The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-18

PROTEST AGAINST THE PLATFORM.
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Something Nice for the Cincinnati Convention,
Voice Of the Radical Democracy OF Hew
FELLOW 0IrzENs-We address You, not in the name or
under the authority Of any organized body but as ind
own signatures The action of the State Convention
which assembled at Syracuse on the 10th January for
the appointment of delegates to the National Democratic
Convention at Cincinnati of such character a. in
our judgment to call for snimadvsrsion the part Of
ourselves this method Of submitting the public our
views OF the exgency which has thus been evoked
candid expression Of opinion and an earnest adhe.
formed prominent characteristics Of radical aemocra
OF New York With that party it has essn our pride
and have looked with satisfaction the inaue it
has sxerted on the public policy. of the State in
vitality and ultimate success The dire,t and rigid
responsibility Of executiys agents economy In
burthened y the abolition of exclusive privilege, to
individuals and corporations the restriction Of execu
tive patronage and - far ss practicable the app icaon
OF democratic principles In the administration OF bic
affairs these have been the leading objects TO which the
radical democracy Of this State devoted their efforts
which they engaged. II their sndeavors to secare
he8e benefcent results have been In anywse frustrated
calm examination will show the failure to have result
ed in most cases. from the adixture of materials ad
to the genius and spirit Of party to which have
alluded; from the Vaccinations or weakness Of men pro-
fessng to accord In sentiment with their less plant
brethren but who when the hour Of trial arrived pre-
Ierred acquiesoenc In the policy of political opppnsns
the abors and sacrifices incident to rigid mainte-
nance OF sound policy, and the ultimate triumph of
The annexation Of Texas and the CONSEQUENT war with
Mexico having resulted in the acquisition of large sd
don Of territory the character TO be affixed to it be-
came subject of early aud ar xous consideration Was
1t strange that party which had adopted Jefferson it's
great exemparwhich had appropriated his doctrine of
srict tu tiona cons ructon his hostility to public
love Of democratic equality and justice-as their own
should also have Inherited his views OF the proprsy and
duty of extending to the territory acquired the free in
stutions under which they had 30 greatly prospered?
Was il surprising, in the midst Of the advancement In
egoverr ment to which they had attained that they
sheud have urgently desired that country of wide
should resn free the industrious labor of
citizens OF State and Of the emigrant seeking
home on our shoress By no means And hence there
from crowded mart and country village from
vention and oonventcle from forum and legislative hail.
9 general expression Of hostility to the re establish
which it had teen already banished by the deliberate
ZION Of semi barbarous people. But then now there
was 10 the state oaas o. men at the shrine
cbstruct the progress of public sentiment they could
not stem, and dare not directly oppose. By the aid Of
adventitious circumstances men Of this character
ceeded in obtaining trihibg majority In democratic
State convention and, shielding the selves behtnd the
ssrsct the time for ts application had not yet arrived
they refused to give expression TO the prevalent feeling Of
the democracy OF The st.e. separatoa ensusd; and
each section chose its delegates to tbs National Conven
on For which not ceased operate at the
present day, the reprssentt in that body reossd
democracy New York. except upon terms deemed BY
the latter unjust and degrading They apurned the
conditions and returned to their constituents with honor
unsulIed and spirit unbroken. 1t Ia not necessary
advert to the contest which ensued In defence Of pnc
pes deemed sacred those for which fathers bled
Enough that the result taught their brethren of other
States the dangerous tendency Of attempting to trAmpe
on men.
Who know their rights and knowing dare msintain
The APPLICATION OF the prohoitory clause 10 bill
ganizing the Territory of Oregon, and that part of
Texas lying north Of SO deg. 80 min the admission OF
supremacy Of the local Law against involuntary servtude
in New Mexico and Utah whilst In territorial condition.
STATES, and prepared ,hs pubic ind for an acaussosncs
in the compromise measures Of 1850. Long and vio-
ientiy sgitfted the community had been, readily
vexed question firmly settled by events
sgsiast slavery ex ension The national conventions Of
both political parties deliberately resolved agAns ali far
her disturbance Of the subject and pledged themselves
to Withstand all attempts at its renewal Congress
out Of IT." on any pretext whateyer.
On this platform of abstinence from agitation the demo.
cratic party elected its Presidential candidate To the
compshaent Of this result the individuals VIII
when they heard President OF their choice before
high Heaven and his assembled coun.rymen, declare
his solemn determination to frown Indignantly lny
and every attempt to revive agitation they felt them
selves relieved from responsibility Of more than
ordinary magnitude by the assurance that no posi-
BILE contingency could aggressive measure escape
the ordeal of the executive department OF the govern
ment.
Alas for the mutabili ty Of human purposes scarce
had the ink OF the inaugural message become dry be-
fore there was concoctsd Of aggression more
bold In its assumptions unblushing in it's effron
tery than men in power had dared to hope for far
less propose And this scheme unssked by any portion
OF the community undemanded BY any public exgency,
tn the "a deliberate violation Of pgh.ea faith held saared
ny al parties Tor more than quarter of century the
assured harbnger OF ecional strife more bitter and
unreenting than any which had preceded it, re-
ceived the direct encouragement and o:iaI sanction of
Franklin Pierce, the defender Of the country
against slavery agitation.
Whether through weakness or wickednsss through
inhibition or cowardice through chcanery or brsvsio
this act OF treason towards freedom and Northern
sfuency was accomplished, shall no. endsavov to de-
termine Enough that through it's instr rumentaty the
foodgates Of sectional s.rifs be in opeued-su-
cen that by 1t the democracy of the free States hays
been every where overthrown-enoush tha. by It the
Temple OF Liberty is threae with in the
hame OF anarchy and civil History has han1ed
down to eern al infany the of celebrated for
deeds OF folly or Of crime bat II the process OF
enactment shall eventuae in aricidal boodshed on the
plains Of Kansas there will be lof or enduring
pory no name more execrated in all coming me than
his who with every conceivable motive for fidelity to the
peace ana prosperity OF the country yet chose to hazard
power. ".1
1t IS not our purpose to anaiyze the various and
contradictory reasons by which Northern men have
sion upon the rights Of the res States There Is but
one true reason that be gven and that reason s
N orect noshty 10 the settled con yfctfons of vast
majority OF The democrats Of New York. as reiters led
through their conventions during the last ten years.
Its sole, its eifevident purpose the ex tension OF
slavery That institution had been excudsd from Kan
sas and Nebraska by law enacted under circumstances
which gave it the chsraster Of solemn comps,t By il
Kansas was free, and must remain No further
Legislation was necessary. 1t ufrsd no ointerfer
ence, on the part of Congress- accomplish this re-
suit Free by the action Of previous generauon-free
by the acquiesoence OF all parties during quarter Of
century-hee BY the same power which secured that
blessing to Ohio Illinois, Indiana Michigan Wisconsin,
and Iowa. Under similar IL these states had all
been organized without excitement, without yiolsnce
without any alleged breach o.; constitusunal rights
and with the entire concurrence OF Soxtn represen
tafives.
Nor is 1t necessary that should rass through
successive years the declarations paca1 pon record
by the democracy OF New York, to the place occu
lied by them In the controversy between slavery and
freedom The sentiment Of opposition to the exteo.
sion OF slavery too wide spread universal to be
coutroverted. In this respect there has been Hte If