F 123 N54 Copy 2 -^ N, JVEW YORK HARDS AND SOFTSi Which is the True Democracy? BRIEF STATEMENT OF FACTS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE DEMOCRACY OF THE UNION, BHOWING THE OKIGIN AND CAUSE OF THE CONTINUED '^DIVISION OF THE PARTY.'^ li Y A N A T I O :N" A L D E M O C It A T |l«to Horh: I'UIN'IKI) AT illE DAILY NEWS JOK OFFICE, NO. 102 N-V.-SAl-STUEET, CORXF.K OF ANN STUFKr. L APRIL— 1856. Ar^jvv^ Cx NEW YORK FIARDS AND SOFTS: WHICH IS THE TRUE DEMOCRACY? BRIEF STATEMENT OF FACTS TJIE CONSIDERATION OF THE DEMOCRACY OF THE UNION. SIKnVESG THE OKIGIN AND CAUSE OF THE CONTINUED 'DIVISION OF THE PARTY." B Y A N A T I () N A L I) E M O C R A T Mt\xi IKa r \i : lUNTKD AT THE DAILY NEWS JOB OFFICE, XO. 102 NASSAU-STREET, CORNER OF ANN-STREET. APRIJV-1850. \,/v\v*^l-' <;>!v.» Kr "'"'? / oS NEW YORK HARDS AND SOFTS. • ii C IT A P T E R I . From April, 1843 — to March, 1845. Uemockatic State Convention in 1843. The Delegation to the Bahiniore Convention.- Proceedings of the Baltimore Convention. Democratic State Convention in 1844.- -Dissatisfactiou of the Barnburners. The -The Secret Circular. The Presidential Struggle decided by New York. The Congressional Elections.- — The Legislature of 1845. Election of United States Senators. Dickinson and Di.\' separate on the Texas Question. Election of State Officers. Appointment of Marcy to the Cabinet. Xt^The names of gentlemen who are now "Hard" Dolegdtes to the Cinciunafi Couvantion aro printej In Sjiall (Capitals, HnJ those of gentlemen who are "Soft" Delegates are in Itulirii. The defeat of Tan Bureu and Johnson, by Harrison and Tyler, in 1840, was nowhere more lamented than in the State of New York, and a general desire for Van Buren's re-nomination prevailed in 1844. The division of Democrats into Hunkers and Barnburnei's, had indeed l>e- gun before the time for agitating the Presidency came on, and the question of Texas Annexation, which the Hunkers or National Democrats fa- vored, while the Barnburners or Freesoil Demo- crats opposed it, made the division broader and tieeper. Still the \''an Buren influence was all- powerful in New York state, and the only anti- Van Buren movements of any influence took place in New York city. A caucus of Democratic members of the Le- gislature, held on the 17th April, 1843, called a Democratic State Convention, to meet on tin; second Friday of September of that year. Wil- liam L. Marcy, then Hunker, was elected Pre- sident of the Convention, over Sam Young, Barnburner. The Convention almost unani- mously decided in favor of choosing delegates to the Presidential Convention directly, instead of leaving the election to the Congressional dis- tricts. It accordingly appointed a delegation, among the members of which were many gen- tlemen since disting-uished in partisan warfare ; as Daniel S. Dickiason, Jon Pikrson, Orville Hungerford, Moses D. Burnett, Thomas B. Mitchell, Henry K. Smith, ic, known as Hunkers ; and Sam Young, Churchill C. Cam- breleng, John Fine, Horatio Bollard, All)ert Lester, John T. Hudson, Benjamin F. Butler, Sandford E. Church, already reckoned as Barn- burners. It was evident that the Texas question was to be the great issue upon which the Baltimore Convention would divide, and it was with regret that the Hunker or National section saw the ap pearance of Mr. Van Buren's letter in opposi- tion to annexation. All, however, continued to advocate the re-noniination of i\Ir. Van Buren, as indeed tlie delegation from this State was in- structed to do at Baltimore. The Democratic Presidential Convention met at Baltimore on the 27th of May. Hendrick B. ^\"right, then the Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly, presided, Sam Young was the Vice- President, and Thomas B. Mitchell the Secre- tary, from the State of New York. The cele- brated two-thirds rule was advocated by Romu- lus M. Saunders, of North Carolina, Robert J. Walker, of i\Iississippi, B. H. Brewster, of Pennsylvania, and Robert Rantoul, Jr., of Mas- sachusetts; and ()p])osed by Benjamin F. Butler and Daniel S. Dicldnson, of New York. ISIr. Butler proclaimed that the adoption of this rule would clearly defeat Mr. Van Buren. Mr. Dick- inson's argument was also made distinctly for Mr. Van Buren's re-nomination, he claiming that the annexation of Texas was a Democratic principle, and that Mr. Van Buren, if nomina- ted on a Texas platform, would not undertake to resist the will of his party. Col. ^Medary, of Ohio, also spoke against the rule. The two-tliird rule Avai?, howovor, adopted by 148 alBnnative, to 116 negative votes. Thft l^G votes of New York, and the votes of Ohio were east iu the negative. Michigan, Illinois, and other Cass states voted in the anh-mative. On the tirst ballot Mr. Yan Bnren had 14G votes, Cass 83, Buchanan 4 ; on the seventh ballot Yan Bui-en had 90, (\iss 123, Buchanan 22, and Johnson 21. John K. Miller, of Ohio, then moved that Mr. Yan Buren be declared the can- didate. The chair ruled the motion out of or- der. Messrs. Miller and McNulty, of Ohio, ap- pealed from the decision, and the C^)iiventiou :uljounicd for the day in great confusion. Next morning the appeal was withdrawn. The name of Col. Johnson was withdrawn as a candidate : Governor Hubbard, of New Hamp- shire, brought forward the name of James K. Folk, and he i-eceived 44 votes on the first bal- lot. Yan Buren received 104, (Jass 114, Bucha- nan 2. A difficulty then occurred among the Pennsylvania delegates as to whether they should adhere to Mr. Yan Buren. Mr. Butler asked leave that the New York delegation re- tire, but Col. Sam Young immediately took the floor and denounced the Texas annexation scheme, which he said had been thrown into the Democratic camp as a fire-brand, by the Nero of the present administration, who was capable of fiddling while Rome was burning. He con- tinued severely to attack Mr. Calhoun, the Se- cretary of State, charging that the South had raised a storm in this matter of Texas annexa- tion, and promising that it should reap the whirlwind. Two years later, this language was recalled to the memory of those who heard it. iSh'. Cohen, of Georgia, who had voted for Mr. Calhoun, replied, angrily, and much excitement ensued. The New York delegation retired, and was absent a long time. It was rumored that some of the more ultra Barnburners from New York and Ohio proposed to leave the Convention, l)ut that the Hunker delegates refused, and this rumor obtained credit generally at tlu^ time. During this consultation, Mr. Butler produced and read to his colleagues a letter from ]\Ir. Van Buren, authorizing the withdrawal of his name, in their discretion. A motion that Mr. Yan Buren's name be withdrawn from before the Convention, and the vote of the State cast for Mr. Polk, then received the a.S3ent of all the mem- bers of the delegation, except Col. Young, and the delegation returned to the Convention. Mr. Butler stated the contents ol the letter to the Convention, and, as authorized by it, with- drew the name of Mr. Yan Buren. Mr. Dick- inson then rose to state that he was permitted to cast the vote of the State of New York, thirty- five, for James K. Polk, and one (Col. Young's) blank. The States which had till then adhered to other candidates, then re-considered, and the final vote was annouiu;ed — for Polk, 233 ; Cass, 29 ; Yan Buren, 3, one from New York, and two from Ohio ; Mr. Morton, of Massachusetts, voting a blank. Total, 2(36 votes — South Caro- lina not being represented. Hie nomination for the Yice-Presidency was then tendered to Silas Wright, but the electric telegraph having just been completed between Baltimore and Washington, Mr. Wright was enabled to send his prompt refusal over the wires. The nomination of (ieoi-ge M. Dallas was then made unanimously, the Baltimore plat- form adopted, and the Con\'eution adjourned. With the nomination of Polk and Dallas, and the resolution favoring annexation passed by this Convention, began that intestine war. which thenceforth raged in the ranks of the De- mocratic party of New York. The confideutia! friends of Mr. Yan Buren and the Barnburner leaders generally, returned home, not attempting to conceal their dissatisfaction. At a ratifica- tion meeting held in the Park in New York, however, a letter of acquiescence from Mr. Yau Buren was read by Gansevoort Melville, which, in spite of rumors of the reluctance with which il ■was given, quieted the feeling in some measure : and the nomination of Clay and Fi'elinghuysen, by the Whigs, to all appearance closed up the Democratic ranks. The Barnburner section of the party looked to Silas Wright as a candidate for Governor. The Hunkers acquiesced, because his name would strengthen the Presidential ticket, and at the same time remove an anti-annexationLst from the United States Senate; and because Governor Bouck was known not to desire a re- nomination. Mr. AYright hesitated, but Mr. Yan Buren's advice determined his acceptance, and on the 4th September the Democratic Slate Convention nominated Silas Wright for Go- vernor and Addison Gardiner for Lieutenant Governor. — Both Barnburners An Electoral ticket was also nominated, and among the Elec- tors we find the names of Daniel S. Dickinson, Hugh Halsey, llufus H. Smith, Piobert II Shaiiklauil, &.C., lluukers ; and of Benjamin F. Butler, William F. Havomeyer, Jonathan I. Coddiugtou, ifcc. Barnburners. Among tlic de- legates to this State (-'onvention were Ai'sburx BiRUSALi., of Broome. D. T). Akin, of Dutchess, Edmond Driggs, of Kings, Sanfoud (J. Parkek, of Onondaga, Arouidai.d C. Nivex, of Sul- livan, George W. Cuyler, of Wayne, r, William 0. Bryant, Theodore Sedgwick, and George P. Barker, addressed lo friends of -\rr. Van Buren through- out the State, and inviting their exertions in aid of the selection as Congressional (candidates by the Democratic Conventions of their respective districts, of men who would oppose the annexa- tion policy. This cireidar came to light by the timely exijosure n\ade by a clerk of (j!en. A. C. XivEX. The discovery of these secret circulars created much feeling among the TInnkei's, and they were proportionately strengthened by it. The cry for the annexation of Texas was now taken up boldly, and ^Iv. Dickinson •■ stumped the State'' upon that issue. The election resulted in casting the vote of the State for Polk and J Dallas, and New York once more elected tlu^ President of the United States. The Democratic State ticket wa.s elected. A large majority of the Congi-essional delegation were Democrats, among them John F. Collin, William J. Hdugh, Orville Ilungerford, Arciii- hai.d C. Nn'Kx.and Stkphkx Stkoxg, Hunkers; and Charles S. Benton, Martin Grover, Preston King, George Rathbun, Horace Wheaton, and Bradford 11. Wood, Barnburners. Both in the Senate and Assembly the Legislature of 184.') was heavily Democratic, and the majority of the Democratic caucas wa.s Hunker. Among the Hunker Senators were Thomas B. Mitcheix, Okville Clark, Calvin T. Chamberlaix and Clark Burnham ; and among the Barnburners, John P. Beelcman, Augustus C. Hand, and Ro- bert Dennlston. Horatio Seymour, then a Hunker, was Speaker of the Assembly, and among the Hunker members was Lysander H. Beowx. of JeSTerson, v.'hilo the Barnburners reckoned \VlU.k...i .. ;,./,■„ --.i i|.iii,iiii t, Dm nis McCarthy, of Onondaga, and John L. Ru.i- sell, of St. Lawrence. The resignation of his seat in the Senate by Mr. "Wright, lei"t a vacancy for the term which would expire on the 4th of March, 1849. Se- nator Tallmadge had also resigned ; his term would expire in 184.'). Gov. Bouck, on the 30th November, 1844, appointed Daniel S. Dickinson and Henry A. Foster, both Hunkers, to lill tlu-se vacancies until the meeting of the Legislature. In January, ] 845, the Legislature went into a ballot to fill the unexi)ired term of Mr. Wriglil. and Gen. John A. Dix, Barnburner, was chosen. Daniel S. Dickinson v/as then chosen for the full term of six years, from the fourth of March ensuing. This was considered a Hunker triumph, l)ut the votes of the Barnburner mi- nority being needed to elect, it was impossible to carry through two Hunker and Texas Senators. Mr. Dickinson's vote Wiis recorded in the U. S. Senate, this winter, in favor of the resolutions of annexation sent up from the House, and after the amendment of Mr. Benton, authorizing annexa- tion by treaty, had b(>en added, ]\Ir. Dix also voted for the amended bill, along with Sena- tors Niles, Bagby, Benton, A lien, and Ilapvurd. The Hunker majority in Legislative caucus .succeeded in nominating Nathaniel S. Benton, for Secretary of State, over Sam Young ; and Benjamin Enos, for Treasurer, over Thomas Far- rington ; but enough Soft Hunkers went over to the Barnburner side to secure the re-nomination of Azariah C. Flagg for Comptroller, and of John Yan Buren for Attorney General. ITii- Democratic caucus candidates for State Officers were all elected. A considerable interest was felt relative to the Cabinet of Mr. Polk. The Hunkera put forward Mr. Marcy, and the Barnburners desired Mr. Flagg or Mr. Hoffman to take a Cabinet seat. After much negotiation, the post of Se- cretary of War was offered to Mr. Marcy, who although at first determined to decline, (having desired and expected to be made Secretary of State,) at last accepted it. The resolutions of annexation having been forwarded by Mr. Tj ler to the govermnent of Texas, almost at tlic kL-ement and completion ! It also forba*^*^4^ .^s*-^^-^.^^ — Silas Wright was defeated by John Young, by 11,572 votes, while Addison Gardiner, quite as ultra a Barnburner, Avas re-elected over Hamilton Fish, by 13,3.57. Young and Gardi- ner were on the Anti-rent ticket, but it was supposed that the votes of some considerable number of Democrats must also have been withold from Wright, to produce this result. Among the Democratic members of the nert Congress elected were ArsBURK Birdsall and Hexry C. McTtpiiY, Hunkers, but most of the delegation and of the new State Senators were Whigs. In the Assembly there was a large Whig majority. Resolutions passed the Legislature by tho united Whig and Barnburner vote, approving 8 IJie " Wilmot ProTiso," and directing the Sena- tors in Congress to support it. Preston King's Proviso, identical -with Wilmot's, came to a vote in the Plouse of Representatives, and was opposed by Stephen Strong, who recorded his vote against it, which opposition was charac- terized by the Albany Atlas as "an act of disobedience to the expressed will of the State." A Democratic State Judicial Convention was held at Syracuse, May Iflth, to nominate four Judg-es and Clerk of the Court of Appeals. AmcjDg its members were Eusha B. Smith, of Chenango, Winslow C.Watson, of Essex, David C. Broderick and Daniei. B. TAvr-OK, of Now York, Delos De Wolf, (then) of Oneida, James E. Coolcy, of Richmond, Iliram Walden,of Scho- harie, and George W. Cuyler, of Wayne, Hunkers ; Horatio Balhrd, of Cortland, A. Looniis and Win. C. Grain, of Herkimer, Simeon B. Jewclt, of Monroe, William C. Dryer, of Ontario, &c., Barnburners. The Barnburners were in a small majority. Greene C. Bronson and Charles H. Ruggles, Hunkers, and Addison Gardiner and Freeborn G. Jewett, (brother of Simeon B. Jewett,) Barnburners, were nominated for Judg"es, and Chai'Ies S. Benton, Barnburner, for Clerk. All were elected in June. On the 11th May, a Legislative caucus called a State Convention to meet at Syracuse on the 29th of September, for the purpose of nominat- ing State Officers, and transacting such other business as should come liefore the Convention. A great struggle took place between the Pro- viso Barnburners on the one hand, and the Anti- Proviso Hunkers on the other, and party feeling reached an unprecedented height. When the Convention met, ten seats were found to be con- tested. All the contestants voted on the organi- zation. The Hunkers triumphed, and Robert H. Morris was chosen Chairman. James C. Smith, of Wayne, Barnburner, then offered the following resolution : " Resolved, That wo adhere to all tW\ com- promises of tlie (constitution, that ^^'o will main- tain with intlcxible firmness all the reserved rights of the States, that we disclaim all right or wish to interfere with slavery in thc^ several States, but we declare; uncom])romising hostility to the extension of slavery into free territory by any Act of the National government." This was tabled on motion of James T. Brady, Hunker, of New York, the nominations not having been yet made. These being com- pleted, the regular resolutions were reported. David Dudley Field, of Ncav York, Barnburner, then moved Mr. Smith's resolution as an amend- ment to the reported resolutions. A point of order was raised, and decided well taken, that the resolution of Mr. Smith being tabled could not be brought before the Convention without a direct vote on taking it off the table. Mr. Field then offered the following resolu- tion — the famous " corner stone," as an amend- ment : '' Resolved, That while the Democracy of New York, represented in this Convention, will faith- I'ully adhere to all the compromises of the Con- stitution, and maintain all the reserved rights of the States, they declare, since the crisis lias arri\'ed Avhcn that question must he met, theii' uncompromising hostility to the extension of slavery into toiTitory now free, which may be hereafter acquired by any action of the govern- ment of the United States." Mr. Peckhara, of Albany, Hunker, called the previous question, which was ordered and cut off Mr. Field's amendment. The addrciss and resolutions as reported were then passed ; the Barnburner minority, exept two, Messrs. Cagger and Cobb, refusing to vote. The entire body of the minority then seceded, and issued an address denouncing the tabling of the Pro^•iso, and calling a Mass Convention to meet at Her- kimer on the 26tli of October, " to avow their principles and consult as to future action." ■^rhc Syi'acuse Convention Ijefore adjourning, appointed a new State Committee, and directed that the choice of delegates to the Baltimore; Convention of May, 1848, shoi;ld be made by CongTCSsional districts, the district delegates to meet and elect the two delegates at lai-ge. Among the leading Hunkers in this famous Convention were A. Birdsall, of Broome, Tho- mas A. Osborne, of Chautauque, .1 oseph R. Flan- ders, of Frank]in,WiLi;iAM Carlisle, of Jefferson, Samuel French, of Madison, Thojias B. jNI it- OHELL, (then) of Montgomery, Stephkx Strong. of Tioga, &c. Of the Barnburners who bolted there were Martin Grover, of Allegany, El^ more P. Ross, of Cayuga, William C. Grain, of Iferkiraer, George H. Purser and Wilson Small, of New York, William Vandervoort., of Ni- agara, &c. The Herkimer Convention met. C. C. Cam- brcleng was Cliairman, Samvel G. Johnson, ot 9 Kings, and John P. Bechnnn, of Columbia, were Vice-Presidents. David Wilmot, of Pennsylva- nia, addressed the Convention by request. John Van Buren reported the address and resolutions. They gave their version of the " outrage'' of resisting the Wilniot Proviso resolution, de- nounced the appointment of the Hunker dele- gates to Baltimore, and called for a State Convention to meet at Herkimer, February 22d, 1848, to choose Barnburner delegates to contest their scats. The resolutions also declared against the admission of any additional slave- holding States into the Union, in these words : — " Resolved, That while we do not complain of the irregularity of representation between the citizens of the free and the citizens of the slave- holding States, by reason of which the citizen of the slaveholding South, who has five slaves, has a representation equivalent to four votes, while the citizen of the free North has Ijut one, be- because such was the original Compact of Union, yet the freemen of New York will not consent to such an unequal division of their power, with conquered provinces." And in allusion to the resolutions passed by Democratic Conventioas in certain slaveholding States, they " Resolved, Further, that the declared deter- mination of no inconsiderable portion of our fellow Democrats at the south, to refuse to go into a general Convention for the nomination of a candidate for the Presidency, except upon condition that the opposition to the exten- sion of slavery into new territories be abandon- ed, and to refuse their suffrages to candidates for oIBce who do not concur in such extension, makes it necessary for the r)emocracy of New York to declare that, if such determination is persisted in and liecomcs general, they will be obliged to adopt a counter declaration, and proclaim their determination to vote for no man, under any circumstanc(\?, who does not subscribe to the preceding (the Corner Stone) resolution ; and we recommend our fellow Demo- crats to prepare for such an emergency." This Convention adopted an attitude of neutrality between the State ticket nominat- ed by the September Convention of Syracuse, and the Whig ticket. On the day of election the Barnburner papers talked of indifferent mat- ters. CHAPTER IV. From November, 1847 — to Jaxuarv, 1849. Defeat of the Democrats. Mr. Dickinson's Slavery Platform. State Convention at Al- bany, called by the Hunker State Committee. Nomination of an Electoral Ticket. State Convention at Utica, called by a Barnburner and Soft Caucus. Appointment of Freesoil Delegates. Election of Hunker Delegates by Districts. Procedings of the Baltimore Convention. Both Hunkers and Freesoilers Admitted. The Latter Bolt the Candidates. Mass Meeting of Freesoilers in New York, The Utica Convention of June. Letter of Martin Van Buren. His Nomination for President. The Hunker Delegates Recommend Cass and Butler. The Buffiilo Convention, Platform, and Candidates. Hunker State Convention at Syracuse. Freesoil State Convention at Utica. Result of the Election. The Democratic ticket was in consequence overwhelmingly defeated. The State oflBcers, the Senate, and Assembly — every thing was Whig. In the Assembly too, there were more " Freesoilers," (as the Barnburners now prefer- ed to call themselves.) than Hunkers. Congress met in December, and on the 13th of that month. Senator Dickinson took occasion to introduce resolutions upon the subject of annexation and the interference of Congress •with slavery, in the following language : " Rexolved, That true policy requires the gO' vernment of the United States to strengthen its political and commercial relations upon this continent, by the annexation of such contiguous territory as may conduce to that end, and can be justly obtained ; and that neither in such acquisition, nor in the territorial organization thereof, can any conditions be constitutionally imposed, or institutions l^e provided for or established, inconsistent with tne riglit of the people thereof to form a free sovereign State, with the powers and privileges of the original memljers of the Confedcracv. 