New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-09-20
rxLe DE Sc OF DICKINSON.

"out Of line" with the party throushou! the couo-
try; and, because Of the vantage ground occupied
By the Hunkers as National Democrats, likely
to fall into minority at homo. Long &C ,usso med
to lead, they did not propose to learn how TO io
low. To retrieve their position, they determined
to divide and conquer their rivals. To accomplish
this, they devised the plan Of sedocIng into their
ranks ambitious Hunker leaders, under pro misses Of
promotion to posts Of honor and power.
Pursuing this policy they first tried their arts
upon Lew S. Chatfeld, whom they had beaten
when candidate for Attorney General two years
before. As peaceoferiDg, they now proposed to
elevate him to that coveted position, provided he
would extend to them the hand of fellowship. He
accepted the tender, joined the Auti-Ca's Barn
burners (hs had always been Radica), who re-
deemed their pledge BY making him the l.w officer
Of the State, which place be filled for two terms.
The next year, they fixed ther eyes upon .
more influential personsge-an ingrained bunker
who, though still young, was leader of the Con-
servatives, and the con6dant of Marcy, eros veil,
Bouck, and other chiefs Of that section OF the De
mocracy-Mr. Horato Seymour. Personally pop
ular, he had troops of friends who desired to see
him occupying the chair made illustrious BY Jay
Clinton, and TOmpkins. The Barnburners eau
tiously suggested bis name for the GuSernasorial
office. He yielded to their seductive appliances,
formed an alliance offensive and defensive with
them; received the nomination for Governor
through their aid; and, though defeated 1t the
first trial, finally reached the station toward which
bis eye had long been turned. He brought large
accessions of numbers and strength to bis new
friends Through bis manpulations, their radical
ism became modified, and under bis tutelase they
abandoned the harsh name Of Barnburners, and as
sumed the more pliabe cognomen OF Sotts.
Still desirous Of recruiting their ranks by capt.
waiting the ambitious leaders of the opposite faction
and encouraged by past successes in that species OF
tactics, they next approached one of the most 10.
corrigibe Huhkers in the State, the leader in the
bitter Senatorial quarrel with Col Young, and who
had sloried in being one Of the assassins Of Sias
Wright" The ContrOllership, an Office associated
in the public recollection with the distinguished
names of Wright, Marcy, Flagg, Fillmore, and
Hunt, was in this instance, the preferred reward
for breaking old friendships and forming new. The
prize was too dazzling to be resisted, and Mr. John
c. Wright lef. his not very lucrative profession to
become Controller, and, ceasing to be bunker,
subsidized into Soft. The train that followed him
nto the enemys camp was neither numerous nor
Influential.
Having succeeded in modifying so hard subject
1.-THE Hunkers had now assumed the name Of
Hards), the Bsrnburner Softs then undertook task
which, if successful, would surpass all previous
achievements. Ever since William l.. Marcy took
seat in Folks Cabinet, 10 the exclusion OF Slas
Wright, Benjamin +. Butler, and Azsriah C. fl'gg,
his name, in the estimation Of the Radical Democ-
racy, was the synonym of all that was di't,'tefal
and detestable, personally and politically. They
hated him worse than they ever hated Dickinson.
Indeed, they never hated Dickinson. They simply
despised him. But Marcy was man of very dit
ferent mold With great mental resources, varied
political experience, rare administrative ability,
consummate capacity in undermi aiHg enemies, in
tuitiye ssgacity in the selection Of friends, ana
widelye1tended and solidly founded reputation as
q statesman Marcy was an opponent to be dre.d-
ed, but not despised; an enemy to be anShemi-
tized, but not rdiculed He was ambitious OF being
a candidate for the Presidency. Dickinson stood
in bis way at home Cass stood in his way abroad.
Marcy desired to put them both down. SO did The
Barnburners. Concurripg in sentiment on THIS
point, il soon became evident that in the prosecu-
ton of their common object, each was necessary to
the other Through the Intervention of Seymour
Ia, uieLl arr
Barnburners agreeing on their part to make Marcy
their candidate for the Presidency, and be COW
enantipe on his part to defeat Cas- in the Balti-
more Convention, and slaughter Dickinson and bis
followers in New-York The bargain was faith
fully performed. Though they failed to secure
Marcy's nomination to the Presidency, he became
the Premier Of the successful candidate. Through
his ssgacious counsel and management the Softs
got possession Of Tammsny Hall and the Custom
House, put Dickinson and the Hsrds under their
feet, welded the Federal patronage in this State
during the Administration Of Pierce, acquired
today the most influential of the many factions
into which that organization is divided.
We might cite many less conspicuous ilustrs-
tons of the mode BY which the Barnburner.SOfs
have from time to time recruited their ranks and
preserved their supremacy in the party.
1t viii be noted that in ali the cases We have spe-
cially mentioned, the promised consideration for
the services rendered, was either paid il advance
or simultaneously with the rendering Of the ser
vices. Marcy, Seymour, Wright, and Chstfeld
were not men who could be purchased with mere
promises, nor could their allies afford 10 cheat them
cut Of their dues.
Now, through al these seasons Of detection and