Washington sentinel., 1853-11-08

there made, because the convention laid on the
table resolution committing the party in this
State to the anti-slavery agitation. The same
men afterwards got up > mass convention at
Herkimer to denouncethe Syracuse convention
At which mass convention State convention
was called At Utica, to send delegates to the
Baltimore convention of1848. The delegates
appointed at This convention appeared there to
contest the seats Of the rightful delegates. What
transpired there is well known, and it is also
known that these delegates went home and
got up State convention to denounce the
Baltimore convention and Gen. Cass, at which
convention Mr.. Van Buren, was nominated for
the presidency. These men, not the "Conser-
vatives,n went to Buffalo, made new platform,
and concured in the nomination Of Van Buren
and Adams -. 80. n
These facts show that this faction originated
the anti-slavery excitement in l844, and has.
nursed it since and that the Wilmot proyiso
and kindred questions were the chief points of
difference between them and those who sup
ported General Cass. How completely does
this brief statement Of facts confute the impu-
tations upon the conservatives contained in the
labored review Of Mr.. Gillet ie
But it is said the sections united in l849 and
80, and continued to act together through 81
and '52. Very wellan they have separated
again. The same men, with a few exceptions,
stand now as they did in l848. Mr.. Gillet will
not understand, or will not state truly, the rea-
son of this new division. He says of the ma
tional democrats, that I" to divert attention from
the past and present history Of the party, they
now raise the cry of abolition against the Union
democrats Is it not the. Union democrats as
he calls the feesoers, rather that seek to divert
attention from past history The national
democrats have no occasion to do so. But as
respects their cry of abolition, is it not true !?
Have not the frecsoilers uniformly opposed and
refused to endorse the compromise measures,
until they were driven to the wall at Syracuse,
and were constrained then to make some pro-
fession of democracy? sitts
| But it is not true that this, as is alleged, is
the chief cause Of the division, so far relates
to past freesoilism? The primary cause, un-
doubtedly, of the bitter animosity which the
canvass for delegates to the Syracuse conven-
ton revealed was abolitionism. Not the past
or the present only, but the future. Abolition
ism is not dead, but sleepeth. The sentiment
doubtless was widespread among the true dem
ocrats-those who were sound in l848 and at all
other times, and true othe principlesa and usages
of the party-that the administration was pursu-
ing policy in appointments which involved the
ascendency of ffreesoiland abolition over national
influences in this State. Whether this was SO
or not, such was undoubtedly the opinion of
nine-tenths of the citizens of the State Of New
York, in which, ofcourse, the democrats partook.
1t was felt by the national democrats that the eff
feet of the administration policy most obviously
was SO to strengthen freesoil men and freesoil
influences in this State-that with all their pre-
<Ixo,v
would kill off all the leading national men Of
the State all except the meanest and the most
| venal Of the Cass men of lS48, such as might
be induced to sell out and betray their old as
sociates. ssasa NJ
The tone and spirit of Mr.. Gillet's letter
shows what bitterness still rankles in barn-
burner or freesoil bosoms towards those whom
he so contemptuously stigmatizes6 as "con-
SerU0tices towards the too faithful and time
honored democrats Of this State. Is it surprising
that there should be division, when, composing
large majority Of the State convention, they
were met by all the leading State and United
States officers who came to seduce and over
awe and intimidate them with hired bullies and
fighting men at their backs ?Fpes W asg
It is not iust--it is not possible for the whole
administration to make the true old line ma
tional democrats of this State train under
such leaders as John Van Buren,, Dix, Gnlet,
Grover, Preston King, Cochrane, and Fowler,
and such as they. The attempt to enforce
this result is the cause of the division in
New York. The attempt to dictate, By du-
1ority," and with the aid of fighting men and
bullies, how free men-how the sane national
democrats Of New York shall act in State
convention, forced the division at Syracuse, and
will Justify it in the sight and opinion of all
honora hla man tbrou ohout the IInion
NEW YORK HUNKER.