The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-10-03

( NATIONAL DEMocRAcT- The hard shell
branch Of the democratic party in the State o.
2 New York, held their state convention at Syra-
cuse on the esd inst. We find in our New
; York papers a full report Of the proceedings
5 and we have read them over with intense graft
f fcation. The ..hards'' in New York stand in
the same relation to federal politics upon the
] greatand ruling question of state sovereignty
with the sssilver greys'' or national wings
: Promising that the delegates in this conven-
, ton through their public address and resolu-
tons, utter the honest sentiments of their res
pectise constituents, we cannot resist the occa-
sion to express our admiration at the exhibition
of true conservative principles and exalted
, patriotism which characterized the proceedings
of the convention. All honor and praise to
these noble men who have had the manliness
and courage to interpose barrier to the black
and turgid waves of fanaticism, and by an un-
l daunted front and bold, defiant attitude, to
!, beard the monster in his very den. lzazt..l@l
The convention was presided by Henry
j W. Rogers, esq, from Erie county, a gentle
men whom we had the pleasure Of seeing in
our city last winter, leading democrat, but a
man Of national politics, of comprehensive and
liberal mind, and an unrelenting foe of fanati-
cism and bigotry He is a model democrat,
and whig as we are, we are free to say, we
concede to men Of bis stamp the homage of
our respect and reverence. The s'address to
the national democratic electors of the state OF
New York." adopted by the convention, is a
powerful document, abounding in noble and
patriotic sentiments ..s- ....... .....
u With great truth and force, the convention
call the attention Of the party tothose momen-
tous and exciting questions which above all
others most seriously concern the well being OF
the confederacy and threaten to disturb its in
tegrity, issues which are to reach in their in
) f1uences the foundations Of our political and
social structure. These issues of life and death
the address saws must be met again at the
!. threshold without evasion, and fully and fairly
tried, and that at no distant day, before that
+ tribunal of dernier resort, the American peo-
pie. 7-7' '-'' '
We find in the address an instructive nara
tive, rather in the form of confession, of the
past political history of the party. 1t seems
that up to the year 1845, the democratic party
t Of New York had stood firm and unwavering
, during every vicissitude that had visited the
country. But the year 845 rent asunder the
. veil which had concealed the political pretcn-
, ders from public view, and exposed the differ
ence between calculating sinister expediency
} and a heartfelt devotion to the genial spirit Of
democracy. The offending member happened
; to be the head and leader of the party. Martin
) Van Buren was par excellence the man of ex-
pedients, they had served his purposes often
successfully, but lie had trusted them once too
5 often to guide him in an important emergency.
In moment of suicidal weakness the magician
, declared against the annexation of the republic
of Texas, because she tolerated within hel
: borders the institution of domestic slavery
t This was the objectionable sin, Van Buren, was
beaten, the democracy now say, solely on ac.
count of his narrow, illiberal and unstatesman.
like policy in reference to Texas but thou
sand good reasons could be given. However
: he was beaten, and repudiated by a portion o
f the democratic party, and thus was planted tht
f germ of freesoil abolitionism in the State O
New Y York, t'this gave the key note to the nu
t merous anthems which have since been chaun
t ted from Buffalo to Washington, of the glorie!
and graces of freesoil and its attending beau
ties" RI. .g a. -.t ,.. ...- -4
} Then followed a schism, and in 1847 the
malcontents took the field openly under new
and separate organization, with the Wilmot
t provlso for their corner stone, from this time
the line of division became wider and more dis
tinct, until the differences have become rrecon-
cilab{e. ...-. .. ....-..
Such was the origin of the freesoil faction in
New York 1t has been increasing its ranks
from time to time by recruits from every quar-
ter and by the aid and comfort it has received
from the administration, it has become strong
and formidable party. Its component parts
are thus graphically described in the address:
t'The two fanks, composed of administra-
ton guards, recruits.from among soldiers of
fortune, freesoil accessories after the fact,
whose patriotism is as sure as post-ofice com
missions and as enduring as customhouse ap-
pontments, with their faces in the same drec-
ton, are only waiting for the movement of the
stores and baggage-in the meantime watch
ing by the expiring couch of the consumptive
administration, and gathering as reward for
service, solictude and prostration, supplies and
forage for subsistence through subsequent cam
paigns against the democratic. party a5 ..-
The hard shell democrats are in one respect
unlike their democratic brethren in Louisiana,
they hold no terms with faithless and treache-
rous administration. They show conclusvely
that freesoilism has been nounshed, strength
ened and supported by the national administra-
uoH anu dltllOuSl themselves the cltlIenS Ol q
free state, they separate themselves from gov
ernment which has proved false to its pledges,
and faithless to the constitution. The demo-
Gratis of Louisiana a slave state, dare not emu
late their national patriotism OF follow their
| lead.
Stgmatizing the administration Of president
Pierce as a ''freesoil administration, the ad-
dress proceeds: Is ~ -., s-"
s'Though we have been borne down by the
communicating influences of an anattempted union
with this malign element. pursued and persecu-
ted by the national administration and its con-
venient instruments and meretricious presses,
and unsustained by those whose countenance
we had right to expect would cheer us in such
a conflict we have maintained our organization
our principles and our honor, against the force
of a fathless national administration and its su-
perserviceable accomplices in this state fry
And in another place, this stern and emphatic
rebuke is given to the administrations:
eWe are astonshed, fellow citizens, that we
have fallen upon evil and alarming times. Pro-
fessien in high places has been substituted for