Washington sentinel., 1854-01-25

cept four that were specified) provided the Utic
convention (freesoiD ratify the four names speci
fed, and complete the ticket by nominating zee
knowm and acknowledged democrats in the plac
OF the four stricken of, and shall impose no "pri,
cipk test upon said candidates inconsistent wit
1 the resolutions adopted by the democratic conyen
/ ton at Rome"
i The freesoil convention, protesting 10 subml
! 10 these terms, nominated candidates for the fou
| oices left open 10 them, and the articles OF unlo
| between the frcesoil and democratic organization
were thus sealed and delivered. The four wei
known and az acknowledged democrats" placed upol
the ticket by the ireesolers were those, believe
! who in 1915 had followed Mr. Van Buren, and ih'
member from Ohio Mr.. GIDDINGs. The sount
and sincere men Of our party We're disgusted. 4
complaint is made that portions OF the ticket OF
/ both sides We're lost. Experience has showI
that il would have been better if the whole hat
met that fate, and the coalition had in its brit
been crushed out, and an end been at once pu
TO a combination which has since broken the dem
ocratic party Of our State into atoms, as similar
| leagues will destroy any other party which seeks
10 include in its organization men protesting prin
ciples hostile to each other.
The union thus effected being afterwards more
fully cemented, acquesced, and gave II in good
4 faith my support, / remarked the other day
until the separation at Syracuse in September
last, when | again fell into the ranks with my
former tried and gallant friends, the hards.a
| now submit TO the candor of the committee
/ whether !, who was publicly denounced as q slave
owner, disorsanizer, and fanatic in IS49, in the
hour and al the place of these transactions, be-
cause OF my opposition 10 the coalition, have been
justly amenable 10 the accusation OF my colleague
| OF having at that time been one of the che
instruments in accomplishing its formation.
| II is also charged by my colleague, Mr.. HUGHES
though in nowise relevant TO the remarks made by
me few days since, that he undertakes 10 criti.
else, that in 1916 the "hardsh or hunkers (or they
are the same) defeated the election of Hon. Silas
| Wright. My answeris that Immediately after the
| election the friends of Mr.. Wright accused Hora
ito Seymour our pres INT governor, and Hon. Viii
liam L. Marcy now the leader Of the ssofs, with
| having contrived his defeat. In Oneida, where
Mr.. Seymour resided, il was asserted that Mr.
Wright ran several thousand behind his ticket If
therefore, any portion of the democratic party Of
that day is justly chargeable with having defeated
the election of Mr.. Wright, it must be laid al the
door of those who now fraternize with the former
freesoilers-n other words, TO the +" sofls." II
Is unjust and ungenerous in my colleague TO at
tempt TO shift the blame upon the "hards." beg
to add that no member of this body entertains a
higher respect for the abilities, integrity aud per-
sonal character of Mr.. Wright than / do. He
was an eminent and virtuous citizen, Of whom our
State ought 10 be and is Justly proud, and whose
memory is, as il ought 10 be, profoundly revered.
History has still 10 unfold to whom the mislor-
tunes of his later political life rightfully to be
attributed. | believe his real and sincere friends
have no difficulty in referring TO the authors ol
them, or 10 their motives.
have no hesitation, however, in acknowledg-
ing that his opposition 10 the annexation ofTexas
his repugnance to the Mexican war, his approval
OF the Wilmt proviso (Which was offered by Mr..
Wilmot in this House on the Sth OF August, 1916,
as an amendment 10 the So, 100000 bill which was
then required by the administration as a means of
carrying out successfully its design to accomplish
an honorable peace, and at the ensuing session
Hon. Preston n q al an me- IN 4 tha
,0O0 requested by the administration for the
same patriotic purpose, casting the iirebrand OF
dscord into the House and into the country, by
which the government was in danger Of being
parayZed and crippled, andth enemy were greatly
encouraged and stimulated 10 persevere in their
obstinate resstance-the allowing of the weight
OF his great name to be cast into the scale of the
ireesoilers, by giving his sanction 10 their dogma,
that the people OF the territories ought not TO be
per mitted TO decide upon the nature ofther muni-
cipal regulations or 10 regulate their own nsttu-
tons--are circumstances of grave nature, which
contrast unfavorably with his previous demo-
cratic and patriotic course. The history OF his
life would have exhibited, in my opinion a more
perfect and unassalable record, but for the events
of the last few years TO which have alluded
That he was, however, man of illustrious ineg-
rty and honor, OF eminent abilities. aud remarka
bly, exempt from seishness, and even from per-
sonal ambition, is the general and just Judgment
Of his fellow-citizens.
In my opinion, his defeat in November, 1s46
when candidate for The Office OF governor Of the
State of New York, is 10 be attributed TO the niu-
dcious conduct Of his Immediate advisers; TO the
frcesoil movements Of 1916, when the Wilmot pro-
viso was introduced into Congress- TO the oppo-
siton Of the anti-renters; and, possibly, to the
secret opposition of those who are now leaders of
the " sofs" Of New York
One word upon another topic-the distribution
Of Offices in the State of New York. II has been
stated by my colleague Mr.. HUGHEs,l that about
six sevenths q know not how correct he isl Of
the Offices in the State Of New York have been
given to those who were Cass men in 1913, and
that Mr. Redfeld, who was selected by the adj
minstration as person fit for those purposes
which Mr.. Bronson would moi perform, and in con-
sequence Of which he was so dictatoriay thrust
out OF office, has appointed ninety-eght think It
was stated, 10 Office, two-thirds of whom were
also Cass in 1913. Sir, | pronounce all this
to be mere quibble, a mere play upon words.
The question is NOT whether these appointees
were Cass men in lS4s but what sort of men they
are in 1858, when they were appointed; ; and wheh
the attempt is made to evade the facts as they
exist, by declaring that these men were democrats
in 1915 want the fact TO go along with it, that at
the time they We're appointed they were not
hards,' but " softs," fraterniZng with the free
soilers of lS4S. | believe the truth to be, though
J confess am not familiar with these contemplate
details, that not more than two or three of the
"hards have been appointed 10 Office by the pre-
sent collector; and the motive for selecting these
is too apparent and palpable TO require explana-
ton. But IS II supposed that the "hards :" are
really influenced by such mercenary considera
tons as these Offices involve? Do the committee
and the country believe that the great mass Of the
people OF the State of New York who do not want
or ask for Office and who are independent oft
are moved BY such paltry motives The people
at large are not offce-seekers, nor hungry expect
ants they are honest, upright and independent
They care nothing about office except 10 know that
men are selected capable Of filling them TO public
advantage. The masses know no other care than
that. But, sir, il does not follow that they are in
different TO the character and principles Of those
who are selected 10 fill public stations. On the
contrary, they consider the appointments with
anxious solicilude. Whilst they freely concede 10
the President the right TO select his confidential
advisers, they are deeply interested in the objects
of his choice because by them they enabled to
| form an opinion Of his procliyilies They can
| Judge OF his tendencies by the company he keeps.
NoSctRr a socits is maxim as venerable for
lis truth as for its antiquity. II is in this view of
the question that the dspensation of patronage is
/ important 10 the people at large
/ Thus when il known that the President
intended TO call into his council, as confidential