lating War, many thousands who had net, refused it as unequal to his deserts, hitherto 'gone with the party' were re- and ex-Gov. Wm. L. Marcy, notoriously pelled and alienated; and though with a adverse to Van Buren and Wright in the large proportion the ties of party were too internal politics of New-York, was called strong for the dictates of conscience, yet to the Cabinet, with the portfolio of Sectheir support of the Administration and its retary of War. It was understood that Heir became colder, more hesitating, less the Collectorship of New-York would be effective than it had been, while many bestowed as Messrs. Wright and Van openly and utterly renounced the whole Buren should prefer; but this expectation concern. When, on the meeting of the also was blasted; Mr. C. W. Lawrence, XXXth Congress in December, 1847, an a politician of the Croswell and Marcy Opposition majority in the House was school, being appointed instead of Mr. evinced by the choice of a Whig Speaker, Jona. I. Coddington. The alienation thus the discomfiture of the place-holders was originated was fed by a thousand followalmost ensured. We believe there has ing occurrences, until at length, in Novemnever been an instance under our Federal ber, 1846, Gov. Wright was signally deConstitution in which a President has feated in a canvass for reelection, and it been elected of adverse politics to those was asserted that the Administration had of the Speaker of the House last before chosen. a connived at and promoted his discomfiture. Gov. Wright died a few months afterBut a concurring cause of weakness and ward, but the feud thus commenced was dissolution had already been developed in fought out over his grave. A State Conthe ranks of the professing Democracy of vention assembled at Syracuse early in the Empire State. Here, in 1843, the '47 to nominate 'Democratic' candidates name of SILAS WRIGHT had been in- for State Officers; each wing made the volved in aid of the election of Polk, and most desperate exertions to secure he, an original and earnest opponent of majority of the Delegates, and there were the Tyler Treaty for the Annexation of several contests for seats, the settlement Texas, had been run as Governor, in order of which would determine the character to reconcile many Democratic opponents of the Convention. Superior management of Annexation to the support of Polk and and tact were clearly on the side of the the party. The plan succeeded but too Croswell or Conservative faction, now well well. Mr. Polk carried the State by 5,106 known by the appellation of Hunkers;' votes, and was thereby elected, while while the more Radical or Wright and Mr. Wright ran far ahead of him for Van Buren faction were equally well Governor, receiving 10,030 majority. Al-known as Barnburners,' (in allusion to though this disparity evinced in the clear- an anti-Radical story of a thick-skulled est manner the immense service which Dutchman who had burnt his barn to clear Mr. Wright had done the party in con-it of rats and mice.) The Hunkers' carsenting to run on the ticket, yet there ried most of the contested seats, and prowere not wanting sycophants and adven- ceeded to nominate a State Ticket enturers to poison the ears of the Presi-tirely of their own faith, substituting dent elect and his coterie with tales of Orville Hungerford for A. C. Flagg as the treachery of Gov. Wright's especial Controller. In the election which followfriends, who (they asserted) had placed him ed, the leading and more ardent Barnat the head of the poll at the expense of burners' refused to support the ticket so other candidates on the ticket, and even formed, leaving the Whigs to sweep the plotted to defeat the Electoral Ticket!-State by an average majority of over Mr. Polk, a weak man, was like all weak Thirty Thousand. [See Returns in last men, jealous of superiority and uneasy year's Almanac.] under a sense of obligation: every intima- But the Hunkers, though beaten, claimtion that Mr. Wright had elected him was ed to have got possession of the party an agony. A misunderstanding followed, machinery; appointed a new State Cenas was natural. It is currently understood tral Committee, and in due time called that the President elect felt constrained another State Convention at Albany, to offer a choice of places in his Cabinet to Gov. Wright, who declined it in view of his obligation to the People of New-York, but asked that Azariah C. Flagg should be made Secretary of the Treasury instead. This, if not absolutely promised, was virtually assured; but Mr. R. J. Walker, to whom the Attorney-Generalship had been assigned in the original cast of the Cabi which framed an Electoral Ticket and chose the State Delegates to Baltimore.Meantime the Barnburners had themselves called a State Convention at Utica, the call being made by a majority of the Democratic' Members of the Legisla ture, and as such held to be regular and according to the usages of the party.'This Convention chose a full Delegation to the National Convention at Baltimore, | Chief Magistracy, while his signal and while the Hunkers chose Representative long-continued labors for the Whig cause Delegates by Congressional District Con- were deemed fairly to entitle him to this ventions. When the Baltimore Conven- recognition of his worth. Another class tion assembled, (May 1, 1848,) each side perceived in the brilliant achievements, was fully and ably represented, and their the blameless life and the sound principles conflicting claims were urged with ability of Gen. WINFIELD SCOTT, the Conqueror and desperate earnestness, first before a of Mexico, the elements of unquestionable large Committee, then in full Convention. and merited success, and rigorously urged It was finally decided that neither should his nomination. JOHN MCLEAN and be admitted to cast the vote of New-York THOMAS CORWIN of Ohio had each of them in the ballotings for President and Vice- advocates for the Presidency, but they had President. The Convention then proceed-withdrawn their names from the canvass. ed to its work, and on the fourth ballot And finally, a large majority of the prominominated Gen. LEWIS CASS of