The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-05
LETTER FROM DANIEL s. DICKINSON
T0A
SOUT ERIN EMAN.
The National Democracy and the Bal
timore Platform.
FREE SOllISM AND ITS OFFICIAL PATRONS.
&c., &C., SC.

The following letter giving sketch OF the views doc
trines, and policy Of the democratic party OF this State,
written by Daniel s. Dickinson to of the speakers
ut MetroI olitan Hall Thursday evening. 1t will be
read with interest by politicians Of every secton:-
BsGuAMroS, Oct 90 1853
Ny DEAR sR-Your esteemed favor of late date apor
the subject Of political affairs recently to hand
but, regret to add found too much engaged pro-
Je ionay bestow the consideration upon answer
which the Importance of the subject demands and can
give you only general response. The itional demo
cracy Of this State, you will have seen dis
guises and court concealments. They have fought
hand to hand with abotonsm, spurious and true for
many year-haye under the procurement of reacherou
and interested leaders, endeavored harmonic with it.
and with its dangerous and despicabe allies with
out success and after this dearly purchased experience
they to understand It's character conduct and
purposes, as well as its hreliDg eulogiss abroad They
have determined to associate longer with its incon
gruous elements under any circumstances and win leave
1t for time to show how far they be betrayed from
their course by the seductions of patronage driven
from it by the rowns of power That their position will
be falsifed by the mendacous and necsssous, whose
consequence or bread depend upon official station
Ia to be expected; but, when the whole ques
ton shall be stripped of its official drapery
Is it win be in due time it viii stand out it s-a strug
gle between the advocates of democratic principles the
one hand and the hungry votaries OF demoraizng sys
tenn of spells the other The issue is fully made up
though not yet fairly submit ted to the American people,
But the gulf which separates the two systems broad
deepand would could add as mpasse bleas that which
separated the CHI in torment from him who nestle
in the patfiarch's bosom and nasm UGH political
sociatons deemed voluntary treasury mandates to
the contrary Notwithstanding it is to hoped that every
citizen viii range himself upon tais great question on
the side where his Judgment incinaons may carry
often nv
which the democracy of this State betrayed into the
hands of free soH leaders for the benefit of certain
reacherous and aithless Individuals and the manner in
which the corrupt gamen severed that repetition
would be useless and is omitted.
The democratic party OF this State Is no recent society,"
nor new hedged orgapization Is it enanatioa of
the baltimore platform. 1t the author of and gave
birth to that celebrated structure aided by others of
kindred faith, ano points with triumphant pride to the
erection mot to general bankrupt law which cancelled
its political endorsements and enabled again to
business, but monument of its political ntey.
rty and of its devotion to great national prncplespr
cpes for which it had done battle through long years of
good and evil report While some, who invoke their
declaration oblivion Of the past nippany were
either safe in obscurity resisting them in Buffalo
venton, in company with free negroes, strong minded
women and great minded men, and proclauling esunion
in Of their practical adoption The Baltimore plat
form not erected to cheaper princpesto lower the
standard Of political morals or to place treachery ard
and patriots, upon equality It was simply reiteraton
Of great cardinal truths and with such notifications
ecessary conform to intermediate legislation
In substance repetition of the doctrines promulgated
by the democratic national conventions Of 1914 and Is48
Bxt it has SO often been nvol ed as p ocllmation Of
"amnesty' to political ingrates that the assumption is
worthy of q moments consideration TWAS just much
As and more amnesty 10 traitor, than any other
decla alton of principles and al else that is claimed for it
rests in the necessities of those who give that reading
80 far it relates to the democracy of this State its
'amne,t is briefly disposed Of The only delegate who
Hoor of the National Convention Jerome Briggs of
Onondaga, Marcy free soil delegate and family
necton Of the premier Of the administration He re-
sisted most clamorously, especially that part which
lated to the Fugitive Slave law, aud only senced by
the overwhelming voice of the Convention And among
the FIRST acts Of amnesty" by Governor Seymour acting
In concert with the PREMIER was the no oaon Of this
same jerome j. Briggs to of the best Offices in the
form Of principles concerned observed by the
leaders of the free soil faction through the
yet hs ass a
expression Of individual sentiment by which
bound, but in which he should temporarily acguiesos
faction at the election, by Defeating in strong demo-
cratic Districts FIVE national democratic candidates
Tor Congress- for other reason than because they
national democrats and had favored the compromise
Ence the adins alton organized the spirit Of that
faction has yndctive against every ma
onal democrat they could not purchase and nhe State
during the last session portion of those
who take shelter under the amnesty pronounced the
Others fed IL from contaion from voting the SUBJ
tect Members who sought to the enactment Of
law the passage Of resolutions declaring the pnc
pies Of interstate comfy suggested by the discharge OF
the Lennon slaves by judge of courts, condemna
tory Of that strange decision were hooted and
by this amnesty faction bitterly If they had pro-
posed that New York, State should return to her
former system of slavery; and Last though not least
upright public officer cha rged with high crimes and
misdemeanors-t hs hest of which was In reality that
ne unyieding national Gemocratand his npeach
nent and ruin most vndictvely sought. Nor did the
sudden by authority conversion Of the body of this fac
6onto the declaration Of national principles at Syracuse
from which the most conspicuous of its leaders assentd
heghten confidence in their sincerity patriotism
There has evidently been considerable effort in
certain quarters TO forget the ends which the free
soil faction sought to accomplish by its original
organization. and to confound their purposes with
the general Northern feeling which does regard slavery
IN the abstract with favor hut it is quite too early
practice SO base deception Free soil principles did not
relate merely to slavery in the abstract The sol
party at the Buffalo invention and elsewhere declared
s object to be to agste the question OF slavery prac
say by legislative action to prohibit by law OF Con-
gress its introduction into the territories resist
Admission of slave States into the Union: to abssh
slavery in the District Of Columbia and in docks navy
yards forts arsenas and wherever the general COVER
nent had jurisdction and to resist by State legislation
and in effect nullify that article of the constitution
which provides for the storation of fugitive slaves
these reasonable doctrines which this disturbing
action sought to nculcate and engraft upon the essla
tona democracy pursued with such hate
was against euch perncious sentiments, fraught with
tendencies alarming, that contended in the Senate
and before the people of this State For this buetted
factions angry and sought to roll back its tide
Of black and and bitter from the citadel of the
Union 1t FOR this that made target for the
shafts Of free soil maevolerce and persecuton and it
was for this that the generous and unanimous acclaim
n the path Of duty when all hope, that which
springs from consciousness of recttude had nearly
forsaken Those who remember how bitter and re-
merseess the Buffalo convention caumnators then,
VIII learn with surprise that they retired from the
struggle Lursng their revenge like tiger cheated in
his foray and that since the country has sanctioned
tho principles and approved nay course
are sndeayorng By sarbling and fraud to transfer
rom friend TO enemy OF those measures From the
ee soil leaders Of ls4s stung with defeat covered with
sachery and shane and reekng with abolition faint
4 those who for consideration joined hands with them
neither exploited nor desired justice generosity.
Dut when this sectional warfare raging and
Gtanding in the forefront of the hottest battle employ
ing the best enere could command appealing to the
people If this State in langual which thought best
calculated to them to n of duty aud uphold
spg the constitutional rights Of the South by the best
could suraon, it had been prophesied that
within three short yeas when should be longer
Sscpiento public office popular favor but in the quiet
walks of private life devoted to rural and professional
occupations should be sought out by those enjoying
uts OF that morabe contest-ths spec shes which
then made upon votes n all times and upon all
Aona given against free soil hereses in every shape and
inst of tha Jaoia