New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-13
nTNocpAcY AND SLAVERY EXTENSION.
uAnps AND soFTs ALIKE GUILTY.
yxrrER FROM PLATT POTTER, ESQ.

ss.n u be held al Pittsburgh on the ZSu ns' afah
,.,..H Of the occasion as well TO correct mistaken
pres.ions Of my political relations as TO give oppor
s.niay 70 the members OF that Committee TO NJ the
piaee tins assigned to me-
II Ia well known TO ali who know roe that from the
earliest day Of my political action have been ar
ds.ty attached TO the principles and policy Of the
Democratic party. have regarded the Pnac'pies 4"
fA.a usrty an calculated to secure in the highest de-
gree our national honor AID prosperity, II earned out
= the administration Of the goyeFnnont have con-
,sa.,.a IA poljcy 90 identified with the progress OF
a,msr Tbsrtv and with the highest and noblest aims
and interests OF our He who examines wiz leaIn
fhst the history Of this party nothing less than ths
S;story Of our whole system OF free government anu
he natritts and fathers Of this System, who de-
voted 10 lie perfection their whole lves OF Eia anu
sIertion designed il as system which could peri DC
carried into effect by the great Pnnclpeso ne IL.
cratic party Having been cary Impressed WIN 'eo2
sentimspts have aided n many hard-contesteu
hattie for the ascendancy Of its principles ana 'he
sveeess Of ifs candidates. ,, -,
enbiect 10 the fate of most other good ana popular
4hinc, the Democratic principle has been 20 largely
countsrfeited and initiated by selfish and designlng
men that the spurious has, in large degree tKeh the
place Of the genuine and the couetry has oecons a.
fhorouehy led and corrupted with mock patrOts ana
eoupteffet Democrats s with forged and worth
ks currency. IL,
The question, then that presents itsefto me land,
M trurt IL does to every true Democrat IL, how shall
determine with which, if any, Of the several p0tcai
organizations existing in this State may properly
sd m this peculiar crisis in political anaIs' ana sn
arf consistent with Democratic Pnncples In oIheI
md, il there a Democratic party II so, which -
fhs genuine, ard which the counterfeit Nheie IS
now TO be found the great body Of the Democrats OF
Allowing on equal division of the votes of this state
20 be Democratic the late census would show the
marty TO be 300 900 strong. viii 1t be insisted that
ike little faction, claiming TO be Democratic, iresh
nom contest in which they rallied their entire strength
Of coo votes the true representatives. OF this
Grand army OF Democrats Will the National Con-
vsnton to be held at Cincinnati regard TINS sec'13n az
representing constituency that can avail the Presi,
dental noInineei What chance, then, DO they staud
of obtaining admission there representing az they
do but one sixth Of the Democracy OF New-l Ork
True they have sought the accustomed passport 10 Ia
yorDa dalliance with the Slave Poverty every re-
uuired act of subservency TO s behe-ts except mat
Of approving Of the Administration OF their iavonte
Executive. But it is even said that they nave not
been able 10 control portion of their own chosen
Delga tes TO that Convention, some OF whom nave al
ready rushed from their embrace into still less Dems-
cratic, and more proscriptive party. cannot regard
tbis faction with their avowed principles, the true
representatives Of the great body Of the Democracy
Two hundred and fifty thousand other Democrats IN
this State are Of the same opinion.
There il also another organized seotlon claiming 10
he Democratic whose last declaration OF principles
vas lately issued forth from Syracuse. To the regu-
Sarity of the organization of this body agree; to
some of their declared sentiments yield my assent
From some OF their resolutions totally dissent 1t s
INV uost deliberate conviction based upon very con-
siderable acquaintance with the sentiments OF the
masses that the platform of principles, as o whole
eop aimed in those resolutions cannot command in this
Rtate beyond the influence of Government Officials,
exceeding 10 900 Democratic votes. 1 look in vain,
then to the declaration OF principles from either Oh
these two sections claiming to be Democratic 0rSani-
xatops for that bold and manly enuncatiOn OF the
Democratic sentiment which distinguished the party III
ns day of purity in the day Of ts union and harmony
On the contrary Just in proportion as the continued az
gressions Of the slave power seem to have become
more demanding reckless and daring, and lust III pro-
portion as il has controlled the action OF the
Government to favor ITS demands 80 IN hke
proportion has been the unmanly yielding up
ty these organizations TO it's imperative behests,
until the last semblance OF character and consistency
was publicly cast Off and the lowest depths OF suoserV-
iency finally reached by the action OF the late syracuse
Convention Yea strange as II may SEEM IN that Con-
yenton claiming to be the representatives, and sue
cessors of the Radical Free-Soil Buffalo Platform
Slavery-Hating Wmot Proyiso Corner Stone Van
Buren, Democracy of lsis, we see an exhibition OF sud
den conversion unparalleled in political history; that OF
resolutions reasonable TO the tme-honored principles
ofthe Democracy, approving not only OF the pernu,,
official faith OF the National Executive-thnt to the
extent of his power and influence he would prohibit ali
agitation Of the Slavery question-but also an APPROX
mig Of the bodeet and most daring aggressons Of the
Slave Power-the repeal Of the Missouri Compromise
and the whole Kansas Nebraska iniquty, not e1cIud-
ing the border rufisnism of Atchis0n Srngicow aud
Their associates armed with bOwieknives and revev-
en- in their murderous attacks upon the quiet aud
peaceful citizens Of Kansas.
Thus il presented 10 the masses OF the asOnishcd,
honest Democracy, the Illuminating spectacle OF two
srganzed sections Of the Democratic party both OF
whom united will represent constituency OF less than
one third of the whole Democracy engaged IN
seemingly hostile strife, not against common foe, but
with each other-in the preparation OF platforms, not
Of manly independent Democratic principles but Of
such tore and spirit and of suoh careful, studied ana
submissive phraseology would be most acceptable
and least offensive TO Southern States, and deemed
most certain 10 ts chosen delegates scat III the
National Convention.
Nor is il less humilating view Of the present con.
don Of the Democratic party that President elected
by il upon the National platform OF 1882 containing
pledge against all further Mavery agitation; who, IN
his own inaugural address again most soemnly re-
heated the pledge TO the nation, the basis of harmo
nious action should before the expiration of half oil
As const utional term make the leading measure OF
his administration one, which called forth the most ex-
citing Slavery agitation known TO the nation for Pc
nod Of - Year, and still more, to demand that the
approval of the obnoxious measure should be test OF
Political faith, to be incorporated in all future Demo-
cratic platforms and than all else, to adopt and
proclaim i, as a rule of Executive action, 20 visit pro-
serpton upon all who fail 10 utter with ready huency,
ths shibboleth" Of party fealty.
I cannot permit this mere governmental echo lately
proclaimed from Syracuse with all its pretensions to
Regularity of organization, to destroy my sercspect
or TO change my lOpgcherished sentiments of Democ
raey. cannot consent to blow 50 deadly aimed at
the cause Of freedom and Of free government. The
Convention failed to express the Democrats sentiment
Of the State, and do not hesitate TO repudlate us
action do not consent to yield principle for the
aiming and popular catch words: popular sove-
sreignty in the Territories" and "non-interventlon.
The only instance where these cach-worts have been
substituted for principle IL history of violence
and Of blood-Of violations OF solemn national COM
promises-of actual intcrceEsion 10 abolish boundary
kne of freedom, that the institution Of Slavery may
march itof actual interrentton by the appoint;
rnent of Pro-slavery Judges Pro-Slavery Governors
PrcSlavery harshs- and other officers, TO take their
slaves into the Territory only but influence
and control the action and sentiments, in advance