10 " Resolved, That in organizing a Territorial go- vernment for territories belonging to the United States, the principle of self-government upon which our federative system rests will be best promoted, the true spirit and meaning of the Constitution observed, and the Confederacy strengthened. l)y leaving all questions concerning the domestic policy therein, to the Legislatures chosen by tlie people thereof." On the 30tli December, Gen. Cass addressed to A. 0. P. Nicholson his famous letter on the slavery question, which maintains similar views. These views were vehemently attacked by the Whig and Barnburner presses and orators, in and out of the Legislature, and Cass and Dick- inson were denounced, ridiculed, and misrepre- sented from one end of the State to the other as " enemies of freedom," " doughfaces," " slave- ocrats," " betrayers of their constituents," &c. On the assembling of the Legislature, the Freesoil and several of the Soft Hunker mem- bers met in caucus, and called a State Conven- tion to meet at Utica, on the 16th February, 1848, in order to choose delegates to the Balti- more Convention. The Hunker State Committee called a State Convention to meet at Albany on the 26th Jan- uary, 1848. The Barnburners then abandoned their 22d of February Convention, and adopted the Legislative caucus call for the 16th February. The Hunker Convention met at the capitol on the appointed day, and was called to order by Judge Thomas A. Osborne, of Chautauque. Gen. Borland, of Orange, presided temporarily ; Grorge W. Clinton, of Erie, and Elisha B. Smith, of Chenango, were Secretaries pi'o tern. Among the members of the convention were Chari.Es "W. PoMERoy, of Cayuga ; Joseph M. Lyon, of Oneida ; Frederick Follett, of Gene- see ; Joseph Siblev, of Monroe ; Hiram Denio and David Moultox, of Oneida ; Sanford C. Parker and Miles W. Bennett, of Onondaga ; David L. Sey.mour, of Rensselaer, &c. Judge Denio was elected President of the Convention, Mr. McVean, of New York, reported the ad- dress. The Convention was most eloquently ad- dressed by George "VY. Ci.ixtox. It passed re- solutions in approval of the choice of delegates which had l^cen made under the call of the State Convention of September, 1847 ; and it ordered that these delegates, chosen by districts, meet together at a place and time to be fixed by the State Committee, to fill vacancies, and to choose two delegates at large. A resolution was passed approving of the re- solutions offered by Mr. Dickinson in the U. S. Senate on the 12th December, 1847, " as recog- nizing the true principle of free government, and as harmonizing with the letter and spirit of our federal Constitution, and of his able and unan- swerable argument in the U. S. Senate, on the 12th instant, in support of said resolutions." The Convention then appointed an Electoral ticket, resolving that the Electors, if elected " be and are hereby instructed to vote for the nomi- nees of the Democratic National Convention." Among these Electors were Hugh Halsey, of Suffolk ; Charles O'Conor and Francis B. Cutting, of New York ; D. D. Akin, of Dutch- ess ; Thomas B. Mitchell, of Montgomery, (now of Schenectady ;) Stephen Strong, of Ti- oga ; Samuel French, of Madison ; Miles W. Bennett, of Onondaga ; Horace Gay, of Mon- roe ; Ebenezer A. Lester, of Chautauque, &c., all " Hards" now. A committee on organization was appointed for each Congress district, among whom we find A. C. Niven, of Sullivan ; Ly- man Tremain, of Greene, (now of Albany ; Da- vid Hamilton, of Albany ; Joseph R. Flan- ders, of Franklin ; Erastus Evans, of Tioga ; Z. T. Bentley, of Madison ; George W. Cuyler, of Wayne ; R. A. Brundage, of Steuben ; C. T. Chamberlain, of Allegany ; Benj. Wai.worth, of Chautauque, &c. The Freesoil or Barnburner Convention met at Utica, February 1 6th, John Tracy presided. Among the members were John Yan Buren, L. P. Wethcrbij, 0. C. Crocker, George Rathbun, Henry S. Randall, Isaac Sherman, James W. Nye, Simeon B. Jewett, Nelson J. Watcrbury, Wilson Small, Charles A. Mann, Dennis McCar- thy, Preston King, John G. Floyd, &c. John Yan Buren reported an address. J. R. Doo- little reported resolutions reiterating the " Cor- ner Stone," eulogizing John A. Dix for his advo- cacy of the Proviso, and declaring that Thomas H. Benton, of Missouri, possesses their confi- dence, and has won a proud pre-eminence among the statesmen of the day." These were unani- mously agreed to. This Convention appointed thirty-six delegates and thirty-six alternates to go to Baltimore to contest the seats of the Hunkers : among them C. C. Cambreleng, Minthorne Tompkins, John A. Kennedy, John P. Beekman, Nicholas Hill, Jr., Piatt Potter, William C. Grain, Preston King, James AY. Nye, James C. Smith, Mar- 11 tin G rover, Samuel E. Johnsmi, George H. Purser, Elijah F. Purdy, Mark Spencer, Peter Cagger, Arphaxad Loomis, Leander Babcock, William C. Dryer, Iforatio Seymour, Jr., Dean RicJimond, Sfc. The Hunker delegates met in New York, filled 'vacancies and chose (k'legates at large. Both delegations thus proceeded to Baltimore. The Baltimore Convention assembled May 22d, 1848, and at once appointed a committee of one delegate from each State, except New York, to report " who are entitled to seats in the Convention." This committee proceeded first to demand that both delegations from New York should pledge themselves to abide by the decision of the Convention, and agree to support, by all honorable means, the nominees of said Convention. The Hunker delegation assented to this and gave the requisite pledge. The Barnburners sent in a protest against the exac- tion of such a pledge, which would, said they, " impeach the integrity of the representative, dishonor the State, and subject its delegates to a condition not imposed upon the delegates of any other State prior to their admission." Each delegation refused to sit along with the other in Convention, and the Barnburners claim- ed an unconditional admission or none. The committee, through Mr. Howard, of Ma- ryland, reported to the Convention a recommen- dation, that the Hunker delegates bo admitted. ^[r. Cambreleng then offered to the Convention the credentials of the Barnburner delegation. Mr. Toucey, of Connecticut, eloquently addressed the Convention in opposition to the imposition of a pledge. Mr. Yancey, of Alabama, followed on the same side. Mr. Bartlett, of Ohio, offered an amendment to the committee's report, viz : to admit both delegations from New York, to cast the vote of the State. Mr. Ilibbard ofiFered a resolution, that each delegation be heard before the Convention. This was agreed to, and Daniel S. Dickinson and Henry A. Foster addressed the Convention on behalf of the Hunk- ers ; and J. C. Smith and Preston King, for the Freesoil Barnburners. Mr. Strange, of North Carolina, and ^Ir. Bayley, of Virginia, then spoke against the admission of the Barn- burners. Mr. Turney, of Tennessee, was now permitted to make a minority report against the imposi- tion of the test. The previous question was then called for, on Mr. Howard's report, ordered and again reconsidered. Mr. Bartlett's substitute was finally adopted by a vote of 12G to 125, after being amended so as to admit both dele- gations, each to cast 36 votes, thus giving New York 72 votes ! The next morning this was reconsidered, and the two delegations together authorized to cast the 36 votes of the State. As the two could agree on no candidate, and as neither would sit with the other, this was a virtual ejection of New York from the Convention, and passed by 13() to 120. The Barnburners then announced they would retire and would oppose the candidates of the Con- vention. They retired accordingly. Mr. Hanne- gan, of Indiana, then moved that the Hunker or National delegation be admitted, which was agreed to ; but the Hunker delegates de- clined to vote, saying that the Convention had sought to degrade them to the level of Free- soilers, and that although they would support tho nominees, whoever they might be, they would not participate in the proceedings of the Convention. The vote of New York, therefore, was never cast in the Convention. On the first ballot. Gen. Cass received 126 votes to 128 for all others. On the fourth, Cass had 179, and all others 75 — 169 votes necessary to a choice under the two-third rule. Gen. But- ler was nominated for Vice-President. On the return of the Barnburner, or Free- soil delegation, a mass meeting for their recep- tion was held in the Park in New York. At this meeting James Conner, Robert Kelly, and others were officers. John Cochrane was Chair- man of the Committee on resolutions and re- ported a series, among which were the follow- ing, which were adopted : "Resolved, That the lash has resounded through the halls of the Capitol, and we are, therefore, prepared for the vote on which ' Northern Sen- ators' shall unite with their ' Southern brethren' in consigning an empire of frw territory to the dominion of the slaveholder; that revolting as must be the ceremony which introduces by the bapti.sra of a 'Compromise,' 250,000 square miles of our newly accjuired possessions into the com- munion of slavery, there needed to perfect its har- mony but the presence amongst the sponsors of a Dickinson and a Bright, of whom, if the latter in his recusancy to Indiana is rcconmieiulcd to her compassion by the necessities which con- strain the possession of slaves, the former by ' almost wishing to be born in Virginia,' inspires in the breasts of the millions, whom he raisrepre- 12 scnts and dishonors, a proportionate desire for his translation to some more congenial clime. " Resolved, That we denounce, in advance, all projected compromises or surrenders of the vital principle of freedom, regardless of their origin, their object, or their extent ; that, in the antici- f)ated defection of the Senate, we place our re- iance on the other branch of Congress ; but should the hope of favor, the fear of punishment, or the schemes of pohtical ambition, accomplish the enactment of a law for the extension of slavery over a single square mile of territory, now free, we hereby pledge ourselves immediately to enter on the task of its repeal, and unceasingly to labor for the accomplishment of this object." Letters were received from a number of dis- tinguished Freesoilers, and among the rest a letter of response was received from Franklin Pierce, of Concord, the contents of which, to this day, remain undivulged. Mr. Cochrane says he lost it, and that it was a mere excusa- tory letter. The New York Herald, per con- tra, insisted, in 1853, that this " Scarlet Letter," as it was termed, took Freesoil ground, and that !Mr. Cochrane still had it in his possession. An address to the people of the State was issued by the Freesoilers, drawn up by Samuel J. Tildeu, which, among other charges made against the Baltimore Convention, asserted that the State Convention of Alabama, had passed re- solutions denying the power of Congress to pro- hibit slavery in the territories, and declaring that the Alabama Democracy would support no Wilmot Provisoist for President. It denounced, by name, Messrs. Aikin, of Alabama ; Bayley, of Virginia ; McAllister, of Georgia ; Commander, of South Carolina, and other Southern dele- gates. It complained that Senator Dickinson, in his remarks in the Convention, had appealed to it " to reject us, because of the position as- sumed by the Corner Stone resolution of the Utica Convention." It imbodied a protest against the action of the Baltimore Convention. And it concluded by inviting a State Conven- tion, to meet at Utica on the 22th of June, to receive the report of the delegation, " and ex- press their sentiments" on the subject, and re- commend candidates for President and Vice- President. The Utica Convention met, Sam Young, Pre- sident, Gilbert Dean, of Dutchess, Secretary. The credentials of the Barnburner delegation were returned. Martin Grover, Preston King, B. F. Butler, and John Van Buren spoke. D. D. Field read a letter from Martin Van Buren, taking strong ground against the action and the candidates of the Baltimore Convention, and declaring " that injustice must be resisted, in- dignities repelled." Simeon B. Jewctt, of Monroe, moved the una- nimous nomination of Martin A''an Buren by ac- clamation for President, which was carried with cheering. Henry Dodge, of Wisconsin, was nominated for Vice-President. More speeches were made by Messrs. Rathbun, Nye, and Young. B. F. Butler, also, denounced " the man who wished he had been born in Vir- ginia," (Dickinson,) and paid a tribute to the Ohio Democracy, whom he claimed as " the natural allies of the New York Barnburners." The resolutions adopted, assumed it to be the right and duty of Congress to expel slavery from the territories, and declared " domestic slavery a great moral, social, and political evil," and a " relic of Barbarism." The address reported by Mr. Butler is a very elaborate Freesoil argument, and labors to over- turn the positions taken by Senator Dickinson, in his speech of January 12th. Meanwhile the Hunker delegation had issued an address recommending a support of Cass and Butler. The Nominations of the New York Barn- burners created a profound sensation. Senator Dodge wrote an immediate letter, declining the candidacy of Vice-President. In order to fill this vacancy on their ticket, and extend the Freesoil movement in other States, a " Conven- tion of Free States" was called to meet at Buf- falo on the 9th of August, 1848. The leading members of the " Liberty Party," or Old Line Abolitionists of this State at first hesitated to support Van Buren. The Ohio, Michigan, Ver- mont, and Massachusetts Freesoilers, who were Whiggish in their tendencies, also held aloof for awhile. It was necessary to conciliate all these, and much negotiation was done. Meanwhile numerous delegations of Barnburnei"s were elect- ed from this State to the BuSalo Convention, which was absolutely packed, there being no arrangement made as to representation, and the Convention being, in fact, a mere mass meeting. Among the delegates to the Buffalo Conven- tion were John P. Bcehnan, Josiah M. Todd, John L. Russell, Dennis McCarthy, William C. Dryer, Simeon B. Jewett, James C. Campbell, William C. Rliodes, William Vandervoort, Israel T. Hatch, Samuel S. Jenh, and others, now members of the Soft delegation to Cincinnati. 13 The Couveutiou met, all the non-shivcholdiug States being " represented," that is, having citi- zens upon the ground. Charles Francis Adams, of Massachusetts, was its presiding officer. A committee of tifty-five, B. F. Butler, Chairman, was appointed on resolutions. E. D. Culver and John "W. Nye, of New York, and J. R. Giddings, of Ohio, addressed the Convention. The famous Buffalo Platform was reported on the second day as follows : " W/tcrcas, "Wc have as.sembled in Convention, as a union of freemen, for the sake of freedom, forgetting all past political differences in a com- mon resolve to maintain the rights of free labor against the aggressions of the Slave Power, and to secure free soil for a free i)eople ; and '' Whereas, The political Conventions recently assembled at Baltimore and Philadelphia, the one stifling the voice of a great constituency entitled to be heard in its deliberations, and the other abandoning its distinctive principles for mere availability, have dissolved the national party organization heretofore existing, by nominating for the Chief Magistracy of the United States, under slave holding dictation, candidates, neither of whom can be supported by the opponents of slavery extension without a sacrifice of consist- ency, duty, and self-respect ; and " Whereas, These nominations, so made, fur- nish the occasion and demonstrate the neces- sity of the union of the people under the banner of free Democracy, in a solemn and formal de- claration of their independence of the Slave Power, and of their fixed determination to rescue the Federal government from its control : ■' Resolved, Therefore, that we, the people here assembled, remembering the example of our fathers in the days of the first Declaration of In- dependence, putting our trust in Cod for the triumph of our cause, and invoking his guidance in our endeavors to advance it, do now plant ourselves upon the National Platform of Free- dom, in opposition to the Sectional Platform of Slavery. '• Resolved, That slavery in the several States of this Union, which recognize its existence, de- pends upon State laws alone, which cannot be repealed or modified l)y the Federal govern- ment, and for which laws that government is not responsible. We, therefore, jiropose no inter- ference by Congress with slavery within the limits of any State. " Resolved, That the Proviso of Jefferson, to prohibit the existence of slavery, after 1800, in all the Territories of the United States, southern and northern ; the votes of six States and six- teen delegates, in Congress of 178-1, for the Pro- viso, to three Statc-s and seven delegates against it ; the actual exclusion of slavery from the Northwestern Territory, by the ordinance of 1787, unanimously adopted by the States in Congress, and the entire history of that period, clearly show that it was the settled policy of the nation not to ex tend, nationalize, or encour- age, but to limit, localize, and discourage slavery; and to this policy, which should never have been dejiarted from, the government ought to return. ': Resolved, That our fathers ordained the Constitution of the United States, in order, among other great national objects to establish justice, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty ; l)ut expressly denied to the Federal government, which they created, all constitutional power to deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due legal process. " Resolved, That in the judgment of this Con- vention, Congress has no more power to make a slave than to make a king ; no more power to institute or establish slavery than to institute or establish a monarchy ; no such power can bo found among those specifically conferred by the Constitution, or derived by just implication from them. " Resolved, That it is the duty of the Federal government to relieve itself from all respon- sibility for the existence or continuance of slavery, wherever that government possesses Constitutional authority to legislate on that subject, and is thus responsible for its existence. " Resolved, That the true, and in the judg- ment of this Convention, the only safe means of preventing the extention of slavery into terri- tory now free, is to prohibit its existence in all such territory by an act of Congress. "Resolved, That we accept the issue which the Slave Power has forced upon us, and to their demand for more Slave States and more Slave Territories, our calm but final answer is— no more Slave States and no Slave Territory. Let the soil of our extensive dominions be ever kept free for the hardy pioneers of our own land, and the oppressed and banished of other lands, seek- ing homes of comfort and fields of enterprise in the new world. " Resolved, That the bill lately reported by the Committee of eight in the Senate of the United States was no compromise, but an abso- hite surrender of the rights of the non-slavehold- oi*s of all the States ; and M'hile we rejoice to know that a measure which, while opening the door for the introduction of slavery into terri- tories now free, would al.'^o have opened the door to litigation and strife among the future in- habitants thereof, to the ruin of their peace and l)rosi)erity, was defeated in the House of Repre- sentatives, its passage in hot haste, by a majority embracing several Senators who voted in open violation of the known will of their constituents, should warn the people to see to it, that their rej)resentatives be not suffered to betray them. There must be no more compromises with slavery ; if made they must be repealed. " Resolved, 'J'hat we demand freedom, and es- tablished institutions for our brethren in Oregon, now exposed to hardships, perils, and massacre, by the reckless hostility of the Slave Power to the establishment of free government for free territories, and not only for them but for our 14 new brethreu in California and New Mexico. And " Whereas, It is due, not only to this occa- sion, but to the whole people of the United States, that we should also declare ourselves on certain other questions of national policy, therefore " Resolved, That we demand cheap postage for the people ; a retrenchment of the expenses and patronage of the Federal government ; the abolition of all unnecessary offices and salaries ; and the election by the people of all civil officers in the service of the government, so far as the same may be practicable. " Resolved, That river and harbor improve- ments, when ever demanded by the safety or convenience of commerce with foreign nations, or among the several States, are objects of na- tional concern ; and that it is the duty of Con- gress, in the exercise of its Constitutional power, to provide therefor. " Resolved, That the free grant to actual set- tlers, in consideration of the expenses they incur in making settlements in the wilderness, which are usually fully equal to their actual cost, and of the public benefits resulting therefrom, of reasonable portions of the public lands under suit- able limitations, is a wise and just measui'e of public policy, which will promote, in various ways, the interests of all the States of this Union ; and we, therefore, recommend it to the favorable judgment of the American people. " Resolved, That the obligations of honor and patriotism require the earliest practical pajTnent of the national debt ; and we are, therefore, in favor of such a tariff of duties as will raise revenue adequate to defray the necessary ex- penses of the Federal government, and to pay annual instalments of our debt and the interest thereon. " Resolved, That we inscribe on our banner 'free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men,' and under it will fight on and fight ever, until a triumphant victory shall reward our exer- tions." A Committee of Conference, Salmon P. Chase, of Ohio, Chairman, was appointed : Mr. Butler produced in this committee a letter from Martin Van liuren. Avhich was satisfactory, and the nom- ination of A^an Buren for President was unani- mously reported to the Convention by Joshua Lcavitt, of Massachusetts. Charles Francis Ad- ams was nominated for Vice-President. The Convention was addressed by a number of speak- ers, among them the Rev. Mr. Ward, a negro, and adjourned with great enthusiasm. The entire Abolition party of this and other States now accepted Mr. Van Buren, as their candidate ; Gerrit Smith, although himself re- fusing to vote for him, " for reasons growing out of the Land Reform question," thus ex- pressed in a letter dated Peterboro', August 15, 1848, the feeling of the Liberty party : " I in- finitely prefer the election of the candidates, (Van Buren and Adams,) to the election of the Whig or Democratic candidates. Among all the per- sons whom there was the least reason to believe the Buffalo Convention would nominate for Pre- sident, Mr. Van Buren was my preference." Gen. Taylor and Mr. Fillmore having been nominated by the Whigs, a triangular contest ensued in this State. The Freesoil ticket at first seemed very strong from the number of Whigs who avowed their support of it. In September, good politicians expected the State to go for Van Buren. And it was not until after the Conventions for the nomination of State tickets were respectively held, and the word was given for The New York Tribune, and the countiy Whig papers to declare for Taylor, that the latter seemed likely to carry the State, This falling off of the Whig vote from Van Bu~ ren, extinguished his prospects. The National Democratic or Hunker State Convention met at Syracuse on the 5th of Sep- tember. Among the delegates were Stephen S. Wandell, of Albany, C. T. Chambeelaix, of Allegany, T. J. Wheeler, of Cattaragus, Levi H. Case, of Chenango, John H. Otis and Charles Robinson, of Dutchess, Andrew L. Ire- land, of Essex, F. Follett, of Genesee, William Carlisle, of Jefferson, Henry C. Murphy and Joseph C. Hasbrouck, of Kings, John A. Van- DERLiP, of Livingston, Samuel S. Bowne, (then) of Monroe, Sherman McLean, of Niagara, Moses D. Burnett and Sanford C. Parker, of Onon- daga, Harvey Goodrich, of Orleans, Samuel Beard.sley and Naaman W. ^Moore, of Onei- da, John J. Suffern, of Rockland, Nathan T. Rossiter, of Schoharie, Orville Clark and Oliver Cook, of Washington, emocrats of the delegation, sound radical men, who know of no compro- mise to which they owe fealty." The Freesoilers celebrated the anniversary of the passage of the Ordinance of 1787, at Herki- mer, and very ultra anti-slavery speeches were made. On the 31st of July, the Compromise bill came up in the U. S. Senate, and portion after portion was stricken out till nothing was k'ft of it but the provisions contemplating the establisli- ment of a Territorial government (without the I'roviso) for Utali, which was ordered to a third reading. This '• upsetting of the Omni- bus," was greatly rejoiced over by the Free- soilers, and National men contemplated the danger of the country with alarm. Another eflbrt was, however, made and a bill organizing a Territorial government for New Mexico, to go into effect after the boundary with Texas should be settled, was next got through the Senate. Then the California Ad- mission bill ; the Fugitive Slave bill, and the bill relative to slavery in the District, were suc- cessively passed. These bills subsequently pass- ed the House, and were signed by the President. In the House they received the affirmative vote of Hiram Walden, Hard, and were opposed by Preston King, Freesoil Soft. The Albany Atlas threatened of " the Com- promise makers :" The State Convention of Democrats, Free- soilers, and Softs, met at Syracuse, at the ap- pointed day. Among the Hard or National «lelegates were John H. Hevxolus, (then) of Columbia ; Wixslovv C. Watson, of Essex ; Charles O'Conor and Hexrv J. Allex, of New York ; Sam Fowler, of Orange ; J amks P. Kaktle, of Wayne, A-c. Among the Softs and ]">eesoilers. L. P. Wctherbij, of Allegany ; Hora- tio Ballard, of Cortland ; John Van Burcn, of New York ; Wm. A. Beach, (then) of Saratoga ; Wm. Vandervoort, of Niagara : William C. Rhodes, of Steuben. The Hards had, at first, a majority in this Convention. Jesse C. Dann. Hard, was admitted to a seat, in place of J. F. Starbuck, of Jefferson, by 5 y to 31. The next morning, however, the Softs rallied and a(hnitted both the Hard and Soft claimants (Messrs. John H. Reynolds and Tilden) from the second dis- trict of Columbia county : the Jefferson case was then reconsidered, and Mr. Starbuck ad- mitted to share the seat of Mr. Dann. The scale now turned in favor of the Softs, and Horatio Ballard, of Cortland, was admitted alone, and liis contestant, Henry Stephens, Hard, rejected. Isaiah Rynders, was then admitted over John Y. Savage, and John Van Buren over Aucustus SciiEijo, from New York. 