The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-08
TODAY IN HISTORY
The WIImot ProvIso,
MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 1910.

On August S. 1916. David wilmot. a
representative In congress- introduced into
that body his proviso, whicn was not 30
Ihnportant In itself, but as an instru-
inent which gave rise to the free soil
movement in the United States. The Will
mot proviso was an amendment to bill.
then pending, granting S2.000000 for the
purpose OF negotiating a peace with Mex
leo, It declared that it be an express
and fundamental condition TO the ac-
QUESTION of any territory from Mexico,
that neither slavery nor involuntary sery-
itude shall exist therein"
With PollS's accession and the. Mexican
war, the schism in the Democratic ranks
over the extension OF American slave
territory became palmer Even during
the canvass OF 1874 circular had been
Issued by William Cullen Bryant. David
Dudley Field. John w Edmonds and
other Van Burcn men. supporting Polk,
but urging the choice OF congressman op-
posed 10 annexation,
Early in the new administration the
diSision OF New York Democrats into
"Barnburners' and "Old Hunkers" ap-
peared The former were the strong pro-
Van Buren,, anti-Tcxas men, or radical
Democrats who were likened 10 the
farmer who burned his barn to clear it
w 'cNS. ne ItlleC were the OOlLNcTn
men with southern principles the sup
porters or annexation. and the respecta-
Die, dun men Of easy consc!cnces. who
were said TO banker after, the offices.
Inc BarnburnerS were led by men OF
really eminent ability and exalted char
acter; Silas Wright, then governor. Ben
lamln +. Butler. John A. Dix, chosen
In 1S46 to the United states senate. Aza-
and John Van Buren. the ex-presidents
son. Daniel S. Dickinson and William L.
Marcy were the chief figures In the
Hunker ranks. Polk seemed incinel, at
the beginning, to favor. or at least pla-
cate, the Barnburners
Jackson's death In June 1915, deprived
the Van Buren, men OF the tremendous
and which might have daunted Polk.
After this the schism rapidly grew. In
the fan election OF 1915 the Barnburners
cratic party OF the state of New York In
hostility to the Mexican war which the
annexation OF Texas had now brought.
Samuel j, Tilden, profound admirer OF
Van Ruren, became one OF their younger
leaders.
Now arose the strife over the wllmot
proviso Upon this proviso the modern
republican party was formed eight years
later; upon II, fourteen years later, Abra-
ham Lincoln was chosen president, and
upon It began the war for the union
All the Democratic members, as we'll
as the Wings from New York, and most
supported the proviso. The Democratic
legislature OF New York approved IL by
the votes Of the Wings with the Barn
burners and the Soft HunlSers the lat
ter being Hunkers less friendly TO slav-
cry. II passed the house at Washington
by a vote OF SO TO Ga but IL was re-
lected by the senate In the following
December the president again asked for
the measure and as most OF the north
ern state legislatures had declared in
favor OF It, bills were soon reported In
both houses. and the following February
l5 the house again passed II by vote
Of 1l5 TO LOG. Meanwhile. however, the
Democratic senate had passed a similar
bill without the proviso ana this bill
In committee OF the whole voted TO amend
the senate bill by adding the prowso. but
the proviso was rejected by the senate
and the bill was finally passed with
out II.
In the slang nomenclature which New
York politics hace always produced with
great fertility Hard Shell and Soft Shell
were terms often used instead OF Hun
ker and Barnburner.
August & 1852 the writ OF habeas cor
pus was suspended hv the president. and
in 1870 the first Yacht race was sailed
to establish title to holding the Ameri-
cas- cup. 1t Is the birthday of AbneI
Nash, the North Carolina patriot G7l6l:
James Bowdoin. in whose honor the col
lege was named GT2D; Benjamin sill-
Science" u779). Charles A. Dana. Jour
nallst Gsl9): Nelson A. Miles. the IA
nous American fighter (1S3O Laurence
Hutton author and critic Gs43l. the
date Of the death Of Pope Alexander VI.
in 1903. George Canning, English states