Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-12-30

| he conviction was forced upon the national
| democrats that there was q power secretly at
work to undermine and overthrow them, and
| give the ascendancy to the freesoil section.
| This event was the endorsement, by the Wash
ngton Union, of the substitute for the resolu-
| tons Of Mr. ID. B. Taylor, in the New York
| legislature.
Mr.. Taylor had introduced set Of resolu-
| tons, expressing unequivocal approval OF the
compromise measures, and of the Presidents
| inaugural, with some detail. The freesoil
| members, with few exceptions, had fed from
the house to avoid a vote upon these resolu
tons; and had subsequently introduced reso-
| lutions of their own, couched in general and in
explicit terms.
The Washington Union took ground in favor
of this substitute. This was an unexpected
| thunderbolt 1t shook the nerves of the ma
tonal democrats 1t was to them the hand
writing upon the wall They, however, con-
tinued to rest their hopes on the President.
He, they thought, would see these things. He
would correct them.
But these hopes were disappointed. The
| Union followed up its blow. 1t assailed the
| leading national journals in the State as oppo-
nents OF the administration. 1t allied itself to
the freesoil presses, and showed a complete and
cordial sympathy with them.
The eyes of the national democrats were now
| fully open. They saw that they must either
permit the freesoil section Of the party, with
out any abandonment Gifts dangerous heresies,
| to become so far strengthened as to control the
action of the State in any future contest about
slavery, or separate themselves from it. This
! is the true cause Of the division.
The slavery issue lies at the foundation of
the movement, and the democracy of the south
| and of the Union ought to see this, and APP
precate it. 1t was to arrest the process of abo-
| litionizing, the democratic party Of New York,
| that the national men of the State have dis
solved their connexion with their freesoil as
sociates.
Let it be understood that they do not charge
| President Pierce with being privy to any such
design. They do not charge Mr.. Marcy even
with design to build up freesoilism for its
own sake. This is the indirect effect, and not
the direct object of his course
1t does not require extraordinary perspicuity
to comprehend all this. Gov. Marcy was a
prominent and persevering candidate for the
Presidential nomination in the last Baltimore
convention; and it can be doing no injustice to
him to suppose that he would not object to o
| representation of his claims. But, in order to
success it is Indispensable that he should have
| the entire vote Of New York With the national
men in the ascendant he could not hope for
| this. They had, with great unanimity, urged
upon the President the appointment of Mr..
| Dickinson to a post in the Cabinet. The in
ference from this was irresistible. Gov. Marcy
1 saw and appreciated the indication, and acted
accordingly.
| 1t will be seen, therefore, that the vote of
| New York, in the next Baltimore convention,
is the hinge upon which has turned the whole
action Of the administration in reference to this
State. The object has been carefully con-
cealed-the most plausible reasons have been
| given for every step. The whole thing has
been adroitly and skilfully managed. But the
unmistakeable truth stands out in bold relief,
| that, in order to give to the candidate of the
freesoiT men the rote of the State, the power of
the President has been used to give to the lat
ter the control of the State.
This key unlocks the whole mystery The
Richmond editor need be no longer "at lossn
| for an adequate explanation" of the matter
| 1t stands plainly revealed. Although the object
| of the policy adopted towards New York has
not been to strengthen the anti-slavery element
| in the politics of the Union, this is its una
voidable effect. 1t behooves the southern de-
1 mocracy to ask themselves whether the entire
ascendancy in New York can be given to men
who supported the Buffalo platform in 1913,
and who still adhere to its principles with safety
to the democratic party, or to the confederacy
of the States.
1t is to prevent this ascendancy, and for no
other reason, that the national democrats of
New York have dissolved their connexion with
their freesoil brethren. They have sacrificed
their power in the State, and hazarded their
relations to the democracy Of the nation, in
order to guard from danger the rights of the
south; but the south seems inclined, instead of
responding to the act to prefer utilization with
its old and inveterate enemies. Is this essen
tial to show its fealty to the administration?
Cannot southern men separate President Pierce
and his general policy from the game which
has been playing for the vote of New York?
Is sympathy with the men who have ever stood
by them and their rights identical with "oppo-
sition to the Administrations
These questions are addressed to the states
men of the south. Southern sagacity, as well
as southern gratitude, are about to undergo
trial, and we shall soon see how they will stand
the test. VINDEX. a