'J'hus re-inforced the Softs were much in the majority. A State Committee was appointed, on Avhich was a Soft majority : among its members were, /. V. L. Prui/n, William A. Beach, John Stri- ker, Dean Richmond, Softs, and Henry AV. Rogers and Aushcrn Bikdsall, Hards. LjTnan Tremain, of Greene, moved to add William L. Marcy to the Committee and make him th(! Chairman thereof. This was opposed by John A'an Buren and other Freesoil Softs, and withdrawn. Charles O'Coxor i*eported the resolutions. The first declares the devotion of the party to the principles of Democracy a.s declared in 1 840, '44 and '48 ; the second, " congratulates the country upon the recent settlement, by Con- gress, of th(i questions which have unhappily divided the people of these States;" the third, declares that the Democracy present their can- didates, relying upon the \mited and cordial support of all who desire the ascendency of the ancient principles of the party ; the fourth and fifth, denounce the AVhig Federal and State administrations ; the sL\th, deprecates sectional agitation. The reading of these Hard resolutions created great excitement in the Convention, and our explosion was threatened. F. J, Betts, Soft, of Orange, opposed the se- cond resolution. Henry Wager, Hard, of Onei- da, moved an amendment to the same resolution, expressing the approval of the Convention of the course of Mr. Dickinson in the Senate. The ])revious question was now moved, which, under the rules of the New York Legislature, cuts off all amendments, and it was sustained. The (invention thus came to a vote on the resolu- tions as reported, without opportunity for dis- cussion, and they were carried, the Hards and some Softs voting aye, and all the remainder of the Softs and Freesoilers in the negative. Among the ayes were Henry J. Axlex, James r. Bartle, Sam Fowler, and Charles O'Conor. Among the nays, Wm. Vandervoort, L. P. Wctherbij, William C. Rhodes, &c. There were 18 absentees— Softs, who preferred to vote neither aye nor nay. ITie roll was then called, and the delegates nominated each his candidate for the Guberna- torial nomination, viva voce. Horatio Seymour was nominated on the first ballot, receiving the report of the Softs and some of the Hards, but being supported almost unanimously by those who had opposed and voted against Mr. O'Coxor's resolutions, such as Messrs. Van- flcrvoort, Wetherby, &e. On motion of Mr, liallnrd the nomination was made unanimous. Mr. Seipnoufs Hard opponents voted for Francis B. Cutting, of New York. ^ Sanford E. Church, of Orleans, Soit, was then nominated for Lieutenant-Governor, most of the Hards voting for Sam Fowler, of Orange. Having thus nominated two Softs for the chief offices, the Softs conceded to the Hards the candidate for Canal Commissioner, and John C. Mather was nominated for that office. William P. Angel, of Cattaraugus, Soft, was then nominated for State Trison Inspector, over Henry Storms. So that the Hards had but one candidate out of four. It was remarked that " the Hards had got the resolutions, but the Softs had got the men — who would repudiate them." The resolutions of the Convention were indeed violently attacked and utterly repudiated by the Soft press of the State, with but two or three exceptions. Some of them asserted that they did not, by reference to the " Compromise," include and en- dorse the Fugitive law ; others asserted that among " the principles of the Democratic par- ty," Provisoism was included ; while others abandoned all attempt at a construction favor- able to their views, and denounced and " spit upon" the platform. The Tammany Society, although controlled by the Hards, ha\ing declined to interfere with the quarrel between the Hard and Soft General Committees in New York city, and the County Convention having failed to settle the diEBcul- ties, a recommendation was at last made by the Sachems that both Committees unite in ordering a new election, and then resign their functions. This was accepted, and acted upon by both, and the new Committee contained a large Hard majority. Edward C. West was chosen Chair- man, and soon after its organization a series of Hard resolutions on the slavery question wa? passed. ^ The Whig State Convention met at Syracuse. September 27th, and nominated Washington Hunt (Seward) for Governor, and George J. Cornell (Fillmore) for Lieutenant. Resolutions approving Mr. Seward's course having been adopted by the majority, the minority, friends of Mr. Fillmore, seceded ; as they went out some person sneeringly said (referring to the fact that most of the seceders were elderly men,) " there go the Silver-Grays 1" This name adhered to the Fillmore AVhigs for ever after. Tlie sece- ders called a fresh Convention at Utica, which was held, and which re-nominated the same ticket set up by the Sewardites, so that the bolt amounted to nothing. Among the candidates of the " Democratic" party for Congress in this year, were Joseph M. Marsh, Auraham P. Stepuexs, Josiah Suther- land, David L. Seymour, J. W. Thompson, Patrick G. Buchan, and other Hards ; and John Cochrane, Gilbert Dean, Preston King, Willard Ives, Thomas Y. How, Jrj, James S. Wads- worth, and other Softs. In New York, Mr. Cochrane was obliged to pledge himself to vote against a repeal of the Fugitive Slave law be- fore the Hard Organ, (The Globe.) of that city, would hoist his name. In the Dutchess c|istrict the Hards i^'quircd l^ 2T pledge from Gilbert Dean, which he signed in the following wordg : '• I hereby acknowlqi^e and submit, on the honor of a gentleman, t^at I will, if elected to a seat in the Thirty-second Congress, use all hon- orable endeavors to sustain the principles of the National Democracy, and will keep in view in all matters of District, State, and National poli- cy, the leading principles of Ijewis Cass. " G. Drax. '• Dated. Carmel, Oct. 25, 1850." In May, 1854, Mr. Dean .spoke against the Kansas Nebraska bill, and in June recorded his vote against it. The New York Evening Post boasted that a large majority of the Democratic Congressional candidates, if elected, would vote to repeal the Fugitive .Slave law, and called on the >Softs to vote for none who did not stand on the platform of opposition. In New York city, the Hards succeeded in nominating several of the candidates for the As- sembly. The i.ssue was Dickinson or anti-Dick- inson. The result was the election of but three Democratic members out of sixteen, from that city: IIen'ry J. Allex, Michael Dougherty, and Albert A. Thompson, all Hard, Dickinson men ; although Mr. Dougherty was prevented by sickness from taking his seat. The Demo- cracy were badly beaten in the Legislature, every Dickinson candidate, or candidate considered favorable to his re-election, having been (as had been threatened) marked, and in most cases de- feated. Horatio Seymour was defeated for Governor by a few Imndreds, but Sanford E. Church was chosen Lieutenant-Governor, 'Mr. Mather Canal Commissioner, and Mr. Angel Prison Inspector. Two-thirds of the Congressmen elected from this State were Whigs, or Softs opposed to the Fugitive Slave law, and elected as advocates of its repeal. The opening of the year 1851, was signalized by the Albany Atlas, and other Soft and AVTiig presses opposed to the Fugitive Slave law, demanding the passage of a State law similar to that of Vermont, nullifying the Congressional statute. The Atlas regretted that the privilege of passing such a law did not devolve upon a '• Democratic Governor and Legislature," which remark a.s coming from a print enjoying the confidence of Mr. Seymour, and speaking for the Softs, excited some notice. The language of the Atlas was echoed by Tlic Seneca Observer, edited by C. Sentell.nH fol- lows : "We recognize the right of Congress to pa.ss a bill for the reclamation of fugitive slaves, but at the .same time, as tho duty of returning a fugitive slave to bondage would be a grateful task to only a small portion of our northern population, such a law should not be made more repulsive and odious to frccmon, than it must necessarily be, and should particularly guard the rights of tho.se whom fraud and villany may choose to assail through the means it provides. The Fugitive Slave law aims at nothing but the return of a fugitive slave, and to accomplisli it, it proceeds in the most summary manner, without regard to the rights of any other per- son than a slave-holder. By doing .so, CongreH.^ compels the States to adojit such measures as they may constitutionally enact to protect those within their jurisdiction, and stimulates them to do so by the passage of the most unjust and odious law ever enacted by that body." In the Assembly, this year, the "_ Democratic" minority numbered among its members only nine Hards, to such a point had " union and har- mony" reduced the National party. The large majority of " Democrats" were Softs and Fro<>- soilers. In the " Democratic" caucus most of the Hards refused to participate, owing to the rejection of resolutions offered by Mr. Thompson, of New York, favoring the Compromise meas- ure of the late session of Congress, and pledg- ing the party to sustain them. Noble S. Elder- kin, Soft, was then nominated for Speaker. Henry J. Raymond, Seward AVTiig, was elected Speaker by the Whig majority, and Richard U. Sherman, of the .same party. Clerk. On the 10th of January,Mr. CofiBn introduced his Personal Liberty bill, similar to the Ter- mont Nullification law. :Nrr. Thompson (Hard) opposed its introduction, and leave was granted, upon ayes and nays, 103 to 19. The following was the vote of the " Democratic" members : Ayes, Perry, of Albany ; Congdon, of Alle- gany ; Calvin, of Cayuga ; Minier, of Chemung ; Doyle, of Delaware ; Stewart, of Fulton etween Democrats and Free- soilers had been " carried out, as I had no doubt it would be, in most of the Assembly districts, where true Democrats supposed to coincide in my own avowed views upon the leading cjues- tions of the day, were in nomination ; by deliber- ately defeating their election, by open and de- clared opposition, in some instances, disguised, but not less active hostility in others, and by predetermination and concert in all.'' Mr. Dickinson proudly remarked that he considered tills hostility of the Softs and Freesoilers to him as '• a flattering compliment to the integrity of his public course." He concluded by desiring that his name should not be used by his friends in the Legislature. The Hard majority ot'the City General Com- mittee of BuSiilo, on the 13th January, adopted strong resolutions in advocacy of the Compro- mise measures, and Fugitive Slave law, and in denunciation of the Coffin bill. On the 4th of February, the Senatorial Elec- tion came on. In the Assembly, Hamilton Fish received 78 votes to 29 for John A. Dix, (Soft,) 7 for James T. Brady, and one for John L. Riker, (Hards ;) and the rest scattered for AV. L. Marcy, Levi S. Chatfield, Erastus Corn- ing, and Horatio Seymour, (Softs.) In the Senate, however, Mr. Fish was named by only 16 Senators — James W. Beekman, (Fillmore Whig,) refusing to vote for him, and 15 Hards and Softs scattering their votes, and, without making choice, the Senate adjourned. Thus the election failed. The Seward Whigs bitterly denounced the course of Mr. Beekman. On the 7th of February, the Albany Atlas became furious at the defeat of Charles Sum- mers for U. S. Senator, in Massachusetts, ex- claiming : " The Demagogues in Massachusetts. — It seems that a few politicians in Massachusetts, under the lead of Gen. Cushing, have again de- feated an election. It is only the venal politi- cians of the Ritchie School that are thus playing into the Whig hands." The 22d of February, was celebrated in New- York by the '• Union Safety Committee," and the friends of the Compromise measures. Wash- ington's Farewell Address was read by James T. Brady, and an oration delivered by Henry S. Foote, of Mississippi. Letters were read from President Fillmore, Webster, Cass, Dickinson, Clay, Buchanan, and others. The S\Tacuse Standard, (Soft,) edited by Patrick H. Agan, of the 7th March, said edi- torially : " George Thompson, Gerrit Smith, Frederick Douglas, and Stephen S. Foster, those devoted friends of libertij, and able advocates of the Rights of man, are in Syracuse, and will be in atteud- ance'at the Anti-Slavery Convention, to beheld in our City Hall to-day and to-morrow." This Convention was held and was marked by unusually ultra resolutions and speeches. On the 4th of March, Mosks D. Burxett, 29 Hard, was elected Mayor of Syracuse, by an unusual and unexpected majority. About the same time Nicholas E. Faink, Hard, was chosen Mayor of Rochester. Also James Wadsworth, (Soft.) was elected Mayor of Buffalo, by the " TTnite-s C Bronson re- signed the office of Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals, and retired into private life, after a public service of a quarter of a centur}-. A bill was introduced into the State Setiate, proposing to provide for the enlargement and completion of the Canals, by the issue and sale of Canal Certificates based upon the Revenue of the Canals, and proposing to anticipate the Revenue for that purpose ; it, in fact, mort- gaged the Canal Revenues for 21 years, and pro- vided as to the management of the Canals. At- torney General Chatfield and John A. Dix, (Softs,) delivered opinions against the constitutionality of this law. On the 17th April, this bill came up for a third reading in the Senate, when the resignation of Senator Brown, (Hard,) and Senators Snyder, Curtis, Dart, Fox, Tuttle, Noyes, Mann, Stone, Skinner. Stanton, and Gunnip, (Softs,) twelve in all, was handed to the Chair. Mr. Carroll, (Soft,) then proposed that the (Janal bill be po.stponed till after the Appropriation bills were passed, which was lost. Mr. Carroll then left the Senate, and that body found itself with- out a quorum for passing the Canal or other Appriation bills — these requiring the presence of twenty Senators, when but nineteen were pre- sent. The Senate, therefore, passed a joint res- olution requesting Gov. Hunt to call an extra Session, and that the IjCgislature adjourn nine die. The Assembly concurred in these, and the regular Session came abruptly to an end. A Mass meeting was at once held at Albany, in opposition to the Canal bill, and in appro- bation of the course of the " Fugitive Senators," at which Horatio Seymour and John Yan Buren spoke; another meeting, at Utica, in opposition to the bill, at which Samuel Beardsley presided, at which he declared his opinion to be that the bill was unconstitutional ; another at Hudson, and at which resolutions, drawn by Josiah Suther- land, (who presided,) and which took the same ground, were pa.ssed ; and another at New York, where Robert H. Morris presided, Daniel E. Sickles reported the resolutions and Lorenzo li. Shepard spoke. The general opinion of both Hards and Softs, seemed to be in opposition to the bill. A re-assembling of members of the Constitu- tional Convention of 1846, for the purpose of protesting against this bill, was also invited, and came off in Albany on the loth May. About twenty appeared — among them Aaros Ward, 30 and Elisha B. Smith, and some thirty others sent letters. An address and resokitions were adopted. The Hards, while condemning the Canal bill as unconstitutional, held that the Senators should not have resigned, but should have allowed its passage and trusted to the courts to demolish it. The Softs, on the other hand, ap- plauded the resignations. The Hards consider- ed their position justified by the result of the special elections, ordered by the Governor, and which resulted in the defeat of Mr. Snyder by Mr. Halstead, ("WTiig,) Mr. Fox by Mr. Sanford, (Independent.) Mr. Mann by Mr. Huntington, (Whig,) Mr. Skinner by Mr. Lyon, (Independ- ent.) and Mr. Stebbins by Mr. Hatch, (Canal Soft.) Messrs. Brown, Curtis, Dart, Noyes, and Stanton were re-elected. All the resigning Senators were candidates for re-election, except Mr. Stone, in whose district Mr. Stebbins was nominated by the anti-Canal party. In the Steuben district there was a tie, and no elec- tion of Senator. During the canvass which thus resulted, John Van Buren and other leading Softs had taken strong and ultra Freesoil ground. In one speech Mr. Yan Buren claimed, as the result of the union of the Democratic party in this State, not only the defeat of Mr. Dickinson for the U. S. Senate, but alse the choice of sixteen '• Dem- ocratic" members of Congress, of whom he assert- ed that " all but one"' were ready to vote for the repeal of the Fugitive Slave law. Although Mr. Van Buren, in this, overated the number of his friends in Congress, the assertion was noticed as evidencing the spirit in which the party " union" was to be preserved, if at all. Mr. Van Buren also wrote, about the time of the rendition of a fugitive slave in that city, a letter to a Boston Committee of Abolition- ists, urging a resistance to the Fugitive Slave law. These declarations were endorsed by the Soft press, and appealed to by the Hards as a breach of the pledge of the resolutions of the State Convention of 1850. The Governor called an extra Session of the Legislature, on the 10th of June, and the friends of the Canals at once proceeded to pass the bill. It passed the Senate on the 24th, by a vote of 20 to 8, and went to the Assembly, which body passed it July 10, by a party vote. The 4th of July was celebrated by the Hard Sachems of Tammany Society, and letters were receiveii from Messrs. Cass, Woodbury, Bu- chanan, Dickinson, Bronaon, Gen. Wool, John C. Mather, A. Jackson Donelson, and Col. Page, of Philadelphia. Judge Bronson's letter contained this lan- " When the several States shall learn to mind their own l)usiness without meddling with the the affairs of others, and shall be faithful to the Constitution, as it is, without rejecting any part of it, the Union will stand too strong for its enemies without and within. And when the Democracy shall build again on its old founda- tions, without constructing new platforms, to catch the factions of the day, it will regain its ascendancy in the State and the Xation." The Legislature passed a bill, dividing the State into Congressional Districts, and finally adjourned on the 11th of July. The Compro- mise resolutions, introduced by Messrs. Thomp- son and Anthon, had been buried in^ Com- mittee. The Democratic State Convention met at Syracuse on the appointed day. In the absence of the Chairman of the State Committee, Ars- BUKX BiRDSAiiL, ouc of its members called the Convention to order and nominated Thomas B. Mitchell for Chairman, pro tern. Jerome J. Briggs, of Onondaga, move as an amendment that Lorenzo B. Shepard be Chiarman pro tern, and that the vote be taken by secret ballot (so as to suit the Soft Hunkers, who did not not desire to be placed openly on record, as voting with the Freesoilers.) Mr. Birds.ull moved an amendment to the amendment, that the vote be viva voce. This was defeated, 63 Softs voting for tlio ballot, and 57 Hards for the viva voce vote. A vote was then taken by ballot for temporary Chairman, which resulted. Shepard, 59 ; Mitchell, 52, Robert Halsey, of Tompkins, (Soft,) 8. There being no choice, Martin Grover, (Soft,) offered Mr. Halsey as a compromise candidate, and he was elected. Messrs. Dickie, of Erie, and Ludlotv, of Suffolk, (both Softs,) were then appointed temporary Secretaries, and so the Hards lost the organiza- tion. The Committee on permanent officers, Wm. A. Dart, of St. Lawrence, (Freesoil,) Chairman, re- ported Gen. Halsey for permanent President of the Convention. Mr. Maurice, (Hard.) from the minority, moved to substitute the name of ex- Governor William C. Bouck, of Schoharie. The 31 amcndmeut was ucgalived, 67 to 56, aud the re- port of the majority aeceptcd. Gen. Halsey safe in the chair, the Hards received but little mercy. Henry J. Allen, of New York, Hexry G. McRPiiY, of Kingt^, and other Hards, declined to act as Vice-Presidents. John Coch- rane moved that the Chair appoint a Committee on resolutions. Daniel E. Sickles, (then Hard,) moved an amendment that the delegates froni the several districts appoint this Committee, aud spoke at length, accusing Gen. Halsey, when a candidate for Congress, in 1850, of having avowed himself an opponent to the Fugitive Slave law. Mr. Sickles's amendment was re- jected, and Mr. Cochrane' s motion adopted. When the Committee on resolutions wa.s named by the Chair, Francis B. Cutting, P^dward C. West, Emanuel B. Hart, Daniel E. Sickles, Henry J. Allen, and Henry C. Murphy, successively de- clined to act upon it, its composition being evi- dently Soft by a large majority. Mr. Murray, of New York, and Col. Sam Fowler, of Orange, (Hards.) were appointed to fill these vacancies. A State Committe, in which was a Soft majority, was appointed. The Committee on resolutions had a long aud difficult session. A resolution was proposed by Col. Fowler, in the following words : " Resolved. That the Democratic party of this State will faithfully adhere to the recent .settle- ment by Congress C)f the questions which have unhappily divided the people of the.se States, and will neither countenance nor sanction any sectional agitation or legislation on the subjects embraced in the settlement."' Mr. Cochrane declared that he would never report such a resolution ; other Soft members of the Committee said the same thing, and it was rejected. Col. Fowler then gave notice of his purpose to offer it in Convention. Mr. Cochrane, the next morning, reported a series of resolutions mostly having reference to State politics, and Col. Fh'.vler offered his reso- lution (as above) as an amendment. A long- debate ensued. Col. Fowler's resolution was opposed by John C. Wright, James AV. Xye, Lemuel Stetson, Darius A. Ogden, Martin Gro- ver, and other Softs ; and advocated by Henry C. Ml'rpuy, Sam Fowler, David AVager, Charles Ga Nun, Orville Clark, aud other Hards. It was alleged and admitted in the course of the argument, that the resolution ap- proving the Compromise measures adopted