Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-09-20
The last Important Event in the History Of
Parties in the United States.


Convention at Syracuse, New York, upon
the Fugitive Slave Law, &C., is most i'm
portant, as it proves the eradication of
all Free Soilism from the great Demo-
cratic party of the United States. In
1847, even the New York Hards were
Proyisoists. In 1S48, under the lead of
Senator Daniel S. Dickinson, they aban-
doned that position, being first, of the
North, to mount the true constitutional
platform upon this question. Before their
eyes were opened, the South, in Congress,
very generally believed that the Union
would hardly last another decade. Sub
sequently they stood the brunt Of the con-
test over the whole North, fighting the
battles of the Constitution under such
odds as would have overwhelmed less de-
termined men. They fairly earned the
confidence Of the South, without distinc.
ton of party. Their example paved the
way for the conversion of Messrs. Web
ster and Fillmore in 1850. who, abandon
ing their former Provisoist opinions, sub
Sequently repaid the cordiality with which
the South welcomed them and their friends
into the ranks of the defenders of the
rights of the States. About the same
time the present Chief Magistrate of the
United States fought his gallant battle
against abolitionism in New Hampshire,
wherein he rescued well nigh his whole
political party there from the anti-slavery
influence under which they were rapidly
sinking when he General Pierce) reached
home from his service in Mexico. His
exertlons and achievements in that polit-
zeal contest gave him the favor Of the
South to the remarkable extent to which
1t was manifested towards him in the
last presidential election. While he was
recognizing the Democracy in New
Hampshire after this fashion, his Secre-
tary of State, an ardent bunker Demo-
crat, essayed to do the same by the De-
mocracy of New York, where, however.
antl-slavery influences had gained much
stronger focthold in the party. In the
State Conventions of 1850 and of 1851
Gov. Marcy held out the olive branch to
the Barnburners, offering to unite with
them on equal terms on the basis of for
getting and forgiving past differences.
Through his exertions and those of his
immediate friends, the Barnburners were
brought to the point of agreeing to this
arrangement, though they refused to pass
resolutions at that time which would
commit them TO the Fugitive Slave Law.
They, nevertheless, agreed to agitate the
slavery question no more. This promise
they kept religiously; the abolition Jour
nails formerly acting with them only re-
fuslng to be governed by this agreement.
Subsequently, they kept faith with Marcy
IN the matter Of aiding to elect Pierce.
The whole bunker Democracy of New
York prior to the Presidential election
endorsed the propriety of the union with
them, though some of the very ultra
Hards demanded as surety of their good
faith, that they should endorse the Balti-
more Platform and the Fugitive Slave
Law especially, without justification or
reservation. Pierce, being elected, kept
faith with them; in turn giving them a
share Of the offices, though only on the
express condition Of future fidelity to the
Baltimore Platform and the Fugitive
Slave Law. But the Very Hards''
Jared up, and complained because so
many offices were given to that wing of
the party. Pierce replied that he felt it
to be his duty to keep faith with them.
Otherwise, he could not ask them to keep
faith with the Baltimore Platform. The
Very Hards set up the cry that they were
prescribed. In so doing, they conferred
a benefit on the South of incalculable
value to the future of the integrity of
the Union. As thus they have created
among the Barnburners the impression
that the Administration is being opposed
because of the frank and kind atti-
tude it has held towards themselves
This impression had much, very much
to do with the resolutions rncently adoDt.
ed at the Soft convention. They embrace
all the South asks, and are pledges as en-
phatic as any given by any politicians OF
any party north of the Potomac. The
Southern papers are already proclailnine
,l