The Detroit times., 1910-11-03
CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS
-IX-BREAKING UP OF THE PARTIES
BY FREDERIC ] HASKIM

Gratis were likened 10y the regulars TO
men who would burn their barns to
clear them OF rats Thus the Van
Buren, men came TO be known as
"Barnburners." The warfare between
Hunkers and Barnburners brought TO
the front many young Democrats
heretofore unknown. and these nj
most without exception were Barn
burners. Chief among these was Sam
uel j. Tilden. Another leader OF the
Barnburners was Silas Wright, who
refused the nomination for vice-presi-
dent In 1874, because Van Buren, had
been defeated, his refusal being the
first private message ever sent by tel
egraph. John A. Dix and John Van
Buren, were the practical politicians
OF the Barnburner faction. and were
opposed by William l.. Marcy and Dan
lei S. Dickinson OF the Hunker forces.
In lS45, the Barnburners carried the
state elections. In 1876 they elected
some members OF congress and de-
feated others. and the old Democratic
state organization-the oldest and tho
strongest In the country-was de-
strOyed by the very man who had
built II.
In lS4S the Barnburners expanded
into national party, took the name
OF Free Sellers and polled nearly 800.
600 votes. The important feature OF
the movement was. however, that In
1S4S the Free Soil-Van Buren, ticket
polled a greater vote in New York.
state than the regular Democratic
ticket headed by Lewis Cass, thus
giving the electoral vote OF the state
TO the Wing candidate, General Zach
airy Taylor Cass had 127 electoral
votes, Taylor had 1863. New York
cast SO votes and therefore, in that
year was n pivotal state, indeed.
The Wings again had turned down
their great leader Clay when victory
seemed to be in sight Taylor was
from Louisiana and he was a hero Of
the Mexican War He was pro-
slavery. southern Wing. and I'm his
nomination the Whig leaders truckled
to the Judgment of political trimmers
and trusted TO luck TO choke the op-
position OF the Conscience Wings"
OF the North. Taylor died after serV-
ing sixteen months and was succeed
ed by Millard Fillmore. Under this
last Whig administration the great
Wing leader Henry Clay was TO make
the last OF that long line OF COM
promises which he always conceived
in the belief they would aid his party
and advance his own interests, as
we'll as those OF the nation; but
which in fact always arose TO con-
| found and destroy both Clay and the
party he had fiinded.
A measure was pending In con-
gress in 1886, to appropriate money
to purchase certain territory from
Mexico, a part OF the peace proceed.
lngs. David Wilmot, q Democratic
member of congress from Pennsyl.
( vania, proposed an amendment pro-
viding that slavery should be exclud.
ed from territory so purchased VIII
mot was Democrat OF the Van Bur.
en- following and in New York would
have been known as a Barnburner.
Around this Wilmot Proviso surged
the storm engendered by the opposi-
ton 10 the extension OF slavery In
the territories 1t was 10 be, eight
years later, the rock upon which the
Republican party built its new tenn.
pie. The Bryant declaration for anti.
Texas congressman in 1914, the Van
buren, disaffection and the war be-
tween Hunkers and Barnburners. the
action OF David Wilmot. the Demo.
cratic split OF lS4S-these things Cd.
Grating within the Democratic party
presaged not only the great split OF
1860, but they afforded the opportun.
ity for establishing a new party. The
compromise Of 1850 and the ill-star.
red career OF the Taylor Fillmore ad.
ministration meant the breaking up
OF the old Wing party. The times
were ripe for new party and a DO
litical revolution. The COINCIDENCE
/ Wings and Free Sell Democrats OF
the North, demanded a party to rep
resent their views, even II they had
to build a new one
Times had changed since the old
Democratic party had broken up and
the new Democracy had been born
! hghting the new Wing organization.
In those days the Democrats had been
the progressive radicals, the Wings
were the conservatives. But for many
years John Quincy Adams, chief OF
the conservative forces in 1824-S. was
advancing radicalism in the house Of
representatives. The radical party of
Jackson had become conservative.
Calhoun, whom Jackson would have
hanged, now had become the patron
saint OF southern Democrats and
Wings alike. The Union appeared to-
be doomed to disruption
There was no hope In the Demo-
cratic party because 1t was controlled
by a combination of southern slave
! holders and northern manufacturers
which seemed to be all-powerful.
There was no hope in the Wing party.
for il had proved itself TO be the IA.
efficient and incapable creature of ex-
pediency. Clay and Webster had been
radical once-Clay when he brought
on the war OF 1912. Webster when he
replied to Hayne-but now both were
old and inclined to be conservative.
Both were yet TO make their final
appearance on the stage of politics
Clay with the compromise Of 1850
and Webster in his speech OF the
seventh of March. And these things
were TO write the death warrant of
| the Wing party.
Tomorrow-Formatlon Of the Repub-
llcan Party.