Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-11-03
he party now termed the %4softs" in New

the party now termed the "~softs" in New
York.
Thus, then, the Secretary, who, in his last
lettor TO Collector Bronson, virtually admits
that this /" other section were freesoilers prior
to 1852, puts in this authoritative demand for
office in their behalf, no fault is found with
those already appointed by Judge Bronson
but no,c, to use nearly his own language, show
ing the character of his claimants, "deeming
it necessary to make particular inquiry as to
the section to which persons belonged, prior to
ls49, and as you have appointed generally
from your own section, / shall expect you to
pay regard to the other section by putting them
into office, as their claim is fully recognised by
me and the President, even if it should result
in excluding the strong friends of our party and
of the Constitution, in l84s.'
Now, let it be remembered that the gentle
man who asserts this claim is a Southern man,
and that the faction for whom he asserts it, is
made up chiefly Of men who stood with Fred.
Douglass ct id om,ne genus on the Buffalo plat
form, and shouted, Freesoa .frerer, We do
not say they now stand on that platform;
but we do mean to say that, as to most of them,
the only evidence that they do not, is the decla-
ration of lips, which, not four years ago, almost
swore eternal fidelity to the Wilmot proviso,
and eternal enmity to the slave States; and
whose change of voice may not uncharitably
be attributed to the fact that a prerequisite to
participation in g official station is to forswear
a former creed, and stand without splitting on
q platform they despise.
Where does the Secretary, in the platform or
the inaugural, find warrant for this position?
Is there anything there which justifes the de-
mand for Bronson's head, if former traitors,
now newborn patriots, were not placed in Office
over ancient friends, who were never deserters?
What has given rise to the suspicion that Frank
lin Pierce preferred traitors at Buffalo to the
true men at Baltimore? What, that he did not
prefer the latter, greatly to the former2
His inaugural says: "The field of calm and
free discussion = = \ neuer has been and
never can be traversed for good in a spirit
of s~ectionalism and uncharitableness. Every
measure tending to strengthen the ~fraternal feel
ings of all the members of our Union has had
my heartfelt appreciation. To every theory of
society or government, whether the offspring of
feyerish ambition or of morbid enthusiasm, cal
culated to dissolve the bonds Of law and afec-
tion which unite US, l shall interpose a ready
and stern resistance"
How strikingly does this condemn those men
and their course in ls4s, for whom Mr.. Guthrie
pleads in 1853! But, in addition, what says
the Baltimore platform of 1852? Just what is
said in ls4s-and more. Yet, the other Sec
ton denounced the platform ofls4s, but pro-
fess to adopt 1t: when made morse, according to
their view, in 1852. They t,ampk upon the
lesser monster of ls4s, and porshiip the greater
in 1852!
Now, General Pierce said of both, that they
were always declaratory of his views-that no
act or word of his life was opposed to them.
With whom then should he best agree, or
most sympathize? With the constant friends,
or the quondam enemies of his creed? With
the freesoilers at Buffalo, or the true men at
Baltimore?
Where then in the platform, the inaugural,
or the life of President Pierce, does Secretary
Guthrie find warrant for guilotining Bronson,
for the benefits Of q~uondam freesoilers, now the
"soft shell" democracy? lie finds 1t noWhere
except IN his o,n circular. II stands alone,
with the letter, las its only worthy companion
which struck the head from the shoulders of
the friend Of Dickinson, to conciliate the sup
porters of Van Buren, & Co. His act has car
ried conviction to their "soft" though cla-
morous spirits. Let the Secretary beware of a
conviction" which, before the tribunals of the
people, must sooner or later be visited upon
him, who inflicted the decisive and much Ia
mented blow! His fault, charity would sug-
gest, was Ignorance of the true policy demand
ed by his position; but justice will require that
an inexperience, which brings such disaster,
shall be restored to that obscurity where it will
cease to be hurtful, and whence it was with
drawn, not by its own fault perhaps, but by the
imprudence and over solicitude of friends.
PUBLIC FEELING AND SYMPATHY IN
VIRGINIA AND THE SOUTH. - =