The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-04-28
p0NEsTrc SUMMARY.

ticut New Hampshire Rhode lsianu, ana MAS
sachusetts; in the municipal elections in New
York, and elsewhere, they are running their
candidates; and in Tennessee, and several
: Southern States, they manifest purpose to
keep up their organization. The New York
Tribune discourages these movements. IL con-
siders the Wing party mot only defeated, but
undone.r counsels il to submit to its doom,
and resolve itself into its original elements, on
the ground that Wings, acting simply as Amer
lean citizens, individually can accomplish a
great deal more good than in association as a
distinct party.
Meantime, the Free or Independent Demo
Gratis are busily at work, regarding themselves
as a growing party The increase Of their vote
in New Hampshire, from 6,4Oo this fall to
$500 this spring, they view as most encour-
aging Indication Connecticut too, which gave
Hale three thousand votes last fall, gives Gil
lette, this spring, for Governor, between eight
and nine thousand This increase, caused in
part by the Temperance excitement, shows
what vote the independent Democracy may
command, when people begin to expect to &C
complish something by voting.
In Ohio the party is in earnest; Mr.. Lewis
its gubernatorial candidate has taken the field
with his accustomed energy, and there is no
reason why the friends of freedom there may
not be at least the second party, and hold the
balance of power in the Legislature.
In Indiana they are organizing Independent
Democratic clubs with view to systematic
and continuous action upon the public mind /;
and in Pennsylvania, Maine and Wisconsin,
State Conventions have been called.
In Michigan, the Independent or Free De-
mocracy elects supervisors in the counties of
Kalamazoo, Jackson Calhoun, and Branch; in
Illinois they arc holding spirited indignation
meetings, all over the State, against the late
Slave Act of the Legislature; in Ohio they
have chosen their candidate for mayor, in
Granville, by majority of forty-two over the
Wings, and FIVE over the Democrats, and their
township ticket in EIyria; in Wisconsin, at
Kenosha, they have elected their candidate for
mayor, c. c. Sholes and in Illinois they have
succeeded in several township elections.
Mr. Buchanan lately appointed Minister to
England, Power which is supposed to enter
tain views in relation to Cuba somewhat ad-
verse to those of our Government conducted
the correspondence in which Mr. Sanders was
instructed to offer 100 OO0, 900 for the purchase
of that island. He is known to be in favor of
its acquisition. Mr.. SOule stands committed to
the policy Of annexation, not by purchase for
against this he protested, but by some kind of
arrangement which shall appeal to the inter-
est, without offending the pride, of Spain. He
is appointed Minister to Madrid, much to the
vexation of the Spanish Minister at Washing
ton; and the Tribune states "on unqusstiona-
BILE authority" that he had declared that he
would not accept the mission, unless q he were
allotted full power to negotiate for the acquisi-
ton of the island" So this annexation scheme
is to constitute a leading measure of the Ad-
ministration.
Southern papers quote our testimony to the
soundness of Mr. Marcy on the Slavery Cues
ton as absolutely conclusive. Mr. Marcy
oinirn-, f ws~nasrstand him. to have laid the
slave.holding States under special obligations
Without his effors, there would have been no
reunion between the Hunkers and Barnburn-
ers in New York without the reunion, the
Barnburners, whom he acknowledges to be by
far the more powerful and truly Democratic
section Of the New York Democracy, would
have led of in the organization of Democrat
ic party at the North, on the basis of the Buff
falo Platform, which would have been perfectly
irresistible. The prevention of this he claims
as his special work, for which he is entitled to
the peculiar gratitude and confidence of slave
holders
MIR. McClelland, Secretary of the Interior,
was Wilmot Proviso man, during the agta-
ton Of the questions of Territorial Freedom.
When the Three Million bill was under discus
sion in the House of Representatives, February
10, ls47 he said:
Gentlemen inquire what authority we have
to exclude their property from this Territory
The answer is easily given: we do not attempt
it. Slaves, in the contemplation of the Consti
sos'on, "'O hoe piopoTty, nc
authority for excluding aliens and free blacks
applies as well as to slaves. We have the
power of prohibiting any persons, not citizens,
from emigrating and settling there. That
slaves are not property or merchandise may
be considered as fully settled
"Upper California wo ought, and in all prob
ability will have, and it should be free Besides
other considerations it is far better adapted to
the pursuits of Northern men than to slave la
Dor Then why exclude free laborl Admit
the slave, and you expel the free laborer; for
it is folly to think that our Northern men will
smigrate to the most inviting territory in the
world whore they know they will be compelled
to labor side by side with the slave"
His vote is also recorded in the affirmative,
in support of the amendment commonly known
as the Wilmot Proviso, moved by Mr.. Wilmot,
TO the Three Million bill. We always regarded
him, when he was in Congress, as a sincere and
consistent opponent Of Slavery and Slavery ex-
tension, and we have never seen any vote or
word Of his since, indicating rctraction of the
views he then held. Why did Mr.. Pierce ap.
point him, Mr.. McClelland was the special
friend Of MIR. Cas-, but he supported and voted
for General Pierce and this the General ac-
cepts as proof conclusive OF his genuine Nation
al Democracy.
The Virginia Legislature, before adjourning,
passed BILL sppropriating $4,000, to be ap-
piled to removing free colored persons from the
State to Liberia, providing that portion of it
shall be raised by polltax of one dollar on free
colored males, and y tax on seals attached to
registers of freedom in other words, compel
ling the poor to contribute to the expenses Of
their Punishment
The Legislature Of New York, having con-
x:..,.A "a. ,.s.:,., All tho period hevopd which