The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-18


same category with myself.
From nae no pledge Of any kind In favor Of the
Distribution policy was ever obtained or could posi-
bly, have been implied. To prove this it Will bt
the sections"
For more than q quarter of century prior t
lS47, Martin Van Buren, had guided and controlled
the democratic party in this State. In that year op
position to him as candidate for a second Presi
dental term assumed form aud force which led
to his opposing ia ls4s ali the democratic cand dates
IN the State aud the Union. Accustomed, as they
were, to follow his lead, and long connected with
him by the Ties of political ASSOCIATION, consdera-
bic number OF democratic politicians were deceived
and drawn into his parry His friends constructed
the Bnfsio PLATFORM raised the standard of the freq
soil agitation, formed all alliance with the wing abo
h5ooists, ana obtained for their mixed State ticket
vote slightly exceeding that Of the regular dt mo
cratic Candidates.
Very soon after the general election Of As, the
democrats who had supported the free soil ticket
began to return 10 their od Associations. The rauk
and fle needed DO leaders In this easy and natur Al
movement. Neither compacts nor Coalitions were
necessary; and II the leaders would have permitted
the hon est masses who had inconsider atey gone
into the revolt, would soon have been fouGd sile
by side with, aud undis oguis1able FROM their fel-
low democrats. No sections would then have been
known III the democratic party: IL would ave be-
come, rs it was originally united and harmoniol IS
one and indsisbe. The free soil leaders could not
consent thus to disband their section, and permit
perfect fusion and reconciliation of the democrats
who bad erred with those who had held fast to the
faith. Such course would have LETT them to via
what honors they could as mere working democrats
in fair field OF individual competition, unaded by
party feuds or sectional divisions. They determined
upon different pocy-it was to keep up and COZ
tnue their faction, mark and number its members,
so that they might always be distingushabe, unite
it by compact with the unchanged democracy, call
it 81 csion of the democratic party procure Its
cognition by authority an integral portion OF the
party, and claim on its behalf and III its rate
able proper ton of the Offices.
Whatever partial AID temporary success may seem
to have attended this design every attempt toward
its execution has been met by steady aud letter
mined resistance.
1t was evident Injustice and folly to admit into the
bosom of the party uGrepentant corps OF political
rebels, with its officers at its heac its drums beat
ing and It's colors flying Instead Of acknowledging
it. errors, dss0lving Its organization and mingng
with tine party it clear that the members of this
section would keep up q line OF separation between
Themselves and other democrats, and claim, not that
they had received pardon, but that they had
achieved = victory. The leaders Of such section
must necessarily be disturbers Their claims to Office
and promotion would rest not upon their personal
merits, but upon their intuen ,e ever faction having
its origin III revolt, aud distinguished only by the
history Ut its political offences. True 10 its original
instincts ana its antece1ents the section itself would
ever stand ready To renew its assaults upon just
authority. The project vas justly denounced US an
effort to organize body Of political Dagettys with
in the party, which the tinid could DC made to
propit,ate, and w,ib which knaves could deal.
The effort to establish this kind of coalition was
nevertheless perseyert in, had partial success aud
Silence To the present. ri ne, the free soil act n, and
some politicians whose interests prom tied there
by have constantly struggled TO maintain distinct
sections III she democratic party, thus seeking, under
the false prttenue Of q desire tor union and har-
mory, TO give undy ing perpetuity to faction and
i'scord.
In the autumn Of lS49 men witnessed the singular
spectacle Of two ,onventiops, composed of delegates
4, nliDally democratic, convened al Rome, openly
'netaysTins 10 form sn,h a coalition; but tueSe
eOdles separated without coming ID any agree ment.
TIE nee So'leTs aimee at too mach and in that in
stance failed to accomplish the union they desired.
Soon afterwards hey passed at meeting of those
VINO happened to be present one day in an interior
county tOSn certain resolutions affirming freesoil
Doctrines and through their presses announced that
lpon the basis Ut these resolutions union bet veen
themselves and the late Cass party--as they styled
he 0emocrats-hac been formed and was in actual
A falsehood well persisted ia sometimes
arose the union of the sections.
In the same .utumo the democratic nominating
for State officers most unwIsey authorized
committee to withdraw one balf II the names upon
It's ticket, and to orm with the free soilers mixed
one. This was done. The aim Of the free soil leaders
now appeared to be approaching its accomplish
ment; they beDcet nth attended the primary eec-
ions vent dele gates to the demo cratic State conven
hat perbicious phrase, our section Of tue demo
,rdtiC party
Ia the State conventions of so, 81 and 80.
Arge number of delegates, calling themselves the
section ard claiming to be recognized as such at
ended aud we're allowed seats As consequence,
mixed tickets were nominated. At first the
democrats on such tickets were generally de-
est9d AMI the free s0ier5 elected f; but
after short working Of this system, the poison
which it necessarily carried into the democratic
party had its full operaton-neary AL the important
nominations ell under the control of the tree soil
section" In all these conventions the national de-
mocrats elected majority Of the delegates but it is
fixed and rrevocahle law OF sucn associations that
a recognized minority faction ways control,
h At their cont ol leads to the utter demoralZs
tion III the whole body. substituting capacity or
intrigue place Of all the virtues which should COM
msnd popularity and lead to emineDce rbe me a.
bels OF minority faction are hound TO fidelity TO-
wsrd each OTHER by the ties Of common danger, ind
are per tor e kept IN unity by tle external pressure
OF sup, Iior opposing Tor T. The boBDrs OF Official
station in the Convention itself rs the piesi leocy,
DC, and the Offices to be hlled afford the ample
means Of ten ptauon, and n their hlnos efficient
weapons OF offence d defence. They have but ID
assgr 10 themselves the lcu's share OF THESE, and
enough VIII q II &c left a. corfu ptlon fund where
with 80 purchase tie mall number OF v; les usually
required to tara the scale II the factions stand
forty TO sixty 1T only necessary to purchase eleven
votes; ard Where four good Offices i usually the
case can be Off red to the weak, the wicked the
SOIL 8moHG lhe sixty, u Will rarely DC ulIlculb LOT
the lesser faction To Prev ii. Ths may para
doxical; but, however contradictory 1t seems to
theory very little reflecti will convince any sound
thinker thai II Is practically trie The political his
tory OF New York since lS49 illustrates ana verfes
it % the leiter.
have said that this system Of bringing together
ard keeping up recognized opposing sections, within
the same political parry, corrupts and demoralzes
tie whole BODY. Witness its effect upon the free
soiers. Universally condemned nsincere i, their
professions Of Sentimental lyalty to the principles
adverse to those on which t1er section Was ounded,
they subjected to the contempt OF all honest men,
and to the derisioD u each other.
What has been it, effect upon the democratic party,
or upon my section, the nomenclature sought to
be leeitinsted by authority would require me to
call IL? Nominations to Office at these conventions,
in which the free soil section had seats could be OBJ
tanned only by an intrigue except In and ex-
ceptobal cases; and commonly the existence aud
contamination Of that intrigue were demOn5trably
proved by the very fact and method Of the nomna-
ton. A democratic candidate was observed to have
the entire and undivided vote Of the free soil or
minority faction this eected him, being hdded TO
small corps of bis own personal friends, aud those
Of two or three other democrats who, like himself
obtained nominations at the same time and by the