sew
ard section of the party.
Many of the Silver Grays would naturally
take no interest in such an election, while
others of them, more active as politicians, or
spectators, would fraternize with the Hardsn
This fact explains in part the strength of the
vote given for the Hard ticket In lSiS, the
Radical Democrats, or Van Buren, men were
l2l, 900 strong, with q majority of seven thou.
sand over the Hunkers, or Cass men. In
IS49, a reunion between the two factions was
commenced by the Compromise men of each,
the Hunkers who favored the reunion being
called "Softs" Very soon, the Barnburners
40 completely abandoned their distinctive posi-
ton on the Slavery Question, that they were
merged with the Softs, and took their name.
The uncompromising Hunkers, headed by
Daniel S. Dickinson, looked with little favor
upon the reunion, but submitted to it till after
the election Of General Pierce so that, from
the time of the reunion till this year, no OPP
nOrtuulby aTOec iot ustCitoshhR "h"e VIZ
Barnburners had gained in strength, or for
testing the relative strength Of the Hards and
Softs. The prevailing impression was, thai
the Hards were small faction, inconsiderablt
in strength and influence, and this doubtless
had its weight with the Administration wher
IL resolved to commit itself against them il
the recent election. Unexpectedly, the i'm
| pression in relation to the Softs, has beer
proved to be an illusion. The Barnburners
who numbered in lsls, one hundred and TWEEN
ty-orc thousand, and the Softs, who we're sup
posed to constitute majority of the one hun
dred and fourteen thousand who voted io
General Cass, by their fusion and mutual con
cessions have reduced themselves to less thar
ono hundred thousand all told, and the I'm
compromising Hards, with tho Federal pat
ronage and influence and organ oil agains
them, are proved to have the majority
Now, let us give due weight to the allianc
Of the Silver Grays" and to the corruptin
influence of Mammon, and to the ridiculous
laundering letter of Mr. Guthrie-it must b
obvious that these circumstances are not in
portan. enough to have produced results 30 Al
founding That which has done more than any
| thing else to reduce the vote and diminish tn
power of the Barnburners and the "Softs,
rendering them so Insignificant that the Ad
mnistraton must cut loose from them, o
hasten the dissolution 10 which it is alread
doomed, is the fact, that The masSs Of the Rad
, cal Democracy of New York haus refused 10 rat
. fy Tie degrading concessions Of their PrineipIs