The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-09-13

General DIX the stand-An Unexpected
Witness.
AT meeting Of the Democratic Club of Rye,
held on Thursday last at Port Chester, Westches-
ter county, General Dix, distinguished demo-
crat defined his position and made speech Al
though this gentleman was served very stability
by President Pierce, and for time held aloof
from any marked support of his administration,
he seems to have recovered the usual temper Of
his mind, and he now frigidly rejoins his party
and takes up the cause of Mr.. Buchanan. But
even now he cannot 60 - the whole hog;" he is
not quite fright on the goose" nor does he
60 it blind " for the hemp" in the phraseology of
border rufianism. According to the report, he
has made many unexpected admissions, which it
is well enough to notice and record, since they
confirm the views taken by the opposition in all
the most important particulars. Thus, with re-
gard to the principle of "non-interference with
the Territories" as "a practical rule of conduct
to be infexibly maintained, he told his audience
They all thew that il had not been maintained-they
all knew that organized bands Of armed men from
adjoining State had entered the Territory Of Kansas
rounded the polls military array, ana controlled the
election; they also knew that the government thus
chosen had passed laws which lately declared, up
the floor OF the Senate by Gen. Cass To be disgraceu
to the country and by Senator Weller, OF California to
re the most arbitrary and yraanicai laws enacted
in any country
He also stated, in relation to the plan of emil
grafton adopted in the North that the
Massachusetts, society peaceful organization,
emplatng legitimate aid to emgra ton and oono xous 10
no severer censure than that Of indscretion. And
he thought IL was very ndscreet though II afforded
justification OF the AIMED Intervention in the affairs
ar q trnm a her afp tn
troll the elections, and through them, tie organic laws
and ultimate destiny OF the Territory.
Speaking OF the difficulties in Kansas he stated
that
TIE acts OF aggression committed there the expulsion
Of The Tree State settlers the forcioe suoverson of tree
dom OF speech and OF the press and the acts OF retaliation
70 ahtch these hare glrn hat for the moment given
an ascendency TO disorder and riot But he did not be
lieve that this state OF things would last The p5' ei
ing rsiored at those oun cg and they would BE- po, down
In regard to the attack on Mr.. Sumner, he
spurned, as Mr.. Calhoun would have done,
unworthy of his lie any attempt TO put down discus
zion by brute force, aad especially assault oy
armed 10 the teeth utterly dc,euceess. Il
Illuminating ruth that tie city q Was huston, where, for
The public honor the laws u order and deoorum should
be most scrupuiorsiy observed, had distinguish
cd for acts OF awessness which nsl become dsgraceal
to US as a civilized community.
With respect 10 the financial administration OF
affairs, he admitted
He had looked for vears with deep apprehension upon
the growing financial Decentralization al Albany aud
Washington ana he bes vel there time when
there was more need Of thorough reform at both cap
tails than there il now
Here we have, then, from prominent partizan
of Mr.. Buchanan denunciation of his whole
policy, of the Kansas outrages. of the bands of
armed men who entered the Tertiary and Illegal
ly controlled the elections and of the bloody
laws which an illegally chosen Legislature
has enacted. We have, too his admission
that the conduct Of the Massachusetts, Emil
grant Society. though indiscreet, furnished no
vindcation of an armed intervention in
the affairs of Kansas, and that the public feeling
revolts at " those o2trages." He denounces the
acts of lawlessness" which have taken place at
Washington as disgraceful to a civilized ma
tom existing at headquarters.
General Dix has thus fully confirmed the truth
OF the charges brought against Pierce and his
administration, his policy and his party. Here,
from a witness on the administration side we
have positive testimony of the unworthiness OF
those who have administered the government,
and of the necessity Of reform. No language
used by the opposition in the present canvass
can be more Ineligible or more to the point
than that We have quoted. But General Dix,
after all this, does not come to the right conclu-
sion. lie is ready to reinstate this very policy
which he condemns. by the election Of man
who is pledged TO pursue it. The very outrages
he deplores be is willing TO perpetuate-the in
tervention 0. armed forces is to continue, the
disorder is to be increased, blood is yet to flow
His own line Of conduct is opposite to his reason
ing. His own maxims he Is about to confute by
bis personal disregard Of their obligations II i
well, therefore, in this moment Of excitement
during this heated political term--to remember
this testimony OF political opponent.
We now ask the honest men remaining in the
democratic party whether they win contradict
their own voluntary witness; and if they cannot,
whether they can avoid rendering verdict
against the corrupt administration and the resk.
less partizans who seek to perpet,atc the VIC
lence, military depotism and bloodshed which
now threaten 70 oyerwhelm US. We arc obliged
to General Dix for bis testimony. 1t comes at
The right stage Of the proceedings; and for The
present he may step aside.
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