New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-09-18
THE "SOFT PRESS On THE SOFT
NEBRASKA PLATFORM.


without Custom. House or any kindred subsidies
naturally take the lead in this work of salutsry
apprehension Thus The Buffalo Republic responds
to suggestion Of The Albany Atlas that the for
mer might "see" something favorable to Free
dom in the liberty accorded by Congress to Kan
SIS and Nebraska to accept or reject Slavery-ss
follows:
q The R,pubic sees nothing of the kind 1t sees
that the repea Of the Missouri restriction opened the
Territories Of Kansas and Nebraska to Slavery, and
that the measure has awakened feeling IN the Free
States which may through the efficient aid OF emf
grant societies result auspciOusly 10 the cause of
Freedom. 1t sees nothing Of popular sovereignty in
the Nebraska law, nor anything differing from other
territorial acts save wanton violation OF solemn
compact which, in its judgment, should have met the
unqualified Incorporation Of the Democratic State
Convention whatever opinions may have prevailed
there in regard to the restoration Of the Missouri
clause.
SO The Cayuga Neo Era-one of the most
eminent of the old Barnburner orgsns-thus
criticises the rOttenest plank in the new Soft
PLATFORM:
THE DEMOCRATIC STATE CoNvEsTros-The pro-
ceedings of this body will be found in our paper TO.
day We solicit the careful and dispassionate aten-
ton Of the Democracy of Cayuga tothem. We want
them read and read and reelected upon. Especially
do we ask the Democracy Of Cayuga to look at that
Convention coolly honestly and fully, as it is plainly
mirTored in its declarations and conduct, and their
remarkable surroundings upon the subject of Slavery
as DOW forced upon public attention by the recent
legislation of Congress
These are times of unusual independence in senti-
ment and action among the rank and file of parties
upon political subjects. These are times when the
masses are something distinguishable from political
leaders and wire pulers and trfmDsers. In short,
these are times whom more than ever the band of
party is snapped in an instant the individual, fear
(nv
essential elements Of their creed, or cowardly be
shaver their faith with ambiguous verbiage, or court
the lenience of power by crushing conscience, or
damn their enemies with faint praise or openly sack
their principles and proclaim lie.
We exult that the iron despotsm of party featy is
vanishing away, and that the isolated individual
is daily less ana less hampered and trammeed in his
political thought and action Political aspirants and
Ofce-bOdeIs and party leaders are veil enough only
when they are the loorthy weapons aud implements
of the masses, and this has not been, and can only
and is TO be, by the full development of individual
Independence and superiority which is now strklngy
Characteristic of the people of this great State. We
rejoice that we are almost hourly cOnversant with
countrymen neighbois and fellow citizens who, po-
liticaly associated they with the various poiti
cal parties, boldly they will shirk their partisan
predictions in moment when, through corruption,
timiditv policy, the party of their choice compr0
Inses its honor degrades itself to gnomnlOus silence
on vital questions bures ts conscience 10 the mire Of
straddle-thefence ambiguity circumlOcutOn and
tiers with the lips sentiments ratOrOus TO the heart
We remember the time when this was not So we re-
call it with modification. We see the glorious con-
trast between then and now, and bright promise
which gives for the future, with vividly-realizng
sense that each party-man is a sovereign and that
there is " balm in Gilead and physician there
that WILL one of these bright May morns, our glo
rious country, Constitution and Government wake up
in their ancient purity and integrity.
We are induced TO this vein of remark by the man
ner in which the proceedings, nominations and reso
utous Of the State Convention are handled by the
public. The Democracy of Cayuga do not regard
The results of that Convention with much satisfac-
ton. And yet were It not for the resolution
adopted in that Convention in regard to the Ne
braska bill and the Missouri Compromise repeal we
should perhaps hazard little in saying that audible
discomfort would be heard With the action and de-
claratons of the Convention upon the above subjects
il were better TO acknowledge as well our own as tue
dissatisfaction, dsappoint nent and encouragement
of our Democratic friends. In this county, where
tbe Democracy have been distingushable for their
Radcalism of course such resolutions upon such
subject and at such time and by such party would
severely tax their swallowing capacities and seriously
startle and benumb them And besides this difficulty
there is another of no less moment The legislation
Of the Government has now assumed pro-Savery
tendency SO extravagant and novel IN the denial by
Congress of the People Of the States TO control the
question of Slavery i'll the Territories that Just AZ
this time the Democracy Of Cayuga eandidly and
conscientiously regard the political issues thus in
evitably forced upon the country by Slavery as vastly
paramount 10 all existing political questions. To
men entertaining such views honestly and heartily,
and who are ready and anxious to think act and talk
accordingly OF course such resolution as that a0dp
ed by the Syracuse Convention has an odlous smell
of doggedness and nohingness exceedingly repulsye
and rfOrtiiyng. They would have spoken with the
msiesty manliness energy, pianness and truth which
burn so purely bright in the proposed substitute by
Mr. Mann. But the Convention chose TO express the
sentiment of the Democracy in a different way We
ought perhaps 10 be thankful when we consider how
Ia Il al pr off d
want TO be and TO endeavor TO be Endorsed, and how
fashionable is for them to find their way into Con
ventions and how truly characteristic tins was OF the
late COnVeLtiOn-we ought, perhaps, we say 10 pc
thankful that the Convention thus made up and con-
trolled did not openly and fatty approve the Ne
braska scheme. They did not, however DO TINS
and we will not say that they do not condemn It.
We incline TO regard them as disappr0vlng 1t, but
with kind Of BIZ your gracious leGre, Sir! We
Will not disguise sincere conviction that the reso-
luions Of Mr. Mann are far more in accordance with
populat opinion throughout the State rlan those
adopted by the Convention We firmly believe also,
that would have been much better for the cause and
the Party had those Resolutions or similar ones, been
adopted The majority have thought differently.
The Democracy in this vicinity regard the recent
legislation Of Congress as practical declaration by
Congress that the People of the United States, who
own the Territories have not the right through Con-
gress to prohibit slavery in those Territories Ihey
believe this miserable surrender ana cTouchmg 10
the Slave power They believe 1t radically antago-
nso 10 the true theory Of our Government a. demon
strated In almost its entire past conduet, ana ID the
life, teachings and conduct Of its early founders
They believe ii radically at with the spirit OF the
age and every correct IDEA Of popular sovereignty
They believe il totally inconsistent with the plaInest
language and intent of the Constitution. lhey re-
gard one of the consequent and direct and cum
ming devices of a controlling Pro-Savery influence
in eur national politics, and the lame subteriage of
an ambition and dOughfaced.ism which hunts for
mower and sustenance in that controlling influence
They believe the who sanctioned and assisted in
that legislation knowingly impeaGhed the integrity
and magnanimlty of the People and their Consttu-