Washington sentinel., 1853-12-17
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IFor the washington sentinel


tRor the Washington Sentinel
1t has surprised me, while the press Of the
Union has teemed with articles bearing upon
the political history of the democratic party of
the State Of New York for the last four years,
that In no one instance has q just and discrimi-
mating view Of the subject been presented. IT
might reasonably have been supposed that
among the innumerable pens employed in at
tempting to elucidate this history, some one Of
them would, ere this, by accident, If not other
wise, have hit upon the truth.
In l849 the two sections into which the demo
cratic party Of the State was divided, united in
the support of single ticket and this union
thus partially formed, because in 1850 perfect
and complete.
The moral effect of this union was felt from
Maine to Texas. 1t gave strength and courage
to the national democracy. 1t checked the
spread OF freesoilism in other States. Itleit no
resource for the freesoil leaders but to Weld a
the national democrats II paved the way for
the campaign Of 1852 and contributed to its
brilliant triumph.
This union is now dissolved and it has be-
come the fashion to stigmatize it as n base CO.
alition for the sake Of the spoils.
Nothing could be more unjust 1t is not
necessary in order TO vindicate those who have
effected its dissolution, nor is it Just as matter
of history, thus to characterize it. No doubt
there were many who had no higher motive
than this. But that such were the views of
those who were most influential in bringing
about the union l deny. They believed that
there were thousands who acted with the free.
soil party, simply because their section Of the
democratic party had adopted the freesoil doc
| trine as o part Of its creed and, that, had the
doctrine been presented to these men, aside
from the influence of their party press, their
confidential leaders and their peculiar associa-
tons, it would have been at once rejected.
1t was indispensable to the reconstruction OF
the democratic party that these men, demo-
Gratis at heart and national in sentiment, but
for their associations, should be brought back
to the true faith. Their places could not be
made good by any accessions from the whig
ranks Of men concurring with the national
democrats upon single issue only, but dia
metrically opposed to them upon all others.
How was the return of these democrats to
be effected? Had the freesoil section Of the
party been largely in the minority, it might
have been reasonable to expect that, amid all
the depressing influences that would have be.
| set them, enough of the rank and file would
after year or two, have deserted their leaders
and returned to the democratic ranks to have
restored the ascendancy of the party.
| But that section was in the ascendant in
| the State. II was numerically the strongest,
wellorganized, and under the guidance of able
and INSCRIPTIONS leaders. Under these cir
cnmstances, had the warfare been kept up, all
sorts Of expedients would have been resorted
to, and all sorts Of combinations made to pre-
vent a return of the masses. 1t would have
! taken many years to extinguish the faction, if
ut.la g.
not ultimately have gone TO swell the ranks of
| the aboltionists.
What, then, were the views of those who
advocated the union Of the sections?
They did not suppose that their contests with
freesoilism were at an end nor that all who
we're thus brought back would ultimately be-
come good national democrats.
But they did suppose, that through the Union
they would be able to restore the democratic
ascendencyin the State and in the nation-and
that thousands who would otherwise be led
into abolitionism, being thus brought once more
into association with their democratic friends
of the national faith, would remain true to that
faith, when the inevitable struggle with the
anti-slavery sentiment Of the north should be
renewed.
They knew that the union Of the sections
would bring into the national party many turbu-
iehc splits, anu Huaiiy too ueePiy imDued Win
freesoi notions to be relied upon in time Of trial
But they believed that when the period should
come, as come it must, for eliminating these
men from the party, they would go shorne Of
their strength.
These views were wise, and the action to
which they led patriotic. II was not "for the
sake Of the spoils'' that the union was effected
but to arrest the progress towards abolitiepism
of a large section of the democratic party
This object was accomplished, and democratic
ascendency was retored in both State and ma
ton. Sl
Thus far all the benefits anticipated from
the union Of the sections were realized; but
for single error of the President every rea-
sonable expectation in regard to it would have
been fulfilled. a
In what did this error consist?
This is the grand political problem of the
day, and its true solution Is the hinge upon
which the fate Of the present administration
turns. 1t has consisted, as | say, not in the
appointment of freesoilers to office. This
could not be avoided. 1t was impossible for
the President utterly to refuse to recognize as
democrats, men, who, whatever might have
been their anteoedents, had acceded to the
platform of the party, and come up vigorous
" to the support of its candidates. Nor was
it at all necessary that he should do so, i'll
order to retain the confidence and attachment
Of his friends of the national school. n
It's unjust to the national democrats, and
derogatory to their character to suppose, that
the loss of the emoluments Of few paltry Of
fees would induce them to dissolve their as
sociation with their political brethren The diff.
fculty lies deeper than this.
The great question presented to General
Pierce upon the threshold Of his adlninstra
ton was how to deal with the State of New
York, so as to preserve that union Of the de-
mocracy of the Empire State, which had pro-
duced such happy results. There is no reason
to doubt that Gen. Pierce appreciated Justly
the importance Of this problem. He must
have seen, that any mistake in dealing with il
would lead to serious embarrassment, however
wise might be his other arrangements.
That he has been unfortunate in this respect
is certain. The union he was so anxious to
maintain is blown to the winds. Will il be
said that this was inevitable? Far from it.
The causes which have produced, ms well as