by the Convention of 1850, and reported by Mr. O'CoNOR, having been adopted before the news of the passage of t he Fugitive Slave law had reached that Convention, ought not to be con- sidered as endorsing that law, and that the reso- lutions reported by Mr. Cochrane at this time, were ecjually free of endorsing that law. A mo- tion to table the resolution of Col. Fowler was carried by a vote of Softs against Hards. Mr. Cochrane' s resolutions were then adopted, with some slight modifications, but still not touching the National issue. The (invention then went into secret ballot for nominations, and the following were made : John C. Wright, for Comptroller, on motion of Martin Grover : Henry S. Kandall, for Secre- tary of State, on motion of William C. Dryer ,• Horace Wheaton, for Canal Commissioner, on motion of Hennj J. Glowacki ; Levi S. Chat- lield, for Attorney General, on motion of George Clark ; Benjamin Welch, Jr., for Treasurer (without motion :) Alexander S. Johnson, of New York, for Judge of Appeals, all Softs. To the Hards were conceded AVilliam J. McAl- pinc, for State Engineer, and Henry Storms, for Prison Inspector. Among the Hard delegates to this Conven- tion, were Minor C. Story, Joseph M. Lyon, John A. A^\nderlip, Thomas B. Mitcuell, Joseph M. ^L^rsh, David Moulton, AVilliam F. Russell, kc. Among the Softs, Nicholas Hill, Jr., lleuben E. Fenton, AA'. Smith Ing- ham, Israel T. Hatch, AYilliam Kelly, James AV. Nye, William H. Ludlow, John G. Floyd, D. A. Ogden, and John Cochrane. On the 4th of October, the celebrated rescue of the fugitive slave Jerry took place at Syra- cuse ; several leading Softs, such as Mayor Den- nis McCarthij, Patrick H. Agan, (editor of The Standard.) Jerome J. Briggs, and others, sym- pathized strongly with the rescuers, and ap- plauded their work. The Standard went to the extreme of denunciation of the Fugitive law, and of approval of the violence which had been exhibited. Tlic Soft Freesoil press of the State, including the Albany Atlas, Buffalo Republic, and New A^ork pAcning Post, echoed its lan- guage. Aloses Summers, of the Standard, j)art- ner of Mr. Agan, was arrested for part icijiating in the riot and rescue, and held to bail at Au- burn before the U. S. District Court in $2,000. AYilliam H. Seward, E. AY. Ixuivenworth, Chas. B. Sedgwick, and Charles A. AV^heaton. being his Burcties. Mr. Summers and the other ac- 32 cased persons then spent the evening with Mr. Seward at his house, all which was duly chron- icled in the papers of the day. A public demonstration of citizens of Syra- cuse and Ouondjiga county, " in favor of sustain- ing the Constitution and laws, desirous of ex- pressing their abhorrence and reprobation of the late infamous proceedings in that city by which Ihe law.s have been violated, the government temporarily subverted and disgrace fixed upon the town," was called by signature to meet on the 25th October. Among the bOO signatures wc note the names of Mosks D. Burnett, Sax- voRD 0. Parker, Miles W. Bennett, J. J. Peck, J. A. Greenk, On the 6th of February, the Young Men's National Democratic Club passed resolutions. The first resolves that the territories belong to the whole people of this Union ; the second, that Congress cannot prohibit or establish sla- very in them ; the third, that, in the admission of States, Congress can impose no conditions on the subject of negro slavery ; and the fourth de- clares a "hearty approval of Mr. Douglas's bill." On the 8th of Fcl)ruary, resolutions against the repeal of the Missouri Compromise passed the Assembly, by a vote of 67 Seward Whigs and 14 Softs, in the affirmation — all the Hards in the negative. In the Senate, the two Soft Senators voted /or the resolutions — all the Hards against them. On the 10th of February, the Argus shewed that eight other leading Soft papers were out against the Kansas bill : — the Cooperstown Journal, edited by Samuel M. Shaw ; Bath Ad- vocate, edited by W. C. Rhodes ; Dansvillc Democrat, Batavia Democrat, (owned by Col- lector Redfield ;) Elmira Gazette, (controlled by A. S. Thurston ;) Oswego Palladium, Chau- tauque Democrat, and Skaneateles Democrat. To this list of Soft papers, it suggested that the New York Daily Times, (Sewardite,) might be added, as it contained a three column Custom House advertisement. The Mobile (Ala.) Register, at that tijne, in view of this new anti-slavery crusade, declared : '• "^Vhen the Softs join the crusade, they will cease to affiliate with the policy of the present administration, and will be treated as its op- ponents. The present signs are, that the Softs will not join this movement at all." Yet they did join this movement, and they never received the promised treatment ! At an anti-Nebraska meeting held in New York, Robert Emmet, a Soft leader, and who was one of the electors on the Van Buren and Adams ticket in 1848, spoke in favor of the objects of the assemblage. ^ On the 10th of February, the Hard General Committee of the City of Albany met, Johx S. Nafkw in the chair, and 8. G. Courtney acting as Secretary. Resolutions were adopted as follows : The first approves the Kansas bill, and the doctrine of non-interference with sla- very ; the .'iccond declares the ^Missouri line a usurpation by Congress of powers not granted ; 52 the third and fourth approve the Canal Consti- and the fourth advocates the Monroe doc- tutional Amendment ; the fifth declares, that trine. William L. Marcy, a citizen of Albany, does not A meeting of the Softs of Jefferson, held possess the confidence, in a poUtical sense, of his soon after, repudiated these resolutions, and de- Democratic fellow-citizens ; and the last ap- clared the Hard paper (which had supported proves of the support by the Hard members of the Legislature of the Constitutional Amend- ment, and of their opposition to the anti-Nebras- ka resolutions. On the 14th February, the Argus claimed 37 Hard papers in favor of the Nebraska bill, and them) " unworthy of confidence." , The St. Lawrence Republican (Soft) rejoiced over the election of Fessenden, U. S. Senator from Maine, " as an expression of feeling against the Nebraska bill." An anti-Nebraska, no-party, meeting was held at Rome early in February, and the Cen- only two Soft papers, out of over 40, m favor of ^^.^j ^^-^^^^^^ ^f ^j^j^j, j,^,, Richmmid was it. The same day, the New Tork Times, ejoy^ ing Collector Redfield's patronage, boasted" that all the patronage at the disposal of the Govern- ment would not induce the Times to say one syllable in defence of that infamous outrage" — and the Evening Post (Soft) said : " With the exception of ivhat appears in the Albany Ar^us and a few other prints of the Croswell {Hard) faction, not a word in favor of the Nebraska fraud appears in the press of the free States which is not dictated from "Washing- ton, and published to order. The faint and timorous assent to the fraud, expressed in the re- solutions of the Democratic (Soft) General Com- mittee of this city, was of that description." The Young Men's Hard General Commit- tee, of New York city, met Feb. 13, and adopt- ed resolutions. The first approves of the non- intervention principle of the Compromise of 1850 ; the second declares that the Constitution and the laws of the United States, should be de- clared in force in Kansas and Nebraska, except the 8th section of the Missouri bill of 1820, (establishing the Missouri line ;) and the third calls upon Congress for the adjustment of the Armstead claim. On the 17th February, the Albany Argus charged that Mr. Marcy had openly expressed himself against the repeal of tlie Missouri line. The Atlas tacitly admitted tb(i charge. On the 3d February, the ]lard Committee of Jefferson county met ; 0. P. Starkev, Chair- Vice-President, carried passengers thither and back at half-price. John B. Miller, Editor of Gov. Seymoufs paper, the Utica Observer, pre- sided, and spoke at this meeting. The same evening Judge Douglas was burned in effigy. The Hards denounced the act of this meeting, and nominated David Wager as the the Ne- braska candidate for Mayor. Of course he was beaten. An anti-Nebraska meeting was held at Syra- cuse, February 18, Dennis McCarthy presided, and Patrick H. Agan acted as Secretary. Mr. McCarthij addressed the meeting as follows : " The question of Compromise has been a con- ceded question since the organization of our gov- ernment. It is an essential ingredient of our National Legislation, and necessary to the sta- bility and success of our institutions. No ques- tion has been more exciting than slavery. But for the Missouri Compromise, slavery would have acquired an ascendancy that would have been destructive to our nation. I, individually, care not a whit for compromises. If I alone were concerned, I would throw them all aside and de- clare war against slavery to the knife. [Ap- plause.] And if the Compromises are to be set aside at the convenience of others, I feel at lib- erty to agitate, so far as my conscience and the laws woukl permit. The attempted repeal of the Missouri Compromise is a bad move for the south, and the day will come when they will rue it. jSIy objections to slavery are these. First it is wrong under the law of God and the universe, that any man should be held in bond- age. Second, labor, the lever that moves men man. A sub-committee, conmosed of Lysander and sustains the welfare of mankind, is by it de- H. Brown, Pearson Muody, and Erastus Hale, Shaded and debased. Repeal the Missouri Com- j„i ^^^1 +-^ „ „i ;„i „ • 1 promise, and where are our voung men and adopted reported rcsolutiois, which were unanunouslv •^- \ • e ^ •> 'cii „ +a „ tx ^ ' > aiiuuuu.-,i_y citizens to go m future ? Slavery on the south, adopted by the C ounty Committee. The first and slavery on tlie west would confine them points to the proud attitude of the Hards ; the within too narrow limits. We cannot interfere second approves of the repeal of the Missouri ^i^^ slavery at the south, but shall the great line, as being in pursuance of Democratic prin- 7^1 ^" ^iven up to its pernicious influence? 1 ' , , . , ^ l-""i too have made a meiital reservation inlh res^ard ciples; the third censures tne administration fo the resohiticms of the Democratic State Convcn- for its hostility to National men in New York, tmi last fall, and an that quest ion I joined in the 5S protest by Preston King. I do not condemn the President so severely as do some who entertain anti-slavery views like my own. I cannot be- lieve, without stroui^er evidence than has yet been adduced, that I^rankliu Pierce is commit- ed, body and soul, to the interest of slavery. No son of New Hampshire could be so recreant to the cause of freedom. I look to the House of Representatives to interpose a check to this last scheme of slavery aggrandizement. But if the worst comes to the worst, and Franklin Pierce and his administration seek to make it a test of partisanship, all he (McCarthy) could do, is to break loose from his partisan connexion and go to that party which would best sustain the rights of man. [Great applause.] " A Hard meeting, at Gardiner, Ulster county, February 26, resolved— first in favor of the Ne- braska bill ; second in opposition to Congress- ional interference with slavery, and third in ap- proval of the course of Messrs. Cutting and Walbridge. The Softs of this State were gTcatly encour- aged in their opposition to the Kansas bill by the language of the Washington Union, which on the 5th March, said : " We are aware that there are other Demo- crats wlio objected to the Compromise of 1850, when it passed, but who have since acquiesced in it, who are not prepared to sustain the Ne- braska bill. In our judgment it would be as nnwi.se as it would be unjust to regard and treat such opponents of the measure as thereby abo- litionizing themselves."' This Avas republished throughout the State by the Soft press, as affording additional proof that the administration held that men could 1)C I>emocrat.s and Freesoilers at the same time. Mr. Seward, in the Senate. ]iresented a petition from Albany against the passage of the Kansas bill, signed by Van Dyck and Cassidy, editors of the Albany Atlas. Eli Cook and B. Welsh, Jr., (leading Softs,) of Bufllilo. were present at a meeting, and officers of a meeting, which resolve I ihe bill " a breach of good faith.'' On the 2d March, the N. Y. Times, (then semi official.) stated that Judge A. 0. P. Nichol- son, editor of the Washington Union had " pledged himself to Gilbert Dean, of New York, that he would not make fealty to the Nebraska bill, a test of Democracy." " This," added the Times, " united the party, and secured Nichol- son's election,'' as House printer. On the 14th March, Judge Broxson wrote a letter to a New York paper, stating that since the Evening Post had republished what he had said in 1848, "against enacting the Wihnot Proviso, and against establishing slavery in free territory by the act of Congress," he desired " to make known also his opinion on the Nebraska bill. He added a letter written by him to the late Tabernacle anti-Nebraska meeting, in which he dissented from the views of these who had invited him, and declared his approval of the proposed bill, as " important, by way of assert- ing a principle and removing a dangerous ele- ment of strife from the halls of Congress." He also enclosed a letter written by him, dated Feb. 21, to P"'rancis B. Cutting, member of Congress, (Hard,) approving the bill, on the ground that it removes the slavery question from Congress, and refers it to the local authorities where it belongs." He adds that for " uttering such sentiments," he supposes •• he will be called a pro-slavery man, by the abolitionists, and yet, he is as much the friend of the slave as the best of them." About the same time another New York paper, published a letter from Judge Bronson, addressed to Stephen A. Douglas, dated 8th February, in which he says, " I fully approve of the great principle which you advocate." On the 13th March, Charlks O'Co.nor writes to a New York paper, " I have been, and am, decidedly in favor of the Nebraska bill." On the 9th March, the Hard Convention uf Poughkeepsie city met and resolved against union, for the sake of spoils, with the Softs and Freesoilers, and in favor of the Nebraska bill. On the 20th March, the Albany Atlas claim- ed an aitti-Nehras/ca Democratic majority in the New Hampshire Legislature, and declared it impossible that a United States Senator favor- able to the bill could be returned. John .P. Hale was subsequently chosen. Mr. Van Dyck, of the Atlas, was Vice-Pre- sident of an anti-Nebraska meeting at Albany, on the 23d March, at which Senator Douglas was burned in effigy. On the 2d April the New York E\ening Post published a letter from D. T. Jones, Soft member of (Congress from the Onondaga dis- trict, addressed to S. D. Dillayc, in which Mr. Jones called for the organization of the " Demo- cracy," on the platform of " No slavery out- side of slave States ; no slavery under the legis- lation of Congrces."' 54 On the 7th Ajoril, the Hard Committee of New York city, passed resolutions denouncing the wholesale removal of National Democrats from office by the Soft United States Collector of this port, and the substitution of notorious Freesoil abolitionists in their stead; and also alleging, that the recent Democratic defeats in the eastern States were due to the unpopularity, not of the Nebraska bill, but of the personcl of the administration, &c. On the 11th of April, the Hard State Commit- tee met in Albany and passed resolutions. The first declares a determination to maintain and vin- dicate their organization and principles in spite of the proscription of the federal administra- tion ; the second consideres recent party reverses in other States as a verdict rendered, not against the Democracy, but against the administration ; the third approves of the course of the Hon. F. B. Cutting, the Hard Nebraska member of Congress ; the fourth congratulates the people on the adoption of the Constitutional Amend- ment ; and the fifth calls a State Convention for the 12th July at Syracuse. On the 18th April, the nomination of B. F. Angell as Consul to Honoluhu, to which we have before alluded, was rejected by the United States Senate, which was hailed with great sat- isfaction by the Hards. The Rochester Union (Freesoil) said, '• We suspect his (Angell's) disagreement with Dick- inson had some agency in causing his rejection ;" and thereupon proceeded to bewail the action of the Senate. The Washington Star was also much displeased on the subject. The Albany Journal (Seward) of the 20th April, announced " with great satisfaction," that " Hon. Martin Grover, of Allegany, had taken strong ground against the Nebraska swindle." This proved true. Mr. Grover subsequently spoke in Tammany Hall, in September, 1855, on behalf of the Hatch (Soft) State ticket, along with John Kelly. The Young Men's National Democratic (Hard) Club, of New York, on the 21st April, passed resolutions responding to the action of the State Committee. On the 24th April, the Albany Atlas, the Marcy organ, charged that the Nebraska bill was " shaped to provoke controversy ;" that the result of its sanction by the adminitration had proved " disastrous ;" and that recent defeats were due to that " change of attitude" on the part of the administration which had alienated Freesoilers. On the 27th, the Atlas published T. H. Ben- ton's speech against the bill, with high commen- dation The entire Soft press of the State copied the former and endorsed the latter. The Atlas (27th,) said : " One rises from the perusal of such a speech, only to wonder why such a bill as that it holds up to the public gaze, should ever have seen the light ; why men should link their political fame to it. We rejoice that in the south two such men as Benton and Houston have stood up to pronounce against it. It is a condemnation of a pro-slavery agitation by southern men — the voice of two brave Jackson Democrats, con- demning the latter day devices of modern politi- cians." The Eochestcr Union (Soft) added : " If his (Benton's) fellow-members do not heed the voice of the only man among them who was in active political life, when the Missouri Compro- mise was adopted, the people will." The Utica Observer (Gov. Seymour's paper) copied as editorial the comments of the Atlas. On the 1st May, the Albany Argus, alluding to the fact that the Ohio Statesman boasted 33 Nebraska papers in that State, claimed 45 in New York advocating the bill, viz": 40 Hard, 3 Soft, (out of 46 Soft papers in all,) and 2, (New York Herald and Journal of Commerce,) neutral. About this time the Soft papers throughout the State published with approbation, an anti- Nebraska letter of Geo. Hastings (Soft) M. C. In May, Ebenezer S. Marsh, of Tompkins, Soft, (who on the floor of the State Assembly, on 30th June, 1853, had characterized what he called the " pro-slavery" sentiments of President Pierce's Inaugural as " damnable,") was, on the recommendation of William H. Ludloic, appoint- ed to a lucrative place in the New York Cus- tom Plouse, by Collector Redfield. On the 13th of May, an anti-Nebraska meet- ing was held in the Park, in New York, at which Mark Spencer, (then and now State Se- nator, and regularly re-nominated in 1855, by the Tammany Hall Softs) presided ; Benjamin F. Butler (Soft,) spoke, declaring that he would rather vote for Seward than for Stephen A. Douglas, for President. The resolutions were chiefly a laudation of Thomas H. Benton. On the 10th May, the Soft State Committee 55 tnet at Albany. Resolutions were introduced by one of the members, endorsing the Nebraska bill. They were almost unanimoa^ily laid on the table by the Committee. On the 15th May. the Hard General Commit- tee of New York city, met and adopted resolu- tions. The jiroarable recites the fact, that, that Committee, on the 2d of February, had approv- ed of and sustained the principles of the Ne- braska bill ; the first resolution calls the attention of Democratic members of Congress from the city districts to said resolutions of May, as ex- pressing the sentiments of the Committee now as at that time ; that " as we have not hesi- tated to condemn a President when unfaithful to the trusts reposed in him, we are still less dis- posed to tolerate the acts of Representatives in Congress when arrayed in opposition to the views of their constituents ;" the second calls upon the city members ' for a faithful execution of their trust. This resolution was aimed at John Wheeler, M. C. from the central portion of the city. Mr. W. however voted with the Whigs and Freesoilers against the bill, then joined the Know Nothings, and by the combin- ed vote of the Greeley Whigs and the members of that Order, was re-elected. The Buffalo Republic (organ of Israel T. Hatch) of same date declared, that the man who favored '• the repeal of such a solemn and holy Compact," was engaged in committing " a fraud upon the people." The Albany Argus, of 2Gtli May. speaking of the New York Hards who supported the Ne- braska bill, said : " For them there was no administration favor, no promised support, at hand ; no possibility that official patronage would be interposed to the faintest extent in their aid. Others may have had such promise of sustenance against Whig and Freesoil opposition at the north ; they had none. On the other hand, they were well aware that they must encounter not only the opposition of Whigs, but the dastardly cal- umnies and villification of journals like the Al- bany Atlas, which are suffered to speak for an administration with tho.se follies they deal gent- Iv. and of whose daily bread they partake. All this they (the Hards) have risked and defied." It added : " Two or three years hence, how- ever, the Atlas will be asseverating its ' acqui- escence' in the Nebraska principle. Let the next Democratic Presidential Convention, with the A,tlas folks waiting, cap in hand, at the door, can"^ out the Cabinet threat, and make Nebras- ka a •' test," and we shall see itho " shows th^ white feather." (The Atlas had been charging F. B. Cutting with " showing the white fea- ther" in voting for the bill.) The bill passed on the 2 2d of May ; on the 24th, the Young Men's National Democratic (Hard) Club, met and Resolved, That we hail with congratulation the passage by Congress of the Act establishing a government for the new Territories of Ne- braska and Kansas, in which the principle of non-intervention is recognized and asserted ; that the passage of that bill meets with our unanimous approval — an approval at once honext and heartfelt, because in accordance with Demo- cratic expectation." The Albany Atlas (Soft) of the 29th of May, declared boldly, on the other hand : " Whilst we shall not be guilty of factious or inflammatory denunciations of the measure, we shall not willingly have it forced upon us as a standard of Democratic orthodoxy." The passage of the Nebraska bill was cele- brated at Port Jervis, by the Hards, by a grand jubilee, on the 29th of May. Col. Sam Fow- ler presided at and addressed the mass meeting, and a resolution was adopted exjiressiug regret for the vote cast by the Soft member of Con gress from that district, ]Mr. Murray, against the bill. The Suffolk County Hard Committee met at Riverhcad, 23d May, and passed resolutions re- affirming the Baltimore Platform, and the senti- ments of the President's Inaugural ; declaring for the right of self-government in the terri- tories, and denouncing the Frecsoilism of the Softs. The editor of the Fulton County Democrat, (Soft,) W. N. Clark, officiated as Secretary of an anti-Nebraska meeting held early in June. The Binghamton Democrat of June 8th, con- tained a long and remarkable article on the Wis- souri Prohibition, from the pen of C. W. Hall, of that village, which elicited general interest and perusal, as being understood to express, to some extent at least, the views of Mr. Dickinson on the Nebraska Ijill. It sets out by declaring of tliis bill, " that