Washington sentinel., 1853-11-09
NEW YORK PoLITIcs.

briefly the prominent points involved in the con
test in that State The collision at Syracuse
was so sudden that it took the public mind I'M
awares. 1t was the product of a long chain
of circumstances extending over SO many
years that but few politicians even could recal
them. The subject was still further mystifed
and befogged by the efforts of designing men
to misrepresent the past, and to cover up and
conceal the real issues Of the present.
Martin Van Buren, who had led the demo
cratic party to Waterloo defeat in 1910, was
a candidate for reelection in ls44. At one
time, his prospects for the nomination of the
Baltimore convention were fattering. But his
letter opposing the annexation of Texas, and
the salutary operation Of the two-thirds rule
blasted his hopes and filled his heart with bitter
hatred to the democratic party, and more espe
cially to the democracy of the south, which was
united as one man in favor of fannexation. The
course pursued BY the friends Of General Cass
also ogexcited the bittersenmity of Mr.. Van
Buren's followers, SO that they swore vengeance
against the Michigan statesman. \.
Immediately after Mr.. Van Buren's defeat
at the Baltimore convention Of 1874, his par
tisans -attributing his discontinue to the agi.
tation of the Texas question-set on foot a
movement to obtain revenge, by making an ap-
peal> to the anti-slavery sentiment. Of the
north. After the annexation of Texas was &C.
eomphshed, they availed themselves Of the in
PRODUCTION of the Wilmot Proviso into Con.
gress; and in ls47 they seeded from the State
convention of New York because their 'scorner
stone, as they termed the Proviso, was reject.
ed as an element Of the democratic creed. Their
leading presses put the "corner sto nen at the
head of their columns, and called together the
celebrated Herkimer convention on that basis.
That convention was followed by a convention
at Utica, which appointed free-soil delegates to
the Baltimore convention Of l84s.
The admission into the Baltimore convention,
ofthe freesoil delegates appointed at Utica by
factious organization unknown to the demo-
cratic party, was sternly resisted by such men
as Daniel S. Dickinson; and Louis Cass was
nominated as the democratic candidate for the
presidency Then the Van Buren, freesoilers
of New York, after denouncing the Baltimore
convention, united with the freesoilers and alb
olitionists Of other States and proceeded to Buf
platform, and nominated Martin Van Buren,
for the presidency and Charles F. Adams, Of
Massachusetts, an abolition whig, for the vice
presidency. This movement defeated the dem
ocratic party in ls4s, and led to the dangerous
agitation which followed
In 1s49, the year after the defeat of General
Cass mischieyious alliance was formed in
in New York. That alliance was not based on
community of principles-least of all was it
based on a REIMBURSEMENT Of freesoil senti,
ments. It was purely and simply coalition
for the spoils. The national democrats noni-
mated one half Of the State ticket, and the free
soilersnominated the other half; but each party
adhered to its separate principles. The course
which the feesoil leaders pursued during the
session of Congress which enacted the compro-
mise oflS50, proves that the freesoil party never
retracted, or intended to retract, any Of its anti
democratic heresies.
The coalition of l849 was continued; and
as the feesoilers of New York always acted ir
concert with the declared purpose of abolition
izing the democratic party, they succeeded ii
winning over many of those who had sustained
General Cass in lS48. This was accomplished
by appealing to the ambitious desires Of aspi
rants, who being able to lead off few followers
from the ranks of national democracy, united
with the freesoil organizations, for the purpose
Of obtaining position and place. Thus has {
compact unscrupulous, bargaining organiza
easy virtue made them too weak to resist temp
tation. BY this natural process the softshel
party was formed but, from the nature OF the
case, its organization and future destiny must b.
controlled by the action Of the Van Buren, free
soilers. @
The coalition of 1s49 continued until 1852
not approaching but receding from the point 0
honest union. The soft-shell delegates mani
tested in the Baltimore convention no spirit O
concession and harmony; and after the nomi
the platform, the organs of the controllin
portion Of the softshell or freesoil organization
denied that the platform was adopted at all
and took such ground, during the entire car
.yass, as would permit them at any time to re
new the anti-slavery discussion. Indeed, the
stroye L, impart to the union Of the democrac
Of the country the same dishonest feature
which characterized the spoils league made il
ls49 in the State Of New York.
This is fully and satisfactorily proved L
every candid and unprejudiced mind by subse
quent events. The freesoilers, who control tn
soft shell organization, steadily refused to SUI
tain the Baltimore platform and The President
inaugural up to the time when there was
plain, patent mercenary motive for them
alter their professions TO suit the occasion
When proposition was made in the New Yor