The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1900-11-29
THE BARNBUREERs CT '4s.
Division of New York Democrats That
Defeated Lewis Cass for the
Presidency.

years, served to recall some of the in
teresting and string events dating back
years before the war, when the distin-
guished jurist was leader in state pol
tiles.
AS one of the aBlest judges who ever
sat on the bench of this state, Justice
Smith was known personally to the old
err members of the local bar, but as
political leader long before he assumed |
judicial honors, his career is probably
known to few outside the students of
history.
Attorney arthur G. Smith of this
city showed Herald reporter a docu-
ment drafted and signed by his father
and presented to the democratic an
tional convention held at Baltimore in
May, 1S4S, that is not only of great
historical value, butrecalls an incident
of New York politics over half q cen
fury ago that influenced radically the
later history of the nation This docu-
ment is protest singed by the dele
gates of New york state, who were ex-
cluded from the Baltimore convention
of 1S4S. The protest was dictated by
Mr.. Smith, and is in the handwriting
of Peter Cagger, an old-time leader.
The paper is signed by all the thirty
six delegates, representing the Barn
burner" faction, and number of the
original signatures are of national in
terest. Jas. @. Smith signed as the
representative of the Twenty-seventh
congressional district, and he was the
sold survivor. All the signers to this
historical document are now dead. The
late Judge H. r. Selden of Rochester
signed, representing the Twenty
eighth district. Gen. James s. Wads-
worth, father of the present congress
man, signed as representative of the
Twenty.ninth district. Samuel j. Til
den James r Doolittle, afterwards q
United States senator from Wisconsis,
also signed it. This is copy OF the
document:
To the Baltimore Convention:
The delegates of democracy of the
state of New York to the Baltimore
convention respectfully protest against
the decision of said convention sustain
ing and confirming the adoption by the
committee on credentials of a resolu-
by which said committee refused tC
open the discussion to the two conflict
ing parties from New York, contending
for seats in the national convention un'
til each party should pledge themselves
to abide by the decision Of said conven
tion and agree to support by all honor
able means its nominees.
They would feel themselves unworthy
to represent the democracy OF New
York if they could submit to condi
ton which impeaches the integrity o.
their representatives and which would
dishoner our state by subjecting itf
delegates to condition which the con
vention expressly declined to impose
upon the delegates of any other state
in the union prior to their admission
The delegates must be admitted to the
Baltimore convention Internationally
or not at all.
THE DEFEAT OF cAss.
No more interesting incident in thu
history Of national conventions can b.
found than the dramatic withdrawal O.
the "Barnburner" delegation from thu
Baltimore convention in 1848. Thes'
thirty-six men defeated the election t.
the presidency of the candidate of tina
convention, Lewis Cass, of Michigan
Not only was the influence of this Dol
led by the late Judge Smith, imme
diately felt in national politics but thu
principles advocated by his colleagues
who signed the foregoing document
grew and developed until the ultimat,
settlement of the questions of slever.
and secession.
Early in President Folks admins
tration appeared the division of New
York democrats into 'Barnburners'
and "Old Hunkers." The former wer,
radicals and strong adherents of Mar
tin Van Buren,; they were opposed t,
the annexation of Texas as slave terri
tory. They were called "Barnburners'
by their opponents in ridicule, VIII,
likened to the farmer who burned hi
barn to rid them of rats. The "OlC
Hunkers" were the so-called northern
men with southern principles; the sup
: porters Of annexation, the respectable
conservative, practical men. who wer
said to banker after the Offices.
Prominent among the "Barnburn
ers" were Gov Sllas Wright, Benjamin
, f. Butler (not Gen. Ben. of Lowell
Mass. J, John A. Dix, and prince
John Van Buren,, the latter a son Of tn
ex- President and called "Prince" be
cause he had danced with the younI
Princess Victoria in England. Anon,
the youngest additions to the groul
were Samuel j. Tilden, James G Smith
James s. Wadsworth, and Henry R
Selden. Chief among the "Hunkers
were United States Senator Daniel S
Dickinson and William L. Marcy, ex
governor and ex-senator, who is credit
ed with having been the author of tn
famous phrase, "To the victors belonI
the spoils.