The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-10-18
From The n. Y. Tribune.
THE DEMOCRATIC PRESS.

There was very general, though we think un.
just, complaint last year among those Demo
Gratis Of our State who condemn the Kansas.
Nebraska act, its authors and its consequences,
that they were allowed no chance to strike an
effective blow for Freedom in Kansas, except
by voting an entire Wing ticket. eve are op.
posed to the Slavery Extensionists," they said,
"and ready to show our faith by our works
but we are not Wings and do not wish to vote
so as to be counted such. Give us fairly con-
structed Anti-Nebraska State ticket, and we
will support it heartily"
Such a ticket has now been made. Nobody
denies it. The candidates are fairly divided be-
tween Wings and Democrats of old, but all now
Republican. The Platform is simply and pure
ly Republican. Free Soil Democrats admit
that they have been disappointed by the liberali-
ty and fairness with which they were met at
Syracuse. And they are now rallying to the
Republican standard with heartiness and zeal.
We are confident that the voters for Preston
King next month, who voted for Horatio Sey-
mour last Fall, will number tens Of thousands.
The st. Laurence Republican and the Otsego
Democrat are leading Democratic journals
which now support the Republican ticket. The
Evening Post of last night answered the Presi-
dents Kansas Manifesto in leader which of
itself would serve to show that its complacency
been thoroughly exhausted. The Post may or
may not directly support the Republican ticket );
it manifestly will not oppose it. The Olean
Journal and the CO5leskM Journal, hitherto
adverse, have both hoisted the Republican flag.
And the 81. laurence Democrat, issued at
Canton, the home and grave of Silas Wright,
which was the last paper in st. Lawrence county
to cling to the "Soft" cause, has finally re-
nounced and denounced the recreany Of its
leaders to Freedom, as follows:
We 90 aohere Democratic Principles Lead
the ,cay.-Whe they disappear, ace cease to
toVoav." This is the motto with which the ST.
Laurence Democrat set out, and it is the motto
we will follow to the end. We gave our support
to the Soft-Shell" organization, because we
supposed more sound Democrats would be found
in that organization than in any other. We
believe it will not so turn out-certainly not in
st. Lawrence county.
"Principes, not men" is one of the old Dem
ocratic maxims, from which no sound Demo
crat can safely depart. We gave to the plat
form of principles laid down at Syracuse by the
Soft-Shell " Convention, generous interpre-
tation, and still kept on but every day and
every week is multiplying the evidence that the
"Soft-Shell" organization is entirely under the
control of those who are determined to carry
their party, and all who adhere to it, into the
support of the Kansas-N ebraska law, and all its
odious consequences ofSlavery extension. Soon
after the adjournment of the Soft State Conven-
ton, the Interpretation placed upon the resolu-
tions by those favorable to Freedom was dis
avowed by the General Committee of New York,
and that Committee declared that it was ex-
pressly understood that nothing in the Soft res
olutions should be construed into opposition to
the Nebraska bill.
Well, this was a stumper. But we concluded
the General Committee was not the party, and
we would not on their account decide against
the "Softs." The Albany Argus-which now
supports the Softs, though it is in state of be-
tweenity as to the Hards and Softs which we
think by no means enviable-has constantly
sustained the Nebraska bill, and claimed that
the "Soft-Shell" party was its true and reliable
supporters in this State; and the Atlas has
about half the time admitted the same fact,
while its columns the other half of the time
have been filed with other good and strong
| facts and reasons to justify reputation of the
"SoftShell platform, organization, and can
didates.
We have, lastly, speech made by ex. Govern
or Seymour at Tammany Hall, which is made
up of two parts. One distinct and able argu-
ment, for so unjust cause, advocating the Ne
braska bill, and ridiculously attributing all the
difficulties and all the mobs and disturbances
which have excited the country, to "specula-
tons in town and city lots" Hear what Gov
ernor Seymour says:
"The political struggles in Kansas heretofore
have had reference mainly to the power of build
ing up towns by establishing the sites of the
capitals and county seats. Those who are ear
nestly and deeply anxious on the question of
Slavery would be somewhat surprised by a
close and local inquiry into the views and pur-
poses of parties in Kansas. 1t may be said the
numbers which have already gone into Kansas
from Missouri show that its citizens will mo-
nopolize this Territory. Hitherto, emigration
there has been controlled by desire to secure
| town lots"
This is asking little too much, even for a
request made by Governor Seymour. We can
not stultify ourselves by affecting to believe that
Slavery extension has had but little or nothing
to do with the passage of the Nebraska bill and
the troubles in Kansas-and that it is, after
all, all a mere Speculation in town and city
lots"
The other part of Governor Seymour's speech
is an argument against the principle of prohibi
ton, or legal restraint of the sale of liquor. He
does not confne himself to the Maine law, but
he goes againt the principles of prohibition.