New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-07-11
A CHANGE OF POSITION.
From The Ithaca Journal, July 9.

From The Ithaca Journal, Juiy9
Our readers will perceive that we have taken down
the names Of James Buchanan for President and John
c. Breckenridge for Vice President and that have
placed at the head of columns the names of John
Charles Fremont for President, and William L. Day
ton for Vice President.
A step of so much Importance to ourseIf, may per-
haps warrant in tresp@ sing upon the time of our
readers by brief notice of the causes which have in
duced this result.
1t is well known that The Ithaca Journal has been
the unwaverng organ of the Democratic party of this
County, while that party united. In ls43, when
the Democracy was divided, The Journal espoused
the cause of Free.So supported that portion of the
Buffalo platform which related to the subject of Slav
ery and advocated the election Of the candidates who
were on that platform. 10 ls49, when the Democracy
united the Hunkeis conceded the question of principle
TO tie Banburners, and expressed their OPP Oson to
the extension of Slavery, and The Journal became
the organ Of the United Democracy. That union,
however, never cordial; the Banburners felt that
they had been induced to leave the inpregnsble posi-
ton which they held as separate organization on the
Buffalo PLATFORM by prefer ded concession of prn
ciple on the part Of the Hunkers aud the Hunkers
felt Jealous of the numbers and influence of the Barn.
burners.
The union of the party in despite of all efforts
never cordial the real difference Of opinion between
them being still the question of Slavery extension
The subsequent division into Hards and Softs was
caused by this difference of opinion, and upon this
second separation The Journal again sustained the
Soft organization. The nomination of Franklin Pierce
was sustained by The Journal as by the great body
of those who in '4s were Barnburneis. We hoped AID
believed that he safe on the great question which
divided the counry-that question was Whether
" the Territories Of the United States in which
Slavery was prohibited, should be free from the
blight Of Slavery"
Wien in 1854, by the Kansas N ebrasks act, the
President bis Cabinet and the Democrats in Congress
upheld and advocated the doctrine of popular SOW.
reignty, as applied to those Teritories-though our.
self opposed to such application of the doctrne-we
felt that we should not therefore withdraw our support
nom the Democratic cause; for we had strong hope
that the question would be decided in favor Of free
dom in the Territories through the action of the people
at the polls.
Although Kansas bordered on Slave State, still,
felt COMIC en that if the pledge of the President and
of Congress was sustained, and the people left free
to eide the question OF Slavery, that the nrst nhaD
ants would be from the Free States, and that the de-
cision would be in favor OF Freedom. mat sIeh was
the result the outrages of ProSavery men in Kansas
and the Topeka Constitution both show. Those out
RACES demonstrate the fact that force and wrong were
required to establish Slavery in Kansas-and the To
peka Constitution, that when force was not resoted
| TO- the popular voice was for Freedom.
At last came the Cincinnati Platform It's candidates
and its platform. Those candidates, purporting to
represent the Democratic party, we placed at the
head of our columns its platform we published, and
| we tOped that time and reflection might overthrow
the frt impre sOns against the resolutions, or that
the candidate might 70 modify his acceptance of that
platform as to leave at liberty to sustain him
through the canvass. That hope has, however, been
vain We cannot see what pretense we can con-
tnue to advocate either the platform or the
without an utter abandonment of every principle OF
Democracy without acting in direct opposition to
every principle that distinguished the Radical De-
| mocfacy of NewYork. =.
Read the platform we may, and we can give 10 II
but one construction, and that Is
THAT the Constitution Of the United States author
ICES the STAKEHOLDER to carry his slaves uto kaneas
and there keep them under the protecting arm OF GOV
eminent in spite of any act Of the territorial Legsla
ture and that Slavery cannot be prohibited Dy the
people except when they form State Constitution.
Upon this platform understand james buchanan
| 10 stand, without equvocaion or qualification.
| What does this platform do
II opens the territories to Slavery in spite OF Con-
press or the territorial Legislature or the people OF
the territories II abandons the doctrine OF popular
sovereignty-denyng the night Of the people to pro-
bbh Slavery until they form their state Constitution
Until Congress sees fit to say TO the people OF han
| sas, yon may now form your State Constitution. the
whole tetory-and not only II but all other territory
ia laid open TO the nroad Of Slavery and the power
of the Governms mt is to be used to protect the slave
| properly, and make it secure. james Buchanan %
| adopts the platform.
Here them we stand, with the exception OF this one
queston could heartily sustain the platform and
the candidates. All education, sympathiee, pre-.
judices are with the candidates Of the Cincinnati
Convention and with the party they purport to repre-
sent. In our adherence TO this party, step BY step
We have departed from the truly Democratic Princi-
pies Of the radical Democracy, until We find ourselves
| IN absolute antag0nism TO those principles, and We
o.. So ,o nonder what shall do only when we nno
= n