The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-04
The SCARF .Er LETTER AGAM-JoHN CocnIANE

THE SCARF EFT LETTER AGAN--JOHN CocHHANE
AND ornEvs IN TRoUBLE.-The Scarlet ktter o.
Gen. Piey CO. disclosing his free soil proclvties IN
ls48, seems very grievously TO disturb the
spoiys elements all over the country. The Con- |
corr Patriot, the home organ of Gen. Pierce,
CO mes forward to relieve him from this qusg-
, lire by the reproduction of Cass and Butler
speech OF Gen. Pierce, delivered somewhere in
New England in 18i8 john Cochrane, too, has
written long letter of special pleading in reply
to the plain and simple statement OF Mr.. Ben
iamin Galbrath, touching the testimony ofthe
said Cochrane upon the contents of the letter
in question before the news OF the precious dis
coyery had disturbed the kitchen cabinet at
Washington.
We shall notice The Concord Patriot at our
convenience. As for this last letter of Mr..
Cochrane, we repeat that it amounts to nothing.
There is nothing in it invalidating the memory
of Mr. Galbraith, who is just in that indepen-
dent position essential to clear and full reco-
lection of lis conversations with the Surveyor OF
the port. In other words, Mr.. Galbraith's
memory is not clouded by the spoils. But there
is one simple process by which the question may
be definitely settled to the satisfaction OF
all partie Hunt up the letter and publish it.
There was such letter. If 1t is lost, how
and Why has it been lost? fit is not lost, why
not publish it to the world? We are content to
rest the issue upon the letter itself And. until
he brings it out the best policy Tor Mr.. Coch-
rane is to tighten up his breeches pockets, write
no more explanations, and say not another
word upon the subject outside Of the circles OF
The kitchen cabinet and its retainers.
We have variety Of letters from varions
quarters in reference to the political gyrations
| of General Pierce between the eventtul year
l84s and the transition epoch Of 1851. From
these evidences it appears that at one time ne
was with the Van Buren, dynasty, as the legiti-
mate Bourbons CT the democratic party-at an
other time he was friendly to the Cass move.
ment-sometimes one thing and sometimes an
other try ing every tack and changing about; but
always with an eye upon the restoration of the
Bourbons While Judge Woodbury. lived it is
! well known that he was the only democrat of
New Hampshire, and Of New England, whose
position was sufficiently national and estab-
lished to render him an available democratic
candidate of his section for the Presidency.
His claims were undisputed, andShe was with
out rival in the New England States. During,
therefore, the interval between 1913 and the
death Of Judge Woodbury., General Pierce and
his peculiar partisans oscillated between Van
Buren, and Cass, and between Cass and Wood
bury-sometmes on one side, sometimes on the
other sometimes with the friends Of Woodbu-
ny, and then again veering over to the Cass
men.
The various letters in our possession, re-
ceived since the agitation Of the Scarlet letter,
show in the aggregate that the unreliable
course OF General Pierce previous to the death
of Judge Woodbury. was such as we have de-
scribed it. They show that General Pierce was
q week and vacillating politician, from the day
of his free soil Van Buren, letter in 1918 to
John Cochrane, down to the day of the cele-
brated speech Mt New Boston, reported by Par
son Foss. We shall illustrate these fluctuations
in his political principles in due season. We
know enough to repeat the warning, that his
support, and the support Of his free soil coali-
tion Cabinet, of the Nebraska bill, will bear the
closest watching. The notice given by Mr..
Dean, the particular champion in the House IF
the President of Marcy, and his free soil col
leagues, Of the new Wilmot Proviso, is, per-
baps, the straw toreshadowing the ultimate drift
OF the administration. 1t may be- that while
the Cabinet have fathered the bill of Douglas
to soften the South, they have iastigated the
amendment Of Dean to quiet the North Let
the South, therefore, keep . vigilant eye upon
Mr.. Dean and the Kitchen Cabinet
IMPORTANT IF TRUE-OUT AT LAsr.-Toe
following news was published last afternoon
exclusively by the Erening Mirror
TAMAANY HALL ON THE NEBRASKA BuL-JoHs
/ VAN BUREs's POSITION DEFINED.
"A series OF resolutions fully endorsing the doctrine
OF governmental non Interference 10 the domestic e-
gslatop ofterritories, nc declaring the Compromise
bill OF 1850 full and dnal settlement of the slavery
agitation on that basis, we're last night presented to
Hall, BY Ex-senator McMurray. they we're o.
posed by John Van Buren, and others, but, after
long debase, were passed by vote of % to IA.
resolution complimentary to General Pierce and tha
administration wss, however, adopted unanimously.
II this be correct, the affair must have be en-
managed with great secresy, none of the demo-
cratic organs, of either faction, knowing a word
about it. But still, if this report be true, it is
highly important. 1t shows that while under
instructions from the Kitchen Cabinet, Tam
many Hall has been compelled to speak, John
Van Buren, win not swallow the prescription
He goes with the Erening Post and .4l5anv
.ffias. though he is ready, on general prnci-
| pies to endorse the administration, as far as
that will answer. But this sort of thing will
not do-these private caucuses in the coal.
hole What we want is public meeting in
Tammany Hall on the Nebraska question, and
public speech from John Van Buren,, or a public
letter j. black and white, like that of CAPTAIN
Rynders. on one side or the other. As far ms
we understand the case now, John has gone
back to the Buffalo platform
N. B--After much effort to say nothing Of
L ,ro 10 4l,4n Al