Congress ne\er had before it a measure, so far at least as the repeal of this Pro- hibition is concerned, involving more truly re- publican principles, or more desening to become a law," and concludes an able review of the whole question by denouncing the Missouri Pro- 56 hibition, as " unconstitutional, in violation of the territorial right of self-government, and incon- sistent with the theory on which our institutions arc founded." Early in June, the Otsego Democrat (Soft) declared : " The north must now control the govern- ment, or the south will rule the north, as with a rod of iron. Of this there can l)e no doubt, and we would urge upon the people of all par- ties the necessity of an immediate organization of some kind for tliis purpose." And the Rochester Union (Soft) spoke oT " The recent treacherous and faithless conduct of the majority in Congress who repealed the Missouri Compromise, and thus opened afresh the wounds it contributed so much towards healing." The Hard General Committee of New York city met June 22d, and passed resolutions, set- ting forth, " that whereas, at a public meeting, held under the call of its predecessor, at Tam- many Hall, March 2nd, 1850, the Democracy of New Tork city had declared against inter- ference with slavery in the territories by Con- gress : and whereas, the Committee had also, on the 2nd of February, 1854, re-avowed these opinions, and approved of the then contemplated repeal of the Missouri line, the committee there- fore resolved to congratulate the Democracy on the passage of the Nebraska bill, and congratu- lated Senator Douglas on his success, notwith- standing a slight defection in our own ranks." In June, 1854, Gov. Seymour appointed Elijah F. Purdy, a Freesoiler of 1848, Com- missioner of Emigration. The Governor had previously appointed John A. Kennedy, another Freesoiler of 1848, on the same commission. The Hards were now holding their County and District Convention, for the choice of delegates to the State Conventions. Several of these passed resolutions. The Cortland County Hards -(Gen. Samcel G. Hathaway being a member from the town of Solon) resolved, that they approved of the Kansas and Nebraska act, so far as it estab- lishes the principle, that the people of the territories have the right to legislate for their own welfare. The Chemung County Hards resolved, that they approved the recent bill, which, in their opinion, imbodied the true principle of Demo- cracy and self-government. Meanwhile, the Soft papers in the interior con- tinued on the anti-Nebraska track, and inflamed the prevailing excitement. The Chautauque Democrat (Soft) exclaimed : " The north will rise as one man, and demand the restoration of that compact which has been ruthlessly tram- pled under foot by this servile administration." The Syracuse Standard, (edited by P. H. Agan, who, in 1855, was the Soft candidate for State Prison Inspector,) declared that " New Tork will not return any representative who has sustained the bill, nor will any man be sent to Congress who is suspected of sympathy for the measure." The Dansville Democrat (Soft) • said : " The Compromise is dead — is dead .' — that is the sound. The enemies of the Missouri Com- promise have killed it, and the friends of free territory are again at libei-ty." The Syracuse Standard (Soft) seriously re- commended the voters of the 29th Congress district to elect Fred. Douglass to Congress. The Hard Committee of Buffalo city met on the 26th June, and resolved that " we congratu- late the Democracy that the great principle of self-government in the territories has been vindi- cated, in the passage of the bill for the organi- zation of Nebraska and Kansas :" also de- nouncing the treasonable opposition to the ren- dition of a fugitive slave in Boston. Henry W. Rogers presided on this committee. The Hard Convention of Orange County elected Col. Sam Fowler delegate to Syracuse, and resolved, that Frank Pierce had disappoint- ed the just hopes of the New York Democracy by his preference for, and association with, the Bufialo Freesoilers ; and that the principles of non-intervention and popular sovereignty are in harmony with the Democratic creed, and are the vital elements of the Kansas Nebraska bill. The Suffolk County Hard Convention re- solved, that the territories were the common pro- perty of the citizens of the Union, and all should be protected in their rights therein : it also endorsed the views of Daniel S. Dickinson, and Greene C. Bronson. The Otsego County Hard Convention re- solved that the Nebraska bill was in accordance with the principles of the Compromise measures of 1850, and that they were opposed to its re- peal. The Seneca County Hard Convention ap- proved of the Kansas Nebraska act and the re- peal of the Missouri Compromise, and declared 57 ttat it disapproved the action of Andrew Oliver, member of Congress, and such other members as voted against it. From P>ie county, William Williams and Harmox S. Ccttixq were sent as delegates to the State Convention. The District Convention congratulated the Democracy on the re-avowal of the non-intervention principle, denounced the Boston abolitionists, and declared that the ad- ministration had appointed notorious Freesoilers to office. On the 26th June, Gov. Seymour appointed Gilbert Dean, a Soft member of Congress, who had both spoken and voted against the Kansas Nebraska bill, to the high position of Justice of the Supreme Court, to fill a vacancy. The Saratoga Hards met in Halfmoon, and resolved, that the President had proved recreant to his trust, by his attempts to reward enemies and disown friends : also in favor of Con- gressional non-intervention, and denouncmg the appointment to office of opponents of that principle. The Hard Convention of Chautauque re- solved, first, in approval of the Baltimore Platform ; second, of the Inaugural Address, regretting that its sentiments were not carried out to the letter ; third, denouncing Pierce's ap- pointment of Freesoilers ; fourth, regarding the Kansas bill " as highly just and proper ;" fifth, opposing anti-slavery agitation. Benjn. Wal- worth sat in the Chautauque Convention in the Second district, as delegate from the town of Pom fret. The Columbia County Hard Convention met. and was addressed by Eobert McClellan, in fa- vor of the Nebraska bill. His remarks were received with gi*eat applause. The Herkimer County Hard Convention re- solved in favor of quieting sectional agitation by the application of the doctrine of non-inter- vention ; and denounced the administration for its patronage of Van Burcu Freesoilers. The Genesee County Hard Convention elected Junius A. Smith a delegate to Syracuse, and resolved, (James G. Shepard being on the Com- mittee of Resolutions,) in opposition to sectional agitation, in favor of the Monroe doctrine, and in denunciation of the favoritism exhibited towards unrepentant Freesoilers by the admin- istration. The Monroe County Hard Convention de- clared for non-intervention, as laid down in the Nebraska bill, and emphatically denouucetljroolc,v): Ulster, fail- f.'.ij ■■■ . ing to get appointed as his successor, the Soft papers generally scored him for not " getting his pay" for voting for the Nebraska bill. The Chautauque Democrat reminded him that " tlic way of transgressor is hard." The Delhi Ga- zette remarked : " so it seems Mr. Wcsthrook has not received the reward of his treachery, after all." The Newburg Telegraph sneered, " poor Westhrook ! He who voted for the Nebraska Ivill, and in his anxiety to secure the District Attorneyship, procured the signatures to an ap- plication for his appointment of eighty NeViraska representatives — sadly disappointed at thus losing the oats." All these arc Soft papers. So that Softs were discarding their members who voted tor the bill, while the Hards were endorsing the bill, and those who supported it in Congress ! John McKeon was finally appointed to the District Attorneyship. The Plattsburg Republican (Soft) called the adoption of pro-Nebraska resolutions by the Hard State Convention the " committing of political suicide." The Steuben County Farmers' Advocate (edited by Wm. C. Rhodes) electioneered against Judge Bronsox thus : " Southern men could not possibly desire a candidate more subservient to their policy of extending slavery than Judge J'hoxsox. There is a boldness about his jjrufessions on that ques- tion, which cannot be exceeded by the veriest ' fireater' of the south. The ex-Collector is de- cidedly Hard. If he were running for Gover- nor in Georgia, or South Carolina, there would be little doul)t of his election." Several U. S. Collectors and Postmasters were removed in August, for advocating the election of Judge Bronsox. On the 4th August, the Albany Atlas alluded to the Soft State Convention called for Septem. ber, and hoped it would " proclaim its repug- nance to the whole policy in which the Nebnis- ka scheme originated ;" " stigmatize the meas- ure as a mischievous, sectional contrivance of demagogues;" "and disclaim the responsibility of the Democratic party for it." The Hudson Freeman {John P. Beekmnn's home organ) declared that " no course of party lactii-s will ev( r make the Democracy of old Columbia come into line with the authors of the late high-handed political fraud," (the Kan- sas bill.) The Hudson Giiy.ette (then Hard) supported the bill openly. The Young Men's Hard (reneral < Vmnuilteeof 60 New York met August 14, and i-esponded to the action of the Syracuse Convention, ap. proved the Kansas bill, and disapproved of the course of the Democrats who voted against it in Congress. In the middle of August, Stephen C. Parker, editor of the Geneva Gazette, one of the earliest^ promptest, and firmest advocates of the Kansas Nebraska bill, and of the repeal of the Mis- souri line, was removed from the office of Post- master of that village, and Luther Kelly (Soft) appointed in his stead. The Seneca Observer, edited by Calvin Sentell, demanded that other Hards should be re- moved. The Saratoga anti-Nebraska Convention met on the 10th May. Among the leading Softs who were delegates, were Azariah C. Flagg, Mark Spencer, Wm. T. McCoun, John Van Buren, Silas M. Burroughs, John Snow, of Madison ; F. P. Bellinger, Benjamin F. Butler, &c. The Ithaca Democrat (Hard) published the Kansas bill in full, and offered the type to its Soft and Whig neighbors for use in their col- umns. None of the Soft or Whig newspapers published the bill throughout the State. The Pulton County Democrat (Soft) nomi- nated T. H. Benton for President, because " he had lifted his voice against the Kansas-Nebras- ka iniquity." The Cayuga New Era (Soft) was opposed to pro-Nebraska resolutions at the Soft State Convention, and deprecated " any disposition to purchase an alliance with the Hards by disguise, or silence, on this important question ;" and it " repudiated the wholesale deunciation visited upon the Saratoga Convention and its friends." The Rochester Union (Soft) said that " the sooner the idea is abandoned of bringing the Democratic press of the whole county to echo the same sentiments in respect to the Nebraska bill, the better will be the prospect for a con- tinuance of Democratic ascendancy." The Soft District Conventions, in most in- stances, passed no resolutions ; but there were exceptions. In Queens County they resolved against the Nebraska bill, Abijah Mann and Henry F. Jones being chosen delegates. In Delaware County anti-Nebraska resolutions were adopted. In Madison County, the Soft Convention " Resolved, That in the organization of Ter- ritorial governments for Kansas and Nebraska the incorporation therein of the amendment of Dixon, a Whig Senator, from Kentucky, re- pealing the Missouri Compromise, meets our un- qualified disapprobation, as violating an estab- lished and sacred National Compact." The Orange County Soft Convention de- nounced the Kansas bill, as having " demoral- ized and destroyed" the party. The Livingston County Soft Convention repudiated the bill, though expressing " confidence" in the Presi- dent." The Chautauque County Soft Conven- tion (fifteen federal officials being members) ap- proved Mr. Fenton's vote in Congress against the bill. The Delaware County Soft Conven- tion declared the repeal of the Missouri line " a faithless act." The Ontario County Soft Con- vention passed strong abolition resolutions. In the Yates County Soft Convention, the Com- mittee on Resolutions reported a series advo- cating the Wilmot proviso and Missouri (llom- promise Line, declaring against " more slave states," and lauding the administration of Pierce : these were adopted. A resolution de- manding the repeal of the Fugitive Slave law was then introduced ; a motion to table it was lost, and it was adopted, 20 to 10. The Buffalo Fifth Ward Softs resolved in favor of Seymour for Governor ; also against the Nebraska bill and against the Maine Law. The Saratoga, County Soft Convention denounced the " Ne- braskality," and particularly approved Mr. Hughes's vote against it in Congress. The Jef- ferson County Soft Convention declared opi- nions on the slavery question " not a test of political faith," inferring that an abolitionist may be a Democrat. The Albany Argus, on the 4th September, congratulated the administration on having two Soft Nebraska newspapers in the State of New York. The Soft State Convention met at Syracuse September 6. Lorenzo B. Shepard, an office holder under Gov. Seymour, in the chair. Wm. H. Ludlow was made permanent President. Among the VicevPresidents were H. F. Jones, of Queens ; Piatt Potter, of Schenectady, (who had refused, at the Astor House, in 1853, to agree to resolutions passed by the Democratic State Committee, in favor of the national sen- timents of the President's Inaugural ;) H. J. Sickles, of Orleans, and other members of the Buffalo Convention of 1848. The following resolution was passed by this 61 State Convention, relative to the Kansas ques- tion : " Rexolved, That we confiider the clause in the Xebraska and Kansas bill, repealing the Mis- souri Compromise, as inexpedient and unneces- sary ; but we are opposed to any agitation hav- ing in vie the restoration of that line, or tending to promote any sectional controversy in relation thereto." Mr. Mann offered a resolution fiercely de- nouncing the Nebraska bill, which was cut off by the previous question. Three cheers being called for the Nebraska bill, the call was re- sponded to by a shower of hisses. This Con- vention nominated Seymour for Governor, and Ludlow for Lieutenant-Governor. It dwindled down to one third of its members before it ad- journed. Yet Gov. Seymour, running on the popularity of his Maine Law veto, and uncom- mitted on the Nebraska bill or the Know Nothing question, was a very strong candidate. The Hards of Suffolk County held a (con- vention, and passed resolutions — one congratu- lating the country that our nation is no longer divided by the Missouri line, and endorsing the July platform. The Hard General Committee of New York passed resolutions endorsing the July platform. The Albany Argus charged, that only one of the ofiBcers of the Soft State Convention had voted for Cass and Butler in 1848. The Chautauque County Hard Convention made a full local ticket, (Bexjamix Walworth being a member,) and adopted resolutions en- dorsing the Hard State platform, denouncing the course of the Soft member of Congress, R. E. Fenton, and declaring that Pierce's course in nourishing and patronizing sectional men, had alienated from him the National Democrats of this State. The Rochester Union (Soft) thus expressed its opinion of John Cochrane, of New York : " >7ere he {Cochrane) possessed of a proper sensibility, and did he understand the reputation that he, a Buffalo platformist, has earned Ijy his toadyism to Douglas, and his eulogies of Ne- braska, he would shrink away from the public gaze, and curse the day he swopped integrity for a fat ofi&ce." William H. Ludlow, in the course of a news- paper controversy with Abijah Mann, in which he, Ludlow, is thought generally to have come off second best, wrote : " My own individual views on the Nebraska bill are well known. It is not my purpose, at this time, to enter into their discussion." Mr. Ludlow was indeed known to be an oppo- nent of the bill. John Cochrane, in the Soft State Convention, said : " At an earlier time, when I acted as an hum- ble member of the Barnburner party, I recollect their principles to have been Frcesoil, free speech, free men. / stand on that platform now. [Loud applause.] And, sir, if the majority re- port, (meaning tne resolutions as passed) in any degree, affects that position, I must oppose it." The Hard Convention of the 16th Congress district met on the 11th September, and nomi- nated J. R. Flanders for Congress. Walter H. Payxe, of Franklin, was a delegate from that county. The Convention passed resolutions denouncing the alliance of the administration in this State with the party traitors of 1848 ; declaring that the National Democracy cannot be driven or misled, by injustice and ingratitude, into opposition to Democratic measures ; recog- nizing the State Rights principles of '98, and approving of the Kansas bUl, and of the policy of encouraging foreign immigration and early naturalization of immigrants. The Ulster Democrat, on the authority of Mr. Murray, (Soft member of Congress,) sta- ted, about the 30th September, that Theodore R. Westhrook, (Soft member of Congress,) who finally voted for the Kansas bill, was opposed to it at first, and was with difiBculty " restrained from making an anti-Nebraska and sectional speech." On the 30th September, Mr. Dickinson de- livered a speech at Delhi, New York, which at- tracted great attention. It was a brief exposi- tion of the doctrine of ('ongrcssional non-inter- vention, of which he is the author. The Cortland County Hard Convention passed resolutions endorsing the platform of the State Convention. The Ulster County Hard Convention, (Wm. F. Russell being a mem- ber,) resolved in approval of the State platform ; also, " that men do not lose their capacity for self-government by emigrating to the territories, and that new States and Territories are entitled to the same exerci.se of rights and privileges as the Colony and State of New York had claimed for herself;" also, that their representative in Congress ( T. R. Westbrook) " erred in linking himself with the political villains and rowdies who, by force and violence, broke up the Demo- 62 cratic organization in the State in 1853, an who have always opposed the cardinal principles above set forth"' — but approving bis vote on the Kansas bill. The Pulaski (Osvrego county) Democrat (Soft) declared : " On the general questions of governmental policy the Democracy and the Free Democracy hold like opinions. In our opinion, the (Soft) Democrats of the district, almost unanimously, will insist upon the nomination of Congressional candidates thoroughly representing the anti- slavery feeling of the district ■ — all that the most ardent Free Democrat can desire." And it urged a union on Congress nominees. The Albany Atlas, on the 3d October, en- dorsed the recommendation by saying : " The Pulaski Democrat is hard at work, in Oswego county, in the cause of the Democracy and of popular liberty." The Putnam County Soft Convention re- solved, that " so much of the Nebraska-Kansas bill as repeals the Missouri Compromise meets our entire disapprobation ; and that we fully concur in the official declaration of the Wash- ington Union, that it is not to be regarded as a test of Democracy." The Hard Convention of the 25th Congress district met at Lyons, October I'Zth. William S. Aldrieh was nominated, and resolutions ap- proA-ing the Syracuse platform, and denouncing sectionalism, passed. The Hard Convention of Wayne County met and nominated James P. Bartle for County Judge, with a full ticket. A Committee, con- sisting of Wm. H. Ccyler, and others, reported resolutions approving the Syracuse platform and the non-intervention doctrine, and denouncing Know Nothingism in decided terms. October 12, the New York Hard General Committee resolved, that its members " will not support, at the coming election, any candidate who does not plodge himself to the support of the ])latform of the 12th July." Messrs. Cut- ting and Walbridge, Nebraska members of Congress, were, on the same evening, re- nominated by the Hards, -but declined ; and Messrs. Clinton and Curtis were nominated instead. Charles D. Mead, a Nebraska man, was nominated by the Hards, in place of John ANTieelcr, anti-Nebraska. Wheeler, how- ever, received a nomination from a bogus Convention of Know Nothings. The Softs put up a candidate against Col. Mead. — d The Softs also nominated Fernando Wood fo Mayor. Gen. Walbridge, Nebraska Hard member of Congress, wrote a letter declining a re-nomination. At a Hard mass meeting held at Niagara Falls, 28th September, resolutions were adopted approving the Nebraska platform of 12th July, and congratulating the country that the Ne- braska bill " had smoked out the Soft Barn- burners of 1844, and the Freesoilers of 1848." Early in October, Elisha B. Smith was re- moved from the office of Postmaster at Nor- wich, at the demand of the Chenango County Freesoil Committee. The Saratoga Hard Convention, on the 23d, approved the State Convention's doings, and endorsed the Nebraska bill as a Democratic measure. The Chenango County Hard Con- vention endorsed the same ; also the Dutchess County Hards. The Kensselaer County Hard Convention met at Troy, October 12th. David L. Seymour was one of the delegates. Alanson Cook, was nomi- nated for Congress. Job Pierson was appointed one of the County Committee. The 21st Congress District Hard Convention, nominated Edward Tompkins for Congress, and approved the Nebraska platform of the State Convention. Samuel G. Hathaway presided. The Hards of Seneca county held their Coun- ty Convention, June 24th, at BearytowB,| and their resolutions deplored the action of the De- mocratic members of Congress from this State who voted against the Nebraska bill. The Hard Congress Convention of the 28th district, met at Bath, October 19th. John A. Vanderlip was a delegate from Livingston, and Francis E. Erwin, from Steuben. Eeso- lutions were passed approving the action of the State Convention, endorsing the Nebraska bill, and denouncing the course of Hon. George Has- tings, the anti-Nebraska Soft, M. C, from that district. The Convention nominated Leman Gibbs for Congress. The Hards of Oswego county, held their Con- vention on the 23d September, at Oswego, De- LOR DrWolf, in the chair. Resolutions of the most decided character in favor of the Nebraska bill were adopted. The Hard (>)nvo)itioii of the fourth Congress district mt't in New York, and re-nomina1ed Mike Walsh by acclamation. It passed resolu- tions approving his course in Congress, includ- ing his vote for the Kansas-Nebraska bill. 63 The Hard Oongross Conveutioa of the 22(1 district, met at Syracuse on the 10th October. Rcsohitioiis approving those of the State Con- vention were adopted. William Lewis, of Os- wego, was nominated for the full term, and Za- dock 'r. Bentley for the vacancy, caused by Gar- rit Smith's resignation. The Hard Congress Convention of the 31st district, met at Middleport on the 21st October, and passed resolutions declaring ai)probation of the Kansas-Nehra-ska bill, and opi)i)sition to the Prohibitory Licjuor law. It nominated Alden S. Baker for Congress. A Congressional Com- mittee, upon which are Harvey Goodkicu, and Horatio X. Hewes was appointed. The Hard City Convention of New York una- nimously uominatcid Augustus Scueli-, for Mayor, but that gentleman declining, Mr. Hunt was nominated. The Oswego Democrat (Hard) charged that the Soft candidate of Congress in that District, had, in 1850, presided at a meeting which de- nounced the Fugitive Slave law. The Softs of Oneida County, where Governor Seymour resides, in County Convention, " Resolved, 'J'hat the