The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-11-03
CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS
IX-BREAKING UP OF THE PARTIES
By FREDERIC J HASKIM

Gratis were likened by the regulars 10
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, aud these al
most without exception were Barn
burners. Chief among these was Sam
uel j. Tilden Another leader OF the
Barnburners was Sias Wright. who
refused the nomination for yice-presi-
dent In 1914, 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 1S45, the BarIburners 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 the
strongest in the country-was de-
stroyed by the very man who had
built II.
In lS4S the Barnburners expanded
into a national party. took the name
of Free Sellers and polled nearly $780,
600 votes The important feature or
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 l27 electoral
votes, Taylor had 163 New York
cast SO votes and. therefore, in that
year was a 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 hero or
the Mexican War He was pro-
slavery. southern Whig. and in his
nomination the Wing leaders trHekied
TO the judgment OF political trimmers
and trusted 10 luck TO choke the OPP
position OF the Conscience Wings"
of the North Taylor died after serv-
ing sixteen months and was succeed
ed by Willard Fillmore Under this
last Wing 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 founded.
A measure was pending in con-
gress in 1916, to appropriate money
10 purchase certain territory from
Mexico, part of the peace proceed.
ings. David Wilmot, a Democratic
member of congress from Pennsyl.
vania, proposed an amendment pro-
viding that slavery should be exclud-
/ ed from territory so purchased. Will
| 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 TO the extension of slavery in
| the territories. II was TO be. eight
years later, the rock upon which the
| Republican party built its new tenn
pie. The Bryant declaration for anti
| Texas congressman in 1874, the Van
! Buren, dlsaffection and the war be-
tween Hunkers and Barnburners, the
action of David Wilmot. the Demo-
cratic split OF 1S4S--these things op-
Grating within the Democratic party
presaged not only the great split OF
| 1860, but they afforded the opportun-
] ity for establishing new party. The
] compromise OF 1850 and the illstar-
red career of the TaylorFillmore adj
ministration meant the breaking up
! or the old Wing party. The times
we're ripe for a new party and a po-
| litical revolution The Conscience
! Wings and Free Soil Democrats OF
the North. demanded a party TO rep
resent their views, even IL 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
| fighting 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 lS24-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 IL was controlled
| by combination OF southern slave
holders and northern manufacturers
which seemed to be all-powerful.
There was no hope In the Wing party,
for 1t had proved itself to be the in
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 Whig party.
Tomorrow-Formation Of the Repub-
ican Party.