New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-10-27

| couiu to promote the harmony al
continued ascendancy of the party
1t is possible that am mistaken in snppos;,
tnat the Free-soil section has got its fufl sha
OF the places; for, in distributing the litt
offiees in my gift, which have for the most pa
gone among the rank and file of the party,
have neither had tue time nor the inclination
40 much oy wayfof investigating the antece
now
In reference 10 your remark upon the recen
rupture OF tine party at Syracuse, that sc tn
division could and ou ght to have been prevent
ca, II IS enough fot me to say that / not only
hau no agency in bringing about that division
DuL tried TO prevent it. My counsel was moi
ohiy given in 70 vor of the united action Of ths
convention, 6rIt ] sincerely hoped that harmony
Touid prevail. If any Government officers arr
.i ihareeasie with what took place at Syracuse
.ee "a Iurup n must rest on those who were there
~, =, rnc'L three were from this city-and NOT
=. .Pou ~ ne Collector, who was at home attending
u " .e duties of his Office
40 not state these things by way of apology,
OF nave none to make nor by way Of court
ing favor, for / have none to ask
lou speak Of s. the reunion of the party in
io4o, which reunion was supposed to lave BEEN
thoroughly cemented in the great and triumph
ant contest in 1852" Although I ardently de-
sired reinion, if it could be effected upon
prlnclple, never approved the mode in which
tne attempt was made to bring about that de-
sraole end. l thought then, and think still,
that those who had deserted the democratic
standard in 1s4a, and thrown the State and
National governments into the hands Of the
wings, should, if convinced of their error, re-
turn again to our camp without exaetirr con-
ditions, and should then be treated with the ut
most Kindness. The party would then have
oeen strong, and we should have heard no more
about sections But a very different course
was pursued; and the fresesoil leaders came
BACK, so far as they came at an, under league
or treaty between them and few leading demo-
Gratis, with no stronger bond of union than an
agreement to divide the Offices. The arrange.
ment was based upon no principle. Thefree-son
leaders were left at liberty to adopt the courso
whicn they pursued; and, instead of again
noisti1g the national banner, they marched
into the democratic camp with their own SEC
tonal colors flying, and thus became an inde-
letter proceeds upon the ground that the party
mas all along been divided into sections; and
consequently, that accounts must be balanced
between them in the distribution of Offices. All
experience proves that such coalition. as was
formed in 1o49 can never be Thoroughly ce-
mented: Sooner or later it will fall to pieces.
The cohesive power of patronage cannot long
save that which has within itself the elements
OF dissolution. 1t is not, therefore, any matter
Of astonishment that the sreiinion" was dig
solved at the late Syracuse Convention.
After the league Of 1S49 had been broken,
and the two sections had again become separate .
parties in form as well as substance, it became
necessary for me, as a citizen of New York, to
make my choice between the two tickets which
had been nominated. My reasons for prefer
ing one and rejecting the other are before the
public; and no one has the right to impute to
me any other motives than those have avowed,
| rejected one ticket because the nomination
had been effected by means which no honest
man could approve, and because the nominees
had been brought forward by men who had been
hostile to what deemed the best interests Of
the State in relation to the canals. l approved
the other ticket because the nominees were
right on the question of State policy, and be-
cause those who supported it were contending
for the principles which restored the Democratic
party to power, and placed Franklin Pierce at
the head of the Government" | presume
there can be no objection at Washington at my
now, asI have always done before,
the principles on which the National Admins
tration stands; and with questions of mere
State policy, you must allow me to say the Ad-
ministration has no rightful concern.
What consequences will follow the recent
preak IN the party is more than can tell; bat
feel reasonably confident that if the national
democrats had fair field, and the free-soil
democrats were not fighting under false colors,
their ticket could not get votes enough to help
the wings through with their nominations. But
we have not got fair field. The Washington
Union, while protesting to speak the sentiments
OF the Administration, has thrown its weight
on the side of the free-soil ticket. 1t has 1n-
dertaken to decide upon the regularity Of our
conventions, and to sit in judgment upon oues-
tons of mere State policy. 1t takes the side of
nose who have once proved faithless to the
'arty, and put the Union in jeopardy, and
enounces those who have all along supported
nrlnnInIpl IL
over 1t is now a co-laborer with the free
OIL prints IN this State, some of which it SO
ateiy read out OF the democratic party. Though
hat print is not in itself of great importance.
ct when it Processes, without rebuke, to do
hese things as the organ Of the Administra-
on, much mischief may be done 1t matters
title what disclaimers there NAV be in private
rcles, so long as there is no public declaration
nat the paper speaks without authority. How
yer unfortunately the election may terminate,
he responsibility will rest upon others, and
OF upon me.
Let me now notice the time, manner and mo-
We of your letter
As to time. 1t was after the rupture and
of two tickets at Syracuse, and the
70 ratification meetings il this city; after the
oliector had been denounced by the free-soil
aders and presses, and the President had been
He'd upon to remove him; after hungry Office
ekers and bitter politicians had visited WASH
gton to mlsrepresent and traduce that officer.
I'd to whose clamors, as you well know, he
ver made any reply; after the Union had
ken ground against the ticket of the national
mocrats, and in favor Of the ticket of their
ponents; then it was that you first discovered
use for complaint of any kind against the
dlector. You had approved all his nomins-
ms with single exception, and in that case
e Office was abolished Down to the receipt
your letter of the Sd inst, you had never in
mated to the Collector, in any form, that YOU
approved of his appointments, or of the man.
+ in which they had been distributed.
As to the manner You did not pursue the
ual course, and issue circular laying down
inform rule for the government Of all Gus
n house officers having patronage to bestow;
t confined your instructions to the port Of
W York alone. If the doctrine of the letter
sound one, it is obviously proper that it
ould be applied in other places as well az
re; and it should regulate the conduct of all
Isses of Government officers having patronage
bestow. Marshals, Postmasters, District At
'neys and others, should act upon it in the
ection of their deputies, clerks and other
ents.
| will here mention another fact of no little in
,nifcance. The next day after the letter was
'itten, it was followed by another requiring
} to submit for your approval the names Of
clerks proposed to be employed in the
'nded Warehouses and Public Stores In this
after you not Only denartai from the practiee