sentiment of this Con- vention is unequivocally opposed to tlie repeal of the Missouri Compromise, and to all legislation in* favor of human slavery." Mr. Johnson was nominated for Congress by the Softs. The Hard candidate was Xaaman W. Moore, a Ne- braska man. The Cayuga County Hard Convention met 14th October. Charles W. Pomeroy was a member. The Nebraska platform, of the 12th of July, was endorsed. The Hard Convention of the 10th Congress district, nominated C. S. Woodworth for Con- gress, who had been the Cass candidate in 18-18, for the same post, and reminded the Democracy, " That in 1848, our nominee for Congress was on the same ticket with our gallant stan- dard-bearer, Gen. Cass, the expounder of the doctrine of popular sovereignty (which the platform adopted by our State Convention, has so fully approved) and was struck down by the same ruthless hands that prostrated our noble leader." Tlie County Convention of the Hards in Steuben, Jefferson, Sullivan, and Schoharie. pa.ss- ed resolutions approving the Nebraska platform of the State Convention. The Softs of the 23d Congress district nom- inated Willard Ives, an old Buffalo ))latform man, anti-Nebraska, and in favor of the repeal of the Fugitive Slave law, for Congress. The Soft Convention of the 2Gth Congress district nominated ^Vndrew Oliver (thrown overboard by the Hards) who had already published a letter io the papers announcing himself an '• indeix'udent northern anti-Nebraska candidate." Mr. Oli- ver was re-elected, and is now a " Black Rej)ul)- lican" member of Congress. Several Post- masters were members of these two Conventions. The Hards of the 23d district nominated Lv- SANDEK H. Brown, editor of the then Hard Ne- braska paper, the Jefferson Union, against Ives ; and in the 26th district the Hards put up for Congress, Thomas M. Howell, who had parti- cipated in the passage of the Nebra-ska resolu- tions in the State Convention. The Washington Union, having attempted to insinuate that the New York Evening Post was " not in the confidence" of the administra- tion, the Albany Argus, October 15, said : " The New York Evening Post is a supporter of Seipnour, Ludlow, & Co. It is a supporter of the administration — to the full extent which the Freesoil leanings of its principal patrons and subscribers will permit. The Post of the same date with the Washington Union above quoted, contains half a column of advertisement of the times and places of holding the caucuses of the administration i)arty in New York city — paid for doubtless, by the Soft Committee, with gold pieces direct from the Sub-Treasury vault. It contains six columns of corporation advertise- ment, inserted by order of the New York C-ity Comptroller, a gentleman of the administration school of politics, and formerly a leading advo- cate of the Van Bureu and Adams Presidential ticket. It contains one or two columns more of official advertisements bestowed by other party friends of the President. It publishes column after column of " by authority" matter — well paid for — from federal office-holders in New York. It contained the fii-st semi-announce- ment — in March, 1853 — of the fatal " policy" which Mr. Pierce had been advised to pursue in New York politics. It has approved that "pol- icy." It denounces the National Democracy with a vigor, facility of misstatement and bit- terness only equalled by the Union itself. It has successively libelled every National Demo- cratic statesman whom the party has delight(ul to honor — among them Jefferson, Madison, Jack- son, Polk, Dickinson, Buchannn, and Cass. It has in times past denounced William L. Marcy, when he was acting with the National Demo- cracy ; it has lampooned Pieree, ridiculed Davis, and laughed at Cashing: and praised them all again in turn, when snug in high office and dis- pensing honors. Shall the Washington Union 64 deny to such a print its due recoppiition as a mouth-piece of its peculiar " Democracy ?" Sure- ly not." The Argus of 24th October, called on Israel T. Hatch, the Soft candidate for Congress in the 32 d district (and last fall at the head of Soft State ticket) to say " that he regrets his support of Van Buren and Adams in 1848, or that he now repudiates the Wilmot Proviso." Mr. Hatch declined any reply. The Hudson Republican (Whig) complained that the Softs were advocating the election of H. McClellan, their candidate for Congress in the 12th district, on the ground that he was " against the only measure (the Nebraska bill) of the administration he supports." The Buffalo Republic (Soft) of October 23d, congratulated its friends that " the Congressional Conventions of the (Soft) Democracy generally speak in unequivocal terms of disapprobation of the Missouri restriction." The Soft Convention of the 28th Congress district renominated George Hastings, who had voted against the Nebraska bill, and " Resolved, That the course of the Hon. Geo. Hastings in the present Congress meets our hear- ty approval, and we also believe the approval of the people of the district ; and we pledge him our united energies to secure his re-election." The Hard Convention of Albany county, met October 19th. Mr. Peckham declined to be a candidate for re-election. A Committee of which John H. Reynolds was a member, re- ported resolutions. The first approves the July Nebraska Hard platform ; the second declares that " though the Convention felt itself con- strained to express its regret that Hon. R. W. Peckham opposed the Kansas-Nebraska bill, and to disapprove of his vote in relation thereto, yet it fully sustains his general course in Con- gress," and especially his opposition to the ad- ministration ; the third opposes the restoration of the Missouri line, the Wilmot Proviso, or any interference by Congress with the slavery question. These passed unanimously. David Hamilton was then nominated, and accepted the nomination and platform. The Hard Congress Convention of the 12th district, met October 11th, at Poughkeepsie. A Committee, ou which was Henry A. Collin, reported resolutions, approving the Kansas-Ne- braska bill. William H. Wilson was nomi- nated for Congress. Charles Hughes, Soft anti-Nebraska, was re- nominated by his party for Congress, in the 15tb district. His vote against the bill was thus approved. The Hards nominated Gen. Orville Clark on a Nebraska platform. The Monroe County Hard Convention, nom- inated Joseph Sibley for Congress, and resolved in favor of " the Dickinson doctrine of non- intervention ;" the Softs nominated John Wil- liams, who had presided at an anti-Nebraska meeting, and had been a member of the Buffalo Convention of 1848, and who was elected by the K. N. vote. The St. Lawrence Hard Convention endorsed the Nebraska platform of July 12, and declared opposition to rehgious intolerance and proscrip- tion. Edwin Dodge was a member of this Con- vention. The Hard Conventions of Franklin and Schenectady passed similar resolutions. The Soft Convention in the St. Lawrence dis- trict nominated, F. E. Spinner for Congress, and passed strong anti-Nebraska resolutions. Spin- ner was elected, and now acts in Congress with the " Black Republicans." W. R. Andrews, the Soft candidate for Prison Inspector, was a member of the Know Nothing State Convention, which nominated Ullman ; Fernando Wood, the Soft candidate for Mayor of this city, was also a Know No- thing. The Wayne, Livingston, and Otsego county Hard Conventions responded to the July plat- form of the State Convention. So of the Hard county Conventions of Broome, Allegany, &c. The Albany Argus of October 31st, (a few days before the election,) alleged : " That no Soft Convention in the State had dared to opprove of the Nel^raska bill, or of the principles upon which that measure is founded. That every Hard Democratic Convention (State, Congressional, Assembly, and County) which has passed any resolutions at all, (and all, we believe, except the New York City Conventions, have done so,) has approved the bill in distinct terms and planted itself in the National De- mocratic platform." W. R. Andrews, the Soft condidate for State Prison Inspector, was a member of the Soft Congress Convention which re-nominated George Hastings, and voted for the resolution approving Hastings's course. 65 The Oneida aad Rockland County Hard Conventions endorsed the Nebraska platfoim of the State Convention. The Delhi Gazette (Soft) denounced the Hard Candidate for Governor thus : " Bronson is a pro-slavery man — a defender of the Repeal of the Missouri Compromise." The Albany Argus (Hard) of November 3d, retorted that " Horatio Seymour dare not say, and has not said, in the City of Albany, where he lives, that he is, or has been, opposed to that repeal — while in the rural districts he is ad- vocated as its opponent, and Judge Brosson denounced as its defender. He {Seymour) stands before the public committed to no party, to no cause, but to the rmn party and the rum cause." On the 1st November, a Hard mass meeting was held in the New York Tabernacle. AuausTus ScHELL called the meeting to order, and Cuarlks O'CoNOR ])resided. George F. Alden read let- ters from invited speakers unable to attend- Mr. Dickinson's speech was heartily greeted. The election was was held on the 7 th of No- vember, and resulted in a Whig victory through- out. The Whigs elected the Governor, Legis- lature, and all but four Congressmen. What is noticeable, especially, in this election is that every Hard candidate for Congress, in the State of New York, was a Kansas Nebraska man, avowedly favorable to that enactment, and running on that platform ; while every Soft candidate, except six, was an opponent of the measure, and four of them had voted against it in Congress. The following table, showing the relative strength of the two parties on their candidates for Congress, and their position on this quo-slion, is taken from the returns, aud has been already published in the newspapers : 12 Wilson 2,48G 13 Cook 1,971 14 Hamilton 2,255 16 Clark 6,358 16 Flanders 1,025 17 Benton 3,414 18 Jackson 8,954 19 Sturgks 1,066 HAHDS. 1 Allen 2 2 Taylor 7 8 Clinton, | 2 4 Walsh,' \t-S 5 Hamilton, ! ^ 2 6 Mkad, j >-■ 1, 7 (No ciindi.) | ;< 8 Curtis, J 2, 9 BRANDRETH...2, Whiting 2 Bailky 10 Woodward. ...4, 11 Strong 5. 9 778 ,623 ,659 ,047 ,7«1 ,128 ,969 ,540 ,038 367 574 ,042 Lord 2,227 (No candidate.) Miner 1,123 Kelly 3,068 Berry 1,954 Murphy, . . ..2,533 Kennedy. . . .5,094 Fellows 1,699 (No candidate.) Slrattan 2,053 (No candidate.) Moore 588 Tompkins 5,589 Lewis 3,281 Brown 1,513 Parker 487 Aldrich 1,296 Howell 2,163 Gushing 1,064 GiBBs,(declin'd).119 Sibley 1,865 Belden 2,483 Baker 1,231 (Candidate declined) Lester (dec'd.)124I McClellan...5M0 Clum 2,075 Pruyyi 3,244 Hughes] 2,428 Thomas 1,752 Spintier 7,618 (No candidate. ) ^ Palmer 6,444 ( Hawes 1.339 Johnson 5,172 Crocker 2,077 Babcock 4,728 loes 6,644 Aluord 4,109 Middlcton 6,910 0/j«e/t 6,880 McDowell.... b,AQl Hastings] 4,450 Williams 5,609 Laning 3,829 Chase 962 Hatch 5,388 Fenton] 26,44 Total -87,713 115,859 Nebraska men in small caps ; Anti-Ne- braska men in Italics. *Voted for the Nebraska bill in 1854. fVoted against the Nebraska bill in 1854. The Utica Observer, (Soft,) Governor Sey- mour's home organ, after the election, boasted that no man favorable to the Kansas-Nebraska bill had been elected to Congress from the State of New York. The Albany Argus, (Hard,) of of the 3d November, denied this, and claimed that Taylor in the 2d, and Walsh in the 4tb districts, had good grounds for contesting the seats of Stranahan and Kelly, and also asserted that it was informed that Edwards of the 33d district was opposed to the restoration of the Missouri prohibition. The Ontario Messenger (Soft) attributed Seymour's defeat to the non-committal j)lutform of the State Convention which put him in no- mination. It said : " We can tell the Convention managers, and resolution makers, that thousands of (Soft) Dem- ocrats have now voted for tlie last time for candidates put on such a platform as that which they fabricated from our State ticket." The St. Jjawrence Republican, (Soft,) said : " This result will place New York in com- pany with every other free State this side of the Rocky Mountains, rendering her verdict against the iufamoua Nebraska bill." 66 F. E. Spinner, Soft uiombcr of Congress elect for the 17th Congressional district, wrote, on the 1st November, a letter in which he advocated, at length, the interference of Congress to pro- hibit slavery in the territories. The Buffalo Republic, (Soft,) said : " If a gang of office holders, claiming the right to speak ' by authority,' attempt to mis- repitisent the Democratic sentiment of the State, as they did in the last Convention, for the pur- pose of pleasing their employers at Washington, they will find the next election far more unsatis- factory than the last." The Batavia Democrat, (Soft,) home organ of U. S. Collector Redfield, favored the re-election of Seward to the IT. S. Senate. The Jamestown Democrat, (Soft,) advocated a fusion of the Barnburner and Seward parties CHAPTER X. From January, 1855 — to April, 1866. The Hard State Committee's Resolutions. The Hard State Convention, its Platform and Candidates. The Hard Delegates to Cincinnati. The Soft State Convention. The Wilmot Proviso "Corner Stone" Re-adopted. Result of the Election. Organization of the Legislature. Soft Meetings and Resolutioas. Soft State Convention, to choose Contestmg Delegates. Bolt of the Softs. ^The Spirit of the Hards. On the first of January, 1855, the control- ing interest owned by Sherman Croswell and Gideon J. Tucker in the Albany Argus, so long the leading organ of the Hards, was sold by them to Calvert Comstock, a Soft, although mainly holding to National principles. The sale of this paper was a matter of pecuniary ne- cessity, but it proved a serious detriment to the Hards, and involved the change of several sate- lite papers, such as the Buffalo Courier and Hudson Gazette, which went in the same direc- tion. The difficulty of keeping up an " insubor- dinate" press, in the teeth of proscription and deprivation of patronage, on the one hand, and the proffer of government advertising, &c., on the other, began to l)e realized. Mr. Littlejohn, of Oswego, Know Nothing and Seward Whig, was elected Speaker of the Assembly. He, soon after his election, threw off his Know Nothingism, denounced and repu- diated it. The entire Seward press of the State, also then opened a war upon it. The House was heavily Sewardite ; the Senate, although close, in the same direction, Mr. Seward was re-elected to the U. S. Senate for six years, in February ; the Hards voting for Mr. Dickinson, and the Softs scattering their votes for John A. Dix and others. In February, Mr. Tucker, who had left the Argus, came to New York, and took charge of the National Democrat, the daily issue of which changed its name to that of the Daily News. It soon attained a circulation unprecedented in th(! history of Democratic papers. The Maine law passed the legislature during this session, and was promptly signed by the Governor. Every branch of the government was Seward Whig — the Governor, Legislature, Canal board, and Departments. On the 25th January, the Hard State Com- mittee held its usual January meeting at Albany, and adopted the following resolutions : " Resolved, That in the result of the recent election in this State, influenced, as it was, by new and extraneous issues, having no legitimate bearing upon the position and principles of the National Democracy, we find no cause of dis- couragement, for while these new elements ne- cessarily diminished the vote of our excellent State ticket, the votes given to our candidates for Congress, despite all the embarrassments of that campaign, furnish gratifying evidence that the National Democratic sentiment and organi- zation of New York are by no means impaired. The only fact clearly established by the recent election in the State, is that the National ad- ministration has entirely forfeited the confidence of all parties. That, as National Democrats, we feel confident that our real strength is undi- minished, and that when the proper time and oc- 67 casion arrive, onr principles and organization will be fully sustained. " Resolved, That, in the view of the emphatic manner in which those who have soujiht to ' crush out' their principles and their party in this State and at Washington, have been them- Kilves rebuked and defeated, the National Demo- cracy of New York will continue lirmly to maintain their principles and position ; the rub- bish having been cleared away, the Old Guard is prepared in the future, as in the past, to do ample justice to itself, to its principles, its ene- mies, and its friends, and with this end in view will tirnily and fearlessh' maintain its organiza- tion, relying on its ultimate triumph. " Resolved, Tiiat we with pleasure avail our- selves of this opportunity to reiterate our un- bounded confidence in the political integrity of the Hon. Daniel S. Dickinson, and refer with un- feigned satisfaction to his unvarying consist- ency, recognizing in him a true and faithful pa- triot, of whom the Democracy of the Empire State may indeed be proud." The Soft " National" editor of the Argus, commented thus upon the last of the above resolutions. " It was quite appropriate that the Commit- tee should have seized the occasion to express their confidence in the political integrity of ex- Senator Dickinson, who, with such ability and consistency, maintained sound National prin- ciples during his honorable career in the IJ. S. Senate." The Hard State Convention was called at Syracuse on the 23d of August. The Conven- tion was full and the delegates were of a more prominent and influential class than usual. It was called to order by the Secretaiy of the State Committee, and, on his mofion, Augustus ScHELL presided over the temporary organiza- tion. On taking his seat Mr. Schell addressed the members of the Convention, assuming that " they will present to the country the great isane of Nationalism or Sewardism — union or disunion — and be prepared to meet it." He added that the party '• is now, as ever, opposed to the passage of sumptuary laws, and to legis- lation which subjects the houses and places of business of our citizens to arbitrary visitation. It is opposed to all legislation which \nolates the hospitalities guai-anteed by the Constitu- tion and laws to adopted citizens, or which pro- scribes them for their place of birth or religious faith." These remarks were received with loud hurrahs and protracted vociferations of applause. Henry W. Rogers was the Preerident of the Convention. On taking the chair he addressed to the Convention a few remarks, in tlut course of which he said : " I/'t us, while we invite all who agree with us in sentiment, who are with us. and of us, and like us, to stand by our cause and fight under its banner — let us nyect with scorn every dishonorable jjroposition to coalesce with any faction or party for the purpose of political plunder. Let our motto be, union upon principle, no coalition lor spoils." These remarks were received with enthusiastic cheering. Committees on resolutions and address were appointed. Elijah Ward, from the < loramittee on the former, reported the resolutions, which were unanimously adopted, as follows : " Resolved, That the National Democratic party of New York, hereby re^assert their ad- herence and devotion to the principles of the National Democracy, and of the Constitution ; that they adhere to, and sustain in theory and practice, the resolutions of the Democratic National Conventions of 18-18 and 1852, as con- taining the cardinal principles of the Democratic party of the Union. I'liey n.'-adopt them with hearty good will, believing that time and exper- ience have demonstrated their purity and sound- ness, and the necessity for a strict adherence thereto. " Resolved, That the lessons of the fathers of Democracy teach frugality and economy in the administration of public atTairs, and that we ad- here to them as enduring arlicUis of Democratic faith. " Rosolved, That we insist, as an article of our creed, upon the well established doctrine of State rights, of a strict construction of the Con- stitution, and the principle of non-intervention upon all domestic State questions — and that the peace and quiet of the country demand that it should be left to the people of the territories, as it pertains to the people of the States, to de- termine for themselves ail local questions, includ- ing the subject of slavery, to the end that a subject so disturbing in its nature and influence, may be wholly excluded from the action of the government of the Union ; and that, in further- ance of these principles, we give our unqualified adherence to the Nebraska bill, and oppose any cSbrt to re-establish the ^Missouri prohibition. " Resolved. That the National Democracy is opposed to all secret political societies, and that the first principles of a free government demand open and unrestricted discussion in all matters of public concern ; that the guarantees of free- dom of religious faith and worship, contained in our State and Federal Constitutions, lie at the foundation of our national liberties and pros- perity ; that any attempt to abridge the privi- leges now granted to aliens of becoming citizens and owners of the soil amongst us. or to alfect the 68 rights of adopted citizens to a full and equal participation in f]roverDmental affairs as defined by the Constitution, ought to be resisted as an- tagonistical to the genius of Republican insti- tutions — and that we. as Democrats, recognize as evidence of fidelity or merit, no distinction of birth or religious crc^ed, believing it is the mis- sion of Democracy to proclaim and maintain the great doctrines of civil and religious liberty, and to uphold and enforce the Constitution in its sublime principles of justice and equality. " Resolved, That we regard the Prohibitory Liquor act, passed ])y the Legislature of this State at its last session, as not only a violation of the Constitution, but also as subversive of personal liberty and the rights of private pro- perty ; and that its repeal, in our opinion, is im- peratively demanded. " Resolved, That all who agree in principle upon the leading questions of the day, should act together, regardless of minor considerations— that we cordially invite all who agree with us in the doctrines here enunciated, regardless of for- mer associations, to unite with us in engrafting them upon the policy of the country ; but it is upon principle alone that we invite a union. We denounce all coalitions of those holding hos- tile sentunents as unprincipled and demoralizing." Col. Sam Fowxer reported the address, which was adopted. Mr. D. E. Sickles, of New York, (lately return- ed from England, where he had filled by President Pierce's appointment, the post of Secretary of the U. S. Legation,) moved to offer to the Softs to divide the State ticket with them. The mo- tion was negatived, 10 ayes to 94 nays. Mr. Haskin, of New York, moved a resolution denouncing the administration. It was tabled on the motion of S. H. Parker, of Geneva, (editor of the Gazette,) who, although one of the first editors in the State to advocate the Kansas-Ne- braska bill, in 18.54, had been removed from the office of Postmaster at Geneva, in the summer of that year, at the demand of Freesoilers, for the crime of advocating Judge Bronson's election. / A State Committee was appointed ; and the Convention proceeded to appoint delegates to the Cincinnati Convention. The deleo-ates from each Congressional district met together and named two delegates to Cincinnati, and two alternates, except in the 7th district, where, Mr. G. G. Sickles declining to act with his colleague, (Gen. E. Ward,) the Convention named them ; these names were put to the Convention and approved. The four delegates and four alter- nates at large yrere chosen by vote of the entire Convention. The vote of the National Demo cratic party of New York, was then ordered, by resolution, to be cast in the National Con- vention, by the delegates thus appointed, as a unit and in accordance with the preference of a majority of the delegates. The following is a list of the delegates and alternates as they were appointed : DELEGATES AT LAEGE. GREENE C. BRONSON, of New York. CHARLES O'CONOR, of New York. SAMUEL BEARDSLEY, of Oneida. GEORGE W. CLINTON, of Erie. ALTERNATES AT I^RGE. AUGUSTUS SCHELL, of New York. AARON WARD, of Wcstchest<}r. JOSEPH- SIBLEY, of Monroe. HARMON S. CUTTING, of Erie. DISTRICT DEILEGATES. DisT. 1. — Le Grand Capers, of Queens, John Vanderbilt, of Kings. DiST. 2. — Henry C. Murphy, of Kings, James H. Hutchins, of Kings. DisT. 3. — Joseph Blackburn, of New York, Gideon J. Tucker, of New York. DisT. 4. — Henry J. Allen, of New York, Joseph M. Marsh, of New York. DisT. T). — Robert W. Allen, of Williamsburgh, George F. Alden, of New York. DiST. 6.