New-York daily tribune., 1859-08-03
NKW.YORK AT CHARLESTON.


more worthily bestowed upon the man who has al
ways been faithful to the platforms and candidates
of the party than upon any faSorite of those who
have repudiated its principles and nominees when
ever prejudice passion the love of spOis dictated
that course. Knowing that the ruling fraction in
the New. Yo!k Democracy. as unscrupuloas IN get
ting power as it is arbitrary in using it, had re-
solved upon mode Of selecting delegates 10 the
Charleston Convention which would exclude from
the representation not merely every friend of Gov.
Dickinson, but every man who in any contingency,
would dare TO act independently of this ruling
fraction, these friends ventured to insist upon
method that would give each of these last-named
classes fair proportion OF the delegates to that
body In other words, they claimed that the
minority of the party-if indeed, they be mlnor-
ty-should be represented in the Convention, and
BY per.ons selected by themselves without the IN
tervention of the majority.
This fair proposition has given the Soft managers
great trouble. They have set their hearts upon
welding powerful influence at Charleston.
They aim TO be the umpire, in an anticipated con-
tngency, to decide the contest among the rival
candidates They must, therefore, have delega-
ton that WILL when the critical moment arrives,
act as one man and for one man. To secure such
a picked corps il must be selected BY packed
State Convention, acting under the control of the
State COMMITTEE of which Dean Richmond is the
Alpha, and Peter Cagger is the Omega.
Such was the nexorabe programme of the Softs
dow n to a recent period. But the claInor of GER
tain portions of the Democratic press in favor OF
the district mode of election has so alarmed the
managers that they appear to have Abandoned their
original intention of sending to Charleston an ayow-
edy close cOrpOI stion, or rather "a corporation
soe.n and have suggested what they blandly
term a compromise, seeming middle ground be-
tween the two modes. They say: Let the dele
pates be chosen by the next State Convention, but
let them be selected from all sections OF the party
That is, let the Richmond. Cagger concAve pick
their men, taking three fourths from the Sot', and
making up the other fourth of pliable snd pur-
cbasable materials, nominaly IIards, but whose am
biton and greed will make them ready prey to
the wiles ofthe Softs.
This ostensibly fair, but really deceptive scheme
for surmountng difficulty that threatens the dis
ruption of the Democracy, is an admirable speci-
men of the subtle policy by which the Barnburners,
after they became minority of the parry, seduced
into their ranks sufficient recruits from the Hunk-
| ers to restore their supremacy; and by which the
Softs. as the allied forces have since been called,
| have always maintained their ascendency. 30
transparent is this so like the old traps always as
| in the present case, literally baited with "union
- = prnrf rf..I IN
see some of the Hards stepping into it, to be
caught. csged and Cssgered for the twentieth time
After the reunion of the New York Democracy, in
lS49 the Barnburners beiL out ofline with the mass
of the party, fell into minority Casting about Tor
the means of retrieving their fortunes without re-
penting oftheir detection repudiating their princ
pies they found ambitious IIunker leaders who, on
the promise Of securing eminent positions for them
selves, were willing to aid in restoring the ancient
supremacy of the Radicals. They entered into an
arrangement frs. with Horatio Seymour, then with
John c. Wright, and finally with William l.. Mar
cy, each of whom had played lesdiog parts IN the
overthrow OF Martin Van Buren, in lSii-5. and the
assassination of Silas Wrgh. in l-46-7. They and
their followers restored the domination of the Radl-
ceiying as compensation Tor their treachery to old
friends, political preferment in the State and
Nation.
The SOfts, following the example the Radicals,
have, when sorey pressed BY the rival factions,
offered temptations in the form Of official honor and
emoluments TO ambitious or greedy Hard leaders,
who, coy and tantalizing SIS H6ts so much virtue,
have first endured the approaches OF the temP'ers'
and then embraced their persons, mbibed theirprin-
cipes, and adopted their policy. As Seymour
Wright, and Marcy successfully fel before the
Establishments Of the Barnburners, Sc the Sots
have already seduced into their meshes those model
Hards. Amssa j. Parker and Lyman Nnain,
making the former their standing candidate for
Governor, and besiowing the Attorney .Generalship
upon the latter Finding themselves just now IA 8
trying emergency, with the spois OF the next four
years at stake, they are bespattering Daniel 5.
Dickinson with ambiguous praises, not with any
hope of tempting him to join their ranks, but simply
10 beslaver HIM, as the ansconds does its prey,
previous to swallowing him and thus getting him
cut of the way
The task of besayering the Adsmantine leader
seems to be assigned to The Albany atlas. OF
course, Gov d. mus. hsrken confdingly TO advice
rendered from that quarter Nor can be suspect
the sincerity Of any encomiums upon his statesman
shin emanstng from such A source Rsbukirp our