Year: 1861

Response of the Democratic State Central
Committee of New York To the PROPOSE
tion Of the Republican Committee for a
Union.


Albany, Aug. 8.


GRNTLEMEN:-The resolutions commu-
nicated to us by you have been duly con
sidered by our committee, who have d.
rected us to reply thereto. None can be
more profoundly impressed than we are
with q sense of the duty Of foregoing all
partizan views and purposes, in the pres
ent critical condition of our unhappy
country. The democratic party has, in
every crisis Of public danger, risen to the
magnitude of the occasion and devoted
its energies and its sacrifices to the call
of patriotism. 1t will not be less faithful
to the duties of citizenship, now that
the perils that menace us equal, 1T they
do not exceed, those that surrounded us
in the war of Independence and in the
formation Of the Constitution. As to
the spirit in which democrats are disposed
to meet the emergency, we point to the
hundreds and thousands of our brethren
who took up arms at the first warning,
and to the readiness with which they have
offered their means to the country.


You suggest conference of political
conventions for the nomination Of State
officers, as a mode, apparently, of uniting
the people in the support of the country.
That it would be we'll at this time, to fill
the leading public offices, especially in
the Federal government, to which the
conduct of public affairs belong, with
men whose purity of character aud ca
pacity for administrative labors were so
well known as to command the confidence
of the people, is most true; and it is
also probable that if this example were
set in the conduct of Federal affairs, it
would be followed by the people in the
selection of their State officers.


But we would be false to the party we
represent if we considered any PROPOSE.
tion of union with former political oppo.
nents, except upon the basis of principle.
1t is of little Importance what men Of
what party occupy public positions,
is Of the utmost moment that citizens of
common principle should unite at this
time in support of the government, and
in the vindication of the Constitution
and the Union. We believe we utter the
sentiments Of all democrats when we say
that they are willing to unite in political
action with every citizen who looks to
the preservation of the Constitution aud
the preservation of the Union, as the
great end to be arrived at, and who esti.
mate all measures, whether of war or
peace, only as they conduce to that end !;
who are opposed to any war, and equally
to any peace, which is based upon the
idea of the separation Of these States.


While they hold that the war can only
be successfully prosecuted by more Wig.
orous command in the field and efficiency
in the naval blockade, they regard it as
the duty of the Federal Government at
all times to hold out terms Of peace and
accommodation to the discovered States;
and as our political system was founded
in compromise, and has been so perpetu-
ated, it can never be dishonorable in any
administration to seek to restore it by the
same means.


Above all they repel the idea that
there exists between the two sections Of
the Union such an incompatibility Of in
stitutions as to give rise to an irrepressi-
BILE conflict between them, which can only
terminate in the subjugation of one or
the other.


Repeling the doctrine that any State
can rightfully secede from the Union,
they hold next in adherence that ag-
gressive and fanatioal sectional policy
which has so largely contributed to the
present danger of the country.


They propose, therefore, to invite to
union with them all citizens, Of whatever
party, who, believing in these principles,
will act with them to secure honest ad-
ministration in Federal aud State affairs,
rigid maintenance of the constitution,
economy in public expenditures, honesty
in the award of contracts, justice to the
soldier in the field, aud the taxpayer at
home, the rigid safeguard Of public credit,
and the expulsion Of corrupt men from
public office.


As such union must necessarily spring
from the people, instead of being dictated
to them, we are instuaoted by our CON-
mitteo to say that in issuing the call for
the usual Democratic State Convention,
they will invite all good citizens who are
willing to cooperate with the democrats
to these ends to come together at the
primary meetings, and unite in selecting
representatives. to State convention to
nominate candidates upon this platform
Of sound patriotism.


We have the honor to be,


Very respectfully yours,


DEAN RICHMOND, Chairman.


p. CAGaER, Secretary.