— William N. McIntire, of New York- Anthony Dugro, of New York. DisT. 7. — Elijah Ward, of New York, Peter B. Sweeny, of New York. DisT. 8. — William A. Turnuhe, of New York, Daniel B. Taylor, of New York. DisT. 9. — Samuel F. Butterworth, of West- chester, Abraham P. Stephens, of Rockland. DiST. 1 ().— Sam Fowler, of Orange, Archibald C. Niven, of Sullivan. DisT. 1 1 . — William F. Russell, of Ulster, WiLLiAJi E. Leete, of Greene. DiST. 12. — Henry Staats, of Dutchess, William H. Wilson, of Columbia. DisT. 13. — Job Pierson, of Rensselaer, David L. Seymour, of Rensselaer. 69 /BlST. DiST. DiST. DiST. Dtst. DiST. DiST. DiST. DiST. Dipt. Dirt. DiST. DiST. DiST. DiST. DiST. DlBT. DiST. DiBT. DiST. DlST. DiST 14. — Dattd Hamilton, of Albany, JotLv H. Reynolds, of Albany. 1 5 — Orville Clark, of Washington, J. W. Thompson, of Saratofi^a. IC- — WiNSLOw 0. Watson, of Essex, Walter H. Payne, of Franklin. 1 7. — Charles Gray, of Herkimer, Edwin Dodge, of St Lawrence. 18. — 'i'liOMAs 15. Mitchell, of Schenec- tady, Michael Thompson, of Fulton. 19. — Greenk Moore, of Delaware, Samuel S. Bowne, of Otsego. 20. — David Wager, of Oneida, Naaman W. Moore, of Oneida. 21. — Samuel C Hathaway, of Cortland, Elisha B. Smith, of Chenango. 22. — Samuel French, of Madison, Delos De Wolf, of Oswego. 2,3. — Lysander H. Brown, of Jefferson. Wiu^iam Carlisle, of Jefferson. 24. — Sanford C. Parker, of Onondaga, Moses D. Burnett, of Onondaga. 25. — Charles W. Pomeroy, of Cayuga. James P. B^vrtle, of Wayne, 26. — Thomas M. Howell, of Ontario, Delazon J Sunderlin, of Yates. 27. — Stephen Strong, of Tioga, Nathan P. Williams, Tompkins. 28. — John A. Vanderlip, of Livingston, Francis E. Erwin, of Steuben. 29. — Nicholas E. Paine, of Monroe, E. Darwin Smith, of Monroe. 30. — Calvin T. Chamberlain, of Alle- gany, Junius A. Smith, of Genesee. 31. — Andrew Robinson, of Niagara, Harvey Goodrich, of Orleans. 32. — WnxiAM Williams, of P>ie, Henry W. Rogers, of Erie. 33. — Benjamin Walworth, of Chautau- que. Daniel Judd, of Cattaraugns. DISTRICT ALTERNATES. 1. — Grosvenor S. Adams, of Suffolk, Nathan Barrett, of Richmond. 2. — George Taylor, of Kings, John Rice, of Kings. DisT. 3. — Stephen Hasbrouck, of New York, John Y. Savage, of New York. DiST. 4. — Thomas Wheelan, of New York, John Clancy, of New York. DisT. b. — Charles M. Smith, of New York. AsAHEL S. Levy, of New York. DisT. 6. — Andrew Mills, of New York, Edwin Bouton, of New York. DisT. 7. — Gustavus a. Conover, of New York, Samuel Radcliff, of New ^''ork. DisT. 8. — John O'Toole, of New York, Weark D. Parsons, of New York. DisT. 9. — JosephT. ('Arpenter, of Westchester, tFoiiN J. Smalley, of Putnam. DisT. 10.— E. Carter, of Orange, R. D. Childs, of Sullivan. DisT. 11. — George A^erplanck, of Ulster, Mathew Yeomans, of Greene. I) 1ST. 12. — George P. Pelton, of Dutchess, Henry A. Collin, of Columbia. DisT. 1 3. — B. B. KiRKLAND, of Renssclacr. S. Reynolds, Jr., of Rensselaer. DisT. 14. — Stephen C. Wandell, of Albany, John S. Nafew, of Albany. Dist. 1 .5. — George Young, Jr., of Saratoga, Abraham Wing, of Warren. Dist. 16.— D. B. McNiel, of Clinton, Putnam B. Fisk, of Franklin. Dist. 17. — Nathaniel S. Benton, of Herkimer, J. C. Spencer, of St. Lawrence. Dist. 18. — Simeon Snow, of Montgomery, Freeman Stanton, of Schoharie. DisT. 19. — Orrin W. Smith, of Delaware, L. J. BuRDiTT, of Otsego. Dist. 20. — David Moulton, of Oneida, E. J. Stebbins, of Oneida. Dist. 21 . — Ausburn Birdrall, of Broome, Wn,LiAM G. Sands, of Chenango. Dist. 22.— P. B. Havens, of Madison, Joseph Torrey, of Oswego. Dist. 23. — E. West, of Jefferson, Erastus Hale, of Jefferson. Dist. 24. — John J. Peck, of Onondaga, John A. Green, Jr., of Onondaga. Dirt. 25.— J. McIntosh, of Cayuga, William H. Cuyler, of Wayne. Dist. 26. — George M. Horton, of Ontario, William Clark, of Seneca. to Dist. 27. — ^Brastus Evans, of Tioga, Daniel Jackson, of Tompkins. DiST. 28. — Andrew J. McCaix, of Steuben, William C. Hawley, of Livingston. DiST. 29. — J. B. Crosby, of Monroe, ' J. C. Patterson, of Monroe. DiST. 30. — William Bingham, of Wyoming, James G. Shepherd, of Genesee. DisT. 31. — J. T. Murray, of Niagara, Horatio N. Hewes, of Orleans. DisT. 32.-^. G. Mather, of Erie, Joseph Foster, of Erie. DisT. 33. — H. P. Wilcox, of Chautauque, Thomas J. Parker, of Cattaraugus. The Convention then proceeded to nominate a State ticket, as follows : for Secretary of State, Aaron Ward ; for Comptroller, Thos. B. Mitchell ; for Treasurer, Joseph M. Lyon ; for Attorney General, Josiah Sutherland ; for State Engineer, George Cole ; for Canal Com- missioner, Frederick FoUett ; for State Prison Inspector, Darius Clark ; for Appeal Judges, Samuel L. Selden and John Willard. Mr. Cole subsequently declining the nomination, John D. Fay was substituted on the ticket for State Engineer by the State Committee. A resolution expressing the thanks of the Democracy of the State to Augustus Schell, Chairman of the State Committee, for the ser- vices rendered by him to the party, and declaring that in retiring from that position, he carried with him the good wishes of the Democracy, was passed ; and the Convention, after the usual compliments to its officers, adjourned. Among the members of this State Convention not before named, were Samuel G. Courtney, of Albany ; Thomas A. Osborne, of Chautauque ; Daniel D. Akin, of Dutchess ; Teunis G. Ber- gen, C. Hooper, and D. C. Aiken, of Kings ; L. H. Hovey, of Monroe ; N. T. Eossiter, of Scho- harie ; H. M. Hyde, of Steuben, &c. The Soft Convention met at Syracuse on the 29th Augu.st. Robert Kelly presided. Much trouble ensued in the adoption of their platform. On one side it was urged, that without the passage of resolutions of a Freesoil character, the vote of the party, now that the Maine law excitement was over, would inevitably fall be- low that of the Hards. On the other side, the Convention was reminded, that without the adoption of a National platform, the Softs would not be able to contest the Hards at the Cincinnati Convention. Sanford E. Church, John Van Buren, Josiah M. Todd, James W. Nye, G. Hinckley, of Ontario ; Timothy Jen- kins, and Ward Hunt, of Oneida, and others, urged the importance of taking a Freesoil atti- tude. The mass of the Convention agreed with them, and the opposition of Lorenzo B. Shep- nrd, John Kelly, and other Softs who had for- merly been Hunkers, was overborne. John. Kelly distinctly threatened to leave the Conven- tion if the Freesoil resolutions wore passed. In the end, the matter took the shape of a com- promise. It was arranged that a resolution of- fered by John Van Buren, in the following words, (and which, it will be seen, was identical with the Wilmot Proviso of David Dudley Field, tabled by the Hunker majority in the State Convention of 1 847,) should be adopted — as it was : Resolved, That while the Democracy of this State will faithfully adhere to all the com- promises of the Constitution, and maintain all the reserved rights of the States, they deem this an appropriate occasion to delare their fixed hostility to the extension of slavery into free territory. And that, on the other hand, the appoint- ment of the Soft delegates to contest the seats of the Hards at Cincinnati should not be undertaken by this Convention, but postponed to another opportunity, when a more " National" platform might be adopted, without exposing the amount of Freesoilism in the party ; for to go into an election upon any other than a Freesoil plat- form would be equally fatal with the attempt to go to Cincinnati witJiout a pretence, at least, of " Nationality." In addition to the above, the Convention re- solved as follows : " Resolved, That we regard the (organization of bands of armed borderers, and iheii" intrusion into the Territory of Kansas, not as bona fide settlers, but for the forcible subversion of the rights of its legal electors, not only as a violation of the peace of the Union and the rights of the community assailed, but as distinctly subversive of the intent of Congress as declared in the bill organizing the said territories, to leave the people perfectly free to form and regulate their own domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States ; and that all the power of the Federal and Territorial governments should be exerted to re- dress these outrages, and vindicate the rights of the people thereof" 71 The following ticket was nominated : for Secretary of State, Israel T. Hatch ; for Comp- troller, Lemuel Stetson ; for Attorney General, Samuel J. Tilden ; for Treasurer. Ariel S. Thurston ; lor Canal Commissioner, Curtiss Hawley ; for IVison Inspector, Patrick H. Agan, and for State Engineer, John 13. Jervis ; for the Court of Appeals, Judge Selden and John A. Lott. Among the prominent members of the Con- vention who thus re-adopted the " Corner Stone" were JoJin Kelly and Robert Kelly, of Mew York, (the former of whom did not carry out his threat of leaving the Convention;) Israel T. Hatch, .Josiah M. Todd, Sidney T. ^ Fairchild, Albert P. Laning, John and Smith Van Buren, Ward Hunt, Eli Cook, Arphaxad Loomis ; Daniel F. Jones, of Onondaga ; Win. C. Dryer. Thomas B. Alvord, Peter Cagger, &c. Judge Lott wrote a prompt refusal to run on the Soft ticket, being himself a Hard National Democrat, and an opponent to Freesoilism in every shape. Nicholas Hill, Jr., was substi- tuted on the ticket, and accepted. Several attempts were made to get up a Liquor Dealers' State ticket, and a Convention asseml)led for that purpose at Syracuse, which selected candidates from both the Hard and Soft tickets, with an eye to the " union of the party" agaiast the Republican and !Maine l^aw candidates. Immediately upon this, however. the Soft papers, headed by the Arg-us, repu- diated the " union" i)roceedings, so that the voters of that party refused to accept the " union ticket." Those who voted it were mostly Hards, as the election returns proved. Shortly before the election, Josiah Sutherland, the Hard candidate for Attorney General, made the following proffer of withdrawal to his Soft antagonist : " Xew York City, / " Friday, Oct. 12, 1855. f " Samuei, J. Tir.DEN, Esq. — My Dear Sir: It is not right that the great question ol" the Con- stitution and of tiie Union should l)e merged in the mere liquor question. It shall not be my fault if the Democrats of the Slate of New York who are united in principle, should not have an opportunity at the coming election to show their conservative strength upon more than one candidate. '•■ I was nominated for the office of Attorney General of this State, by that portion of the Democratic party of the State called the Hards ; you were subsequently nominated for the same office by that portion or section of the Demo- cratic parly of the State called the Softs. I look upon the resolutipns pa,ssed and published by the convention which put me in nomination, (a copy of which J herewith inclose,) as truly, emphatically, and unequivocally expressing great principles oi' the National Democracy and of the Constitution. The third resolution, as you will observe, firmly enunciates the great Democratic principle, •' That it should be left to the people of the States to determine for themselves all local questions, including the subject of slavery;" it expresses, also, " an unqualified adherence to the Kansas-Nebraska bill," and a firm opposi- tion to " any effort to reestablish the Missouri prohibition." '• I approve of these resolutions, and have in dorsed them, and do now indor.se them, in letter and spirit. "Do you look upon these resolutions as truly and faithfully expressing principles of the Na- tional Democracy and of the Constitution ? "Are you in favor of the Kansas-Nebraska bill, and of the great principle of the excIvMve constitutional right and liberty of the people of the territories on the subject of slavery, thereby affirmed ? " Do you believe that in the organization of future territories Congress will have no right or power, under the Constitution as it now is, to prevent the iucej^tion, existence, or continuance of slavery in such territories as a domestic or territorial institution ; that the question and subject of slavery, as a domestic or territorial institution, in the absence of any express provi- sion or clause of the Constitution giving such right and power to Congress, will and must of necessity belong exclusively to the people of such territories — of uatui-al, if not of constitu- tional right ; and that the only constitutional and legitimate way in which a citizen of Mas- sachusetts or of New York can interfere with or act upon that question, is by exercising his undoubted right to move to the territory where the question is pending, and to become a citizen or resident thereof'/ "Are you opposed to the political, verbal, " Black Republican" fanatics and demagogues of the north, who, using words for things, op- pose this great principle, and call for a restora- tion of the ' Missouri (.'ompromise line ?' "Are you opposed to the Stat(! ticket lately put in nomination in this State, headed by Preston King, and to the declared principles and grounds upon which that ticket was nominated ? " The opinions, propositions, or principles, which would be ijnplied in the affirmative answers to the foregoing questions appear to me to be plainly expressed, or necessarily im- plied in the resolutions of the Convention which put me in nomination, and of which you here- with receive a copy. " Please answer these questions by letter at the earliest possible day ; for if you answer them 72 in the affirmative, I shall take great pleasure iu immediately laying your letter before the State Committee of the party which put me in nomi- uatiou, and shall at the same time inform that Committee that I decline any longer to be con- sidered a candidate. " I will not stand in the way of a union of the Democratic party of this State upon prin- ciple. The Constitution and the Union now need the united force of the Democratic party of this State for their protection. " With the most sincere desire to promote such a union of that party, and with high regard for yourself personally, 1 have the honor to be your obedient servant, "JosiAH Sutherland." To which Mr. Tilden returned this reply : " New York, Thursday, Oct. 18, 1855. " Dear Sir : I have received your letter, of- fering, on certain conditions, to send your de- clension to the State Committee of the party by which you were nominated, with my letter of compliance, and to open to me the opportunity of running before that Committee for their nomi- nation in the vacancy. " I think that, on reflection, you will see that it is impossible for me to entertain any negotia- tion, or discuss any conditions, for a fusion of a part of the two State tickets, as proposed by you — or of the entire ticket, as proposed in other quarters. Still less can I initiate such an arrangement for my individual advantage, irre- spective of the other gentlemen nominated on the ticket with me, and which, even if not intended for that purpose, may result in a call on some of them to reciprocate your withdrawal. Discus- sions as to the feasibility, propriety, or terms of any union of the two tickets belong not to me, but to the party which nominated me, or its au- thorized representatives. The only countenance I could, in any event, give to the suggestion would be in retiring myself, and not iu being made instrumental in, or even a party to, causing others to do so. Those who have done me the honor to make me their candidate know that no delicacy toward me need restrain them from any thing of this nature which they think it advisable to do. " Very respectfully, your obedient serv't, " S. J. Tilden. " Hon. J. Sutherland." John Van Buren having boasted in a speech, that of the candidates on the Soft State ticket, all but one (llawley) had been supporters of the Buffalo platform in 1848, and were " proud of it then, and still prouder of it now," tliLs in- discretion compelled the Washington Union to pretend to disapprove the course of the Softs, and to repudiate their claims to represent the administration. That thia repudiation was only for the sake of appearances at the south, how- ever, certain correspondence which took place between Col. North, special Post Office Agent, and a Hard Portmaster at Cayuga, who was removed from office for refusing to support the Hatcli ticket, conclusively shows. This corres- pondence was published in the papers of the day, and proves that the administration was actively sustaining the Hatch ticket, and that all Federal employees were expected to vote it. The gist of it is contained in the following : " To John Barritt, Jr., Postmaster at Cayuga, " N. Y. : * * * " Now, Sir, I have to recommend that your action should be such, politically, as to effectually silence and contradict such impu- tations, and that you take an open and active stand in favor of the ticket nominated at Syra- case, headed by Israel T. Hatch for Secretary of State. * * * " Samuel North, " Special Agt. P. O. Dep't." At a Tammany meeting, Joh7i Cochrane, John Kelly, and Martin Grover spoke, and the Hatch ticket was ratified without any dissent from the platform. At the election, the Know Nothings were completely victorious. The Soft candidate for Secretary of State, with all the aid of his Free- soil platform, and from the Federal officials, throughout the State, polled 90,000 votes, while the Hard candidate for that office polled 60,000. Showing a loss to the Softs of 50,000 votes, and a gain to the Hards of 27,000 in one year I In New York city, where Judge Bronson, in 1854, in the midst of the anti-Nebraska excitement, had polled only 5,000 votes, when running on a Nebraska platform, the Hard Democracy had so far recovered their strength, as to cast 16,000 votes for Aaron Ward, in 1855. The Softs and Black Republicans united on Azariah C. Flagg, as candidate for City Comp- troller in New York, at this election. The Softs also re-nojuinated, and, with the aid of the Know Nothings, succeeded in re-electing to the Senate, Mark Spencer, a Van Burenite in 1848, and who had voted for the anti-Nebraska i-esolu- tions passed by the Legislature in 1854. At this election, Daniel E. Sickles passed over from the Hards to the Softs side, and was chosen by the combined Soft and Know Nothmg vote to the Senate from the third Senatorial district. This defection derived its importance solely from the 73 fact that Mr. Sickles had initiated the first steps of the separate Hard organization in the city, in the winter of 1852-3, before he had been so fortunate as to receive executive patronage, The Hards failed to elect any Senator at this election. The Softs chose Sickles and Spencer by Know Nothing assistance ; Edward X. Madden and F. P. Bellinger, by fusion with the Black '• Republicans,'' and .Tames Wads- worth, (the ex-Mayor of Buflfalo, who pledged himself in 1851 against the Fugitive Slave law,) and William Kelly, of Dutchess, (also a Free- soiler,) on their own merits. Mr. Wadsworth, after his nomination, wrote the following letter : Buffalo, Friday, Oct. 12, 1855. Wm. Dorsheimer, Esq. — My Dear Sir : In answer to your personal inquiries respecting my views on the subjects likely to be agitated in the present political canvass, I will only say that T earnestly and consistently advocated united ac- tion on the part of the Democratic and " Re- publican" Conventions of the city and county, on those points in which we were known to agree, including a united city and county ticket. In that my friends and myself have failed, but nei- ther they nor myself have accepted nominations with any conditions attached, which should pre- vent me from giving my cordial support to those measures, embracing the subjects of " Know No- thingism" and slavery, wherein our sentiments are alike. My own convictions are not changed, nor will my independence of speech in public or private be abridged by the action of Conventions. The frowning attitude of slavery must be re- buked, and the united action of all good men of all political parties will be necessary to render that rebuke efiFectual. James Wadsworth. In the Assembly, the Hards and Softs were about equal in numbers. The Hard Assembly Caucus met and nomi- nated Benjamin Bailey, of Putnam, for Speaker, and John S. Xafew for Clerk. The Soft Cau- cus nominated Timothy Hoyle, of Clinton, for Speaker, and William W. Dean for Clerk. The vote on the first ballot stood — Odell, (K. N.,) 41 ; Prendergast, (" Republican,") 35 ; Bailey. (Hard Democrat,) 27 ; Hoyle, (Soft and Freesoil.) 7. After a fortnight spent without electing, Mr. Bailey withdrew, as also did Mr. Prendergast, and Orville Robinson, Democrat, supported as an anti-Know Nothing candidate, was elected. Im- mediately on the declaration of the result, Mr. Hoyle moved that Richard U. Sherman, Black " Republican," and a well known warm and devot- 10 ed friend of Mr. Seward, be declared Clerk. Tlie Hards and Know Nothings miited in defeat- ing this nomination ; but the next day General Sherman was elected by the i)lurality rule, re- ceiving the entire Soft vote, with three excep- tions, and uilso the (nitire Black " Republican vote. Neither the Hard or Soft caucuses held at the opening of the session, pa.s.sed resolutions but three Softs, two of them from New York, entered the 1 lard caucus and olfered to unite, with the latter, on condition of the latter pars- ing the resolutions which had been adopted Ity the Democratic Congressional Caucus in De- cember, on nominating Mr. Richardson. The Hard Caucus, not desiring either the dictation or the company of these gentlemen, paid no at- tention to the offer, but proceedeil with its busi- ness. As to the refusal to entertain these resolu- tions, the reason was given that while they were appropriate enough in a Democratic Congi-es- sional Caucus, where every member wivs known and committed in favor of the Nebraska ])ill, yet they did not go far enough in committal to the principle of non-intervention, to form a basis of union in this State, since they did no more than congratulate the country upon the result of elections upon the Nebraska bill. The Hard State Committee met in Albany, and passed on the 2d of January, the following resolutions, Col. Sam Fowi.er presiding : " Resolved, That we fully and cordially concur with our National Democratic brethren in the Congress of the United States in the adoption of the following resolution : " ' Resolved, That tlu' Democratic members of the House of Representatives, though in a tem- porary minority in this body, deem this an occa- sion to tender their follow-citizens of the whole Union their heartfelt congratulations on the tri- umph in the recent elections in several of the northern, ea.stern, and v.t'steru, as well as south- ern States, of the principles of the Kansas- Nebraska bill, and the doctrines of civil and religious liberty which have been so violently assailed by a secret political order known as the Know Nothing party, and though in a minority, we hold it to be our highest duty to preserve our organization and continue our efilbrts in the maintenance and delence of those principles and the constitutional rights of every section and every class of citizens against their opponents of every description, whether the so-called Repub- licans, Know Nothings, or Fusioni.sts, and to this end we look witli confidence to the support 74 and approbation of all good and true men — friends of the Constitution and the Union throughout the country.' " ''Resolved, That we as cordially approve of their unfaltering fidelity to their nominees as well as to the principles they avowed : and that l)y the uniform support of Mr. Eichardsnn through the protracted and exciting canvass, they have won not only the approval of friends, but the admiration of their opponent^ of every section and hue, and afforded a bright example for the imitation of all who may be placed in like positions. " Resolved, That we heartily appro\e of the firm and independent course of the Democratic members of the Assemlily of Xew York, in their steadfast adherence to the principles and organi- sation of the National Democracy, and in refus- ing all '■ entangling alliances," with the isms or factions of the day, whatever specious pretexts such alliances may have been pressed upon them. " Resolved, That we re-affirm and re-adopt the principles set forth in the address and resolu- tions of the National Democratic State Con- vention held at Syracuse on the 23d of August last, and while we strongly deprecate any and all coalitions with hostile organizations, we reite- rate tlu; invitation to all who agree with us in principle to unite with us in the one only true and regular Democratic organization, which is destined in the future, as in the past, to a long series of brilliant vidories in the State and in the Union. " Resolved, That the State Committee protests in the name of the Democracy of New Tork, against the eligi):»ility of Dr. J. P. Beekman to represent the Democracy of this State in the De- mocratic National Committee called to assem))le at Washington on the 8th instant, on the ground of his notorious Freesoil or Abolition proclivi- ties and his opposition to the platform of prin- ciples recognized by the Democracy of this State not only, but of the whole Union ; and that Col. Sam Fowler, the Chairman of this State Committee, be instructed to communicate this protest to said Democratic National Com- mittee, together with the above resolutions. " Resolved, That these proceedings be publihs- ed in the Democratic papers of the State." A Soft State Convention, called to appoint a delegation to the Cincinnati Convention, met at Syracuse on the 10th January, 1856. The ob- ject of the Convention was to lay down such a platform, National iu appearance, as might be produced at Cincinnati, as proof of the ortho- doxy of the delegates appointed by it. There was very little popular movement in choosing delegates to this Convention. The matter was every where attended to l)y the ra- tlicr exclusive circle of the Postmasters and Custom House officers. II ere and there some of the old-fashioned music was, however, heard. The St. Lawi'euce Soft Convention, a majori- ty of whose members were Postmasters, on tlie 24th Januar}', " Resolved, That we are opposed to the exten- sion of slavery into the territories of the Union, and condemn all acts intended or tending to effect such a result ; and that the resolutions of the last Democratic (Soft) State Convention upon this subject meet with our hearty and cordial approval. " Resolved, Thai this Convention recommend the appointment of Arphaxad Loomis, of Her- kimer, as a delegate to the jiext Democratic Na- tional Convention." In the Onondaga Soft Convention, a member offered the resolution adopted by the members of Congress regarding the triumph of the princi- ples of the Kansas-Nebraska bill, in the recent elections, and il vos laid on the table by a vote oj ayes 22, noes 9. The Oswego Soft Convention is thus describ- ed by a correspondent of the Albany Atlas : " Oswego, January 7th. •' To the editors of the Albany Atlas : — W(- held our District •Convention for the 2d district of Oswego Co., on Saturday last. We elected as delegate to the Syracuse Convention, Dr. B. E. Bowen, of Mexico. The Convention also passeda resolution unanimoushj in favor of T/ios. H. Benton, of Missouri, for President, by tlie Cincinnati Convention. The Convention did not suppose that the passing of the resolution would make a great deal of difference with the Cincinnati Convention, yet still they believed that if that Convention would nominate Benton, or any other man equally as honest and decided, we could carry this district next fall by a majo- rity that would put at rest (at least for a time) all the isms and secret associations which of late have combined to defeat the Democratic party." The Herkimer Soft Convention passed resolu- tions which recommend Thomas H. Benton as an eminently fit candidate for the Presidency, and heartily approve of the course pursued by Hon. Francis E. Spinner in Congress. The following is one of their resolves : •• Resolved, That while we are iu favor of the maintenance of all the compromises of the Con- stitution and the reserved rights of the Statea, we declare our unqualified hostility to the exten- sion of slavery into any free territory of the United States. That the late invasion of Kan- sas territory ))y citizens of Missouri, with a view to promote the election of a pro-slavery Legislature, Avas a manifestation of insolence on the part of the Slavocratic Power, and an outrage upon the rights of the bona fide settlers, which de- seryea the indignant rebuke of every honest citijzen 75 in the land, and demands from the general govern- ment the interposition of all its constitutional power to redress past grievances and snp))resp future violence. 'I'hat while we approve uf the course jnn-sued by Franklin Pierce in conduct- ing our foreign relations, and also the economy ♦vtnccd in administering the financial aflfairs uf the government, we feel constrained by a sense of duty to condemn him for giving his sanction to the Kansas-Nebraska bill, which involved the violation of a sacred compact and a gross breacli of faith on the part of the south, and openwl anew the agitation of the slavery (|Ucstion.' A very large cumber of Federal officials were pi-esent at this State Convention. About two thirds the counties were represented by regular delegates, the remainder were filled up by Custom House officers from New York, Buffalo, «Src. The counties of Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus. Chautauque, Cayuga, Chemung. Kings, Lewis, Orange, Putnam, Richmond, Rockland, Steuben, and others, may be men- tione. Mc- Arthur. - .Fohn Y. L. Pruyn, John McKuight. — Isaac Bishop, Josiah M. Todd. — Timothy Hoyle, Augustus C. Hand. — .lohn L. Russell, AYm. C. Crain. — John C. Wright, Elias Brown. — Robert Parker, Samuel M. Shaw. —John Stryker. Francis Kernan. — Horatio Ballard, Horatio G. Prindle. —Sands A. Kenyon, Sidney T. Fair- child. -J)e Witt C. AVest, Charles Smith. — Deimis ilcCarthy, Seth Hutchinson. — Kllmore T*. Ross, Calvin Foster. — AVilliam C. Diyer, C. Sentell. —John J. Taylor, Henry D. Barte. — William C. Rhodes, James Faulkner. — S. B. Jewett, James C. Campbell. —Henry J. Glowacki, L. P. Wcth- crby. — AVilliam Vandervoort, A. Tousley. — ^Israel T. Hatch, James M. Hum- phrey. — Samuel S. Jenks, Niram Sackelt. 'ITie Union of the Albany Argus with the .\tlas (Soft with Frecsoil) took place in I'eb- i-uaiT, and Mr. Ca.ssidy. to whose skill, ability, and pertinacity much of the original disunion on the slavei7 question was due, became the editor of the consolidated concern, along with Mr. Comstock. The resolutions and address of the Soft State Convention ff the 10th Jannar}' of course brought about an instant rebellion in the ranks. Nine tenths of the Softs who were not in office T6 repudiated them. Steps were immediately taken by the non-official Softs who agreed with Mr. Van Dyck to form a separate organization, and re-avow their Freesoil views ; and a circular for this purpose, sent through the State, and authorized by the names of leading men of the Soft party, soon after came to light. The men engaged in the movement of secession embraced the very back-bone of the Soft party. They denounced the office-holding Soft delegation, and resolved to remonstrate against the recogni- tion of these, their old associates, at Cincinnati. Another portion of the malcontent Softs, ob- jecting not so much to the new platform as to the men who constitute the Seymour delegation, undertook to get up a new Soft delegation, to be chosen by district*. What success they have met with is unascertained at the time of going to press with this pamphlet. The Young Mens' Democratic National (Hard) Club of Xew York, celebrated the 8th January by a grand dinner at the Metropolitan, at which Elijah "Ward presided, asssisted by C. Godfrey Gunther and Charles D. Mead as Vice-Presidents. The following were the toasts and responses : I. " The day, and all who honor it." II. " The memory of Andrew Jackson," (in silence.) III. " Tlie Constitution of the United States;" responded to by Joseph R. Flanders. IV. "The National Democracy;" responded to by William Preston Johnson, of Kentucky. V. " The doctrine of non-interven- tion, the Kansas bill, kc. ;" responded to by Henry M. Hyde. VT. '• Civil and Religious Liberty;" responded to by James T. Brady. VII. " The National Democratic Convention at Cincinnati ;" responded to by Horace P. Clark. VIII. " The National delegation elected to go to Cincinnati ;" responded to by Acgtistus ScHELL. IX. " Manifest destiny ;" responded to by Hiram Walbridge. X. "The press;" responded to by John J. Hofftnan. Among the volunteer toasts were — " Daniel S. Dickin- son — a statesman of tried integrity, and a man into whose hands may safely be committed the destinies of this great republic." " The union of the Democracy : it can be accomplished by the returr; ( o the fold of those who are outside the true oi-ganization." " The first encroach- ment on thc^ rights of Native Americans — the landing oi ibreiguers on this continent in the 16th century;'" kc. Many volunteer speeches were made, and the celebration was tlie feature of the day. It was a most enthusiastic and harmonious demonstration, and the sentiments enunciated by the several speakers were of the soundest Na- tional and Democratic character. The Softs also had a celebration at Tammany. At the latter place, Elijah P. Purdy, Alexander Ming, Isaiah Rynders, Conrad Swackhamer, Joseph Rose, H. N. Carr, and D. O'Keefe, spoke in re- ply to the toasts ; and a ball came off". The town elections this winter and spring de- monstrated a singular state of things in the in- terior of the State. The Soft party seemed no where to stand alone : it " fused," in the large majority of cases, with the Black " Re- publican" candidates, in others with the Know Nothings. The most indifferent spectator could not fail to perceive that in the Hard organiza- tion only, could the " National" men be found. As a specimen of the language maintained by the Hards the following resolutions may be (juoted : At a meeting of the Hard Democratic City Committee of Rochester, held on the 26th Feb., the following resolutions were adopted : •• Resolved, That Ave approve of the principle of the Kansas-Nebraska bill, and are opposed to the establishment of any geographical line dividing the north from the south. " Resolved, That the liberal i^rinciples im- bodied by Jefferson in the Declaration of Inde- pendence, and sanctioned in the Constitution, which make ours the land of liberty, and the asylum of the oppressed of every nation, have ever been cardinal principles of the Democratic faith ; and no citizen should be deprived of political rights on account of his religion or birthplace. " Resolved, That no candidate for State or National office should be nominated or support- ed whose opinions do not conform to the spirit of these resolutions." At the January meeting of the Hard Demo- cratic City General Conmiittee of Ncav York, the following were adopted : " Resolved, That the National Hard Shell Democratic party of this State have every reason to congratulate themselves upon the proud position they hold and have held toward other parties and factions ; adopting from the first, the true and conservative platform of the National Democracy of the Union, we have firmly and consistently adhered to the same, re- fusing all coalitions, or entangling and disre- putable alliance with others ; and it is gratifying to know that our course, our policy, and our principles arc now approved by every true 7T Democrat in the Union, uobly imitated by the Democratic members of Congress at AVashin^- ton in their firm and unfaltering fidelity to their nominee as well as to the principles avowed : and for their uniform and unyielding support of Mr. Richardson as Speaker, they have now the approval and admiration of the Democratic party of the Union. " Resolved, That in the language of our State Committee, we heartily approve of the firm and independent course of the Democratic mem- bers of the Assembly of New York in their steadfast adherence to the principles and organi- ziition of the National Democracy, and in re- fusing all '• entangling alliances,'' witli the isms or factions of the day, under whatever specious pretexts such alliances may have been pressed upon them. " Rcsolveil, That we re-aflirm anil re-adopt the principles set forth in the address and resolu- tions of the National Democratic State Con- vention held at Syracuse on the 2.3d of August last ; and while we strongly deprecate any and all coalitions with hostile organizations, we reite- rate the invitation to all who agree with us in }irinciple to unite with us in the one only true and regular Democratic organization, which is destined in the future, as in the past, to a long series of brilliant victories in the State and in the Union. "Resolved, Thatw^e re-adopt, in all their length and breadth, the principles of the Kansas-Ne- braska bill, and re-aflirni our attachment thereto. and deem it the corner stone of the Democratic creed. " Resolved, That the people have at all times the right to change their form of govermnent ; that they alone should be the judges of the necessity for such a change ; that a government of fact should be tnken and deemed a government of right ; and it is the duty a,s well as the true policy of the government of the United States to acknowledge (as heretofore has been done) all such exi.sting governments, and not pause to in- quire into the reasons for such change. " Resolved, That the Ke;)ublic of Nicaragua should not be an exception to our long established and invariable rule ; that we know that the mon- archical party of that State has been overthrown and a republican form of government established in its .stead, and we are bound liy every principle of duty and patriotism not only to encourage l)ut to acknowledge the same, md we urgently call upon our rulers at Washii ion to recognize and extend to it the right banc, of fellowship. " Resolved, That th(! arrogant and impertinent acts of the agents of the government of Creat TJritain, in secretly enlisting American citizens to engage in war against a people with whom we are and ever have been at i)eace, deserve and should receive the most severe and prompt condemnation of the government and people of the United States ; and the instant dismissal of all such agents is the slightest rebuke that ought to be administered to the British govern nient for such gross departure from the ti-ue comity of nations. " Rraolved. That the tone and tenor of the Pre- sident's Message toward the government of (ireat Britain, in reference to the Central Amer- ican f|Ucstion, meets with our hearty and warm approval ; and while we would deprecate war, and deplore the necessity of taking up arm.? even for the j)rotection of our rights and inter- ests, yet it IS a thousand times preferable to seeing those rights trampled upon, or the preten- sions of an arrogant and treacherous govern- ment succeed in her unwarranted claims to States and territory on this continent ; and it be- comes the duty, as it will be the pleasure of every American to support their own government in the determination to i-esist every such preten- sion, emanate whence or from whom it may." The members of the Hard Delegation met at Syracuse on the 29th April, for the purjjose of organization.- Sam Fowler, Chairman of the State Committee, called to order, and George W. Cu.NTo.N, of Buffalo, was appointed Chair- man of the meeting, and (jideon J. Tucker, of New York, and Hab.mon S. Cutting, of Eric, Secretaries. On motion of Samuel G. Hatha- way, the following resolutions were adopted unanimously : '• Resolved, Tliat this delegation cordially af- firms, ratifies, and adopts the resolutions adopted at the National Democratic State Convention held at Syracuse the TM\ day of August, 1855, as follows : [H'ere follow the resolutions at length of the State Convention, as given on pages 67. f)>^.\ •• Ecsolved, 'J''hat the signature of each mem- ber of the delegation be hereto affi.xed." These resolutions having Ijcen engrossed and prepared for signature, were signed by every de- legate and alternate present, and were ordered sent for signatures to such as were not present. It being the purpose to lay before the Cincin- nati (.''onvention these resolutions, signed by every 1 lard delegate and alternate who will pre- sent himself at that Convention for admission. An Executive C/Ommittec was appointed as follows : Sam Fowlkk, of Orange. Ellsiia B. Smith, of Chenango. Elijah Ward, of New York. Henry W. Roijers, of Buffalo. (iiDEON .1. Tucker, of New York. The meeting then proceeded to choose per- manent officers for the delegation, to act for it rs at its meetings in Cincinnati, and the following were unanimously elected : Chairman — Samuel Beardsley, delegate at large. Vice-Chairrncn — George W. Clinton, dele- gate at large, and Thomas B. Mitchell, dele- gate from the Eighteenth Congress district. Secretaries — John H. Reynolds, delegate from the Fourteenth Congress district, and Thomas M. Howell, delegate from the Twenty- sixth Congress district. Gen. E. Ward then moved to adjourn to meet at the Burnett House in the city of Cincinnati, on the Saturday preceding the first Monday of June next, at 12 o'clock, noon, in the room^ engaged for the delegation by the State Ccm- inittee ; which was agreed to, and the msetio';,' then adjourned. ERRATA. Page 2o— .Second Column — Line 27, fot ■ better,"" read '• latter." Page 14 — Second Column— Line 3, lor '-Legislature," read '• legislative." Page 29 — First Column — Line S8, for '• Mr. Beekmaii," read " Mr. Beekman." Pa-e 32— Second Column — Line 25, for " 1854," read " 1852." Page 33 — First Column — Sixth and seventh line from bottom, for " Shepard, '' read '• SJiepa.rd. Same page — Sticond Column — Line IG from bottom, for-' J. 'I'. Hatch, read '' /. T. Hatch.'" Page 3e — First Column — Line 8 from bottom, for " .Vr. O'Ccnor" read '' Mr. O'Conok." INDEX AND CONTENTS - •.<>#^^^.#V^^. ,#>#^V^»vs^.-- CHAPTER I. From April 1843— lo March, 1840. Democratic Slate Couveution in 1 843. The Delegation to the Baltimore Conven- tion. Proceedings of the Baltimore Convention. Dissatisfaction of the Barn- buraers. The Democratic State Convention in 1844. The Secret Circular. The Presidential Struggle decided by New York. The Congressional Elec- tions. The Legislature of 184.'). Election of United States Senators. Dick- inson and Dix separate on the Texas Question. Election of State Officers. Appointment of Marcy to the ( 'aliinet. CHAPTER n. From Alarch, l844-to November, 1S4G, Appoixtmexts to Federal and State Offices. Triumph of Barnburners in Legislative Elections. The State Printing. Wilmot Proviso Resolutions in the Legis- lature. Constitutional Convention. Re-nomination of Silas Wright. Page. CHAPTER m. From November. 184r,— to November, 1847, Defeat of Silas Wright and Re-election of Gardiner. Congressional and Legislative Results. Wilmot Proviso Resolutions in the Legislature. Opposition of the Hunkers to them.— Democratic State Convention of May, 1847. Struggle for the September State Convention. Triumph of the Hankers and Tabling of the Wilmot Proviso. Secession of tlie Barnburners. Mass Convention at Herkimer. CHAPTER IV. From November. 1847— to Jaxi'arv. 1849. Defeat of the Democrats. Mr. Dickinson's Slavery Platform. State Convention at Albany, called by the Hunker State Committee. Nomination of an Electoral Ticket. — ^State Convention at Utica, called by a Barnburner and Soft Caucus. Appointment of Freesoil Delegates. Election of Hunker Delegates by Districts. Procedings of the Baltimore Convention. -Both Hunkers and Freesoilers Admitted. The Latter Bolt the Candidates. Mass Meeting of Freesoilers in New York. The Utica Convention of June. Letter of Martin Van Buren. His Nomination for President. The Hunker Delegates Recommend Cass and Butler. The Buffalo Convention, Platform, and Candidates. Hunker State Conven- tion at Svracuse. Freesoil State Convention at L^tica. Result of the Election. CHAPTER V. From January, 1840— to January, 18r)0, 15 Movements towards Uniting the National and Freesoil Democrats. The Rome Union Conventions. The Softs in a Majority in the Hunker Convention. Mr. Dickin- son Outvoted. The Freesoil Convention Not Satisfied with the Concessions. The Hunker State Convention and its Ticket. The Softs Propose a Coalition to the Freesoilers. The Freesoil Convention Accepts the Proposition. Avowals of John Van Buren. The New York Harda Repudiate the " Union." The Re- sult of the Election. 80 CHAPTER VI. From January, 1850— to January, 1822, 19 '1'he Hards and Softs on the Compromise Measures. State Convention of 1850. Mr. O'Conor's Resolutions construed by the Softs so a.s to Ignore the Fugitive Law. Tlie Elections of 1850. The Soft "Personal Liberty" Bill. Mr. Dickinson leaves the U. S. Senate. The Canal Bill. The State Convention of 1851. Col. Fowi.er's Resolution Tabled by the Soft Majority. The Jerry Rescue. The Elections of 1851. CHAPTER YII. From January, 1852— to March, 1853, 32 The Hard and Soft Presidential Delegates, The Baltimore Convention. Demo- cratic State Convention of 1852. Defeat of Hard Congressmen by the Softs. Intrigue for a Cabinet Place, The Unfortunate Selection of Mr. Marcy. CHAPTER VIII. From March, 1853— to January, 1854, 40 Reasons for Marcy's Appointment to the Cabinet. Federal Appointments in New- York The Impeachment of John C.^Mather. The Passage of D. B. Taylor's Resolutions on the Inaugural. " Stampede of the Buffaloes." Scene at the Adjournment of the Legislature. The Syracuse Convention broken up by '• Short-Boys." Acquittal of Mather. Removal of Bronson, and Resignation of O'CoNOR. Redfield Confirmed by the Senate. Election of 1853. The All3any Argus begins the Nebraska Discussion. CHAPTER IX. From January, 1854 — to Jannary, 1855, 50 The Hards and Softs on the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. Opinions of Newspapers, Meet- ino-s. Conventions, and Public Men. Passage of the Bill. Rejoicings of the Hards, and Denunciation of the Softs. Hard State Convention. Nomination of Bronson and Ford. Passage of Nebraska Resolutions. Soft State Conven- tion. The "Inexpedient and Unnecessary" Soft platfonn. — —Hard and Soft Congress Nominations The New York Evening Post in Receipt of Patronage —Result of the Election. Recrimination among the Softs. CHAPTER X. -From January, 1855 — to Aprh,, 1856, 66 The Hard State Committee's Resolutions. The Hard State Convention, its Platfonn and Candidates.— — The Hard Delegates to Cincinnati. The Soft Stafe Conven- tion. The Wilmot Proviso " Corner Stone" Re-adopted. Result of the Election. Organization of the Legislature. Soft Meetings and Resolutions. Soft Slate Convention, to choose Contesting Delegates. Bolt of the Softs The Spirit of the Hards. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 107 470 2