Michigan nent politicians of the party, especially for President, and Gen. WILLIAM O. BUT- throughout the South and West, and inLER of Kentucky was afterward nominat- cluding most of the Whig Members of ed for Vice-President. The Hunkers' Congress, discerned in the character and promptly and heartily concurred in these life of Gen. ZACHARY TAYLOR the elenominations; but the 'Barnburners,' to ments of a popularity which nothing could whom Gen. Cass was especially obnox-withstand, and deemed his nomination ious, utterly repudiated them, and prompt- equivalent to an election. It is not alone ly called a State Convention, which as- or mainly, they urged, that he has been sembled at Utica, (May 22d,) and nominat- uniformly successful in the field, winning ed MARTIN VAN BUREN for President, and decisive victories over armies numbering HENRY DODGE (ex-Governor, and now treble and quadruple his own, but that he U. S. Senator,) of Wisconsin, for Vice- has uniformly shown himself so wise, so President. Gov. Dodge declined the nom-simple, so modest, so scrupulous in his ination and adhered to Gen. Cass; but obedience to the civil power, that we urge Mr. Van Buren, though accepting with his nomination, and pledge to it the supunfeigned reluctance, resolved to abide port of a large majority of the People. the issue. Several gentlemen from other These considerations prevailed with the States participated in the doings at Utica, Convention. Gen. TAYLOR was nominated but New-York alone was regularly and for President on the fourth ballot, the votes fully represented. The New-York Dele- running as follows: gates were therefore empowered to attend and take part in a more general Convention called upon farther notice to meet at Buffalo in August, and which did meet accordingly. 1st ballot. 2d. Zachary Taylor.. *John McLean... Total...... 3d.. 4th. 118 133 171 86 74 32 49 54 63 22 17 13 4 0 2 0 0 ...279 279 MILLARD FILLMORE of New-York was on the second ballot nominated for VicePresident by a decided majority. Meantime, (June 1, 1848,) a Whig National Convention assembled at Philadelphia, every State in the Union being represented; Texas, which alone had no In point of fact, this nomination had Delegates present, having instructed Loui- been settled from the beginning. Many siana to vote for her. Hon. JOHN M. Delegates who voted for other candidates MOREHEAD, Ex-Governor of North Caro- at first were known to be really in favor lina, was chosen President. An excited of Gen. Taylor, and only voting for others struggle for the Presidential nomination in deference to the opinions of their constithad long been anticipated. A large ma- uents. jority of the Whig voters, in the opinion of this writer, ardently desired and confidently expected the nomination of their old and dearly loved standard-bearer, The opposition to Gen. Taylor in the HENRY CLAY, believing that the People Whig ranks had been in no considerable were now ready to do justice to his emi- degree personal. The merits claimed for nent statesmanship, abilities, devoted him by his friends were very generally patriotism, and unsurpassed public ser- conceded. But it was objected to him that vices. A less numerous but most respect- his Military achievements formed, after able body, especially in New-England, all, the basis of his aspiration to the Presibut by no means confined to that section, dency, since without these his personal regarded the transcendent abilities and merits and virtues would never have made world-wide fame of DANIEL WEBSTER as him a formidable candidate-and to elevaeminently calculated to shed lustre on the [tion to high civil trusts on the strength of brilliant Military achievements the Whig into such Territory from whom labor or service party had ever been strongly opposed. is lawfully claimed in any one of the United States, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed It was farther urged that his opinions on and conveyed out of said Territory to the person the great leading principles of National claiming his or her labor or service." Policy had never been clearly enunciated, This Proviso was adopted with little or his qualifications for the highest civil station conclusively demonstrated; and discussion (but not without evoking much especially that on the great absorbing feeling) by the House, nearly all the Members from the Free States supportquestion respecting the admission of Human Slavery into or its exclusion from the ing, while those from the Slave States opThe bill thus amended was Territories of the Union just acquired from posed it. sent to the Senate, and was promptly Mexico, his opinions were not known to met by Mr. D. H. Lewis, of Alabama, with accord with those of that great majority of the Whig party which stood firm for a motion to strike out the Proviso. Mr. Freedom, but were with reason suspected motion, and Davis of Mass. rose in opposition to this was speaking against it and even confidently claimed to incline when word was brought that the House the other way. The objections thus raised were strengthened by the refusal of the had adjourned without day-the hour of Convention to pass a resolution affirming the House clock, though not yet reached adjournment (noon) having been struck by the principle of the Wilmot Proviso, or The bill thus failed for even to put forth any formal declaration of by the Senate's. the session, and among the most vociferfundamental Whig principles at all. On these grounds, many Whigs felt constrain-ous mourners over its loss was Gen. Lewis Cass, a Senator from Michigan, who deeped for months after the nomination to ly regretted, in repeated conversations, withhold their support. But by letters that so fair an opportunity to establish the subsequently written by Gen. Taylor the doubts of his fidelity to Whig princi- principle of Freedom in the Territories ples and the apprehensions that he would The next Session witnessed a revival veto any bill which Congress might pass of the bill, and of course of the Proviso; embodying the principle of Freedom in both of which again passed the House, the Territories, were pretty generally dis- but the latter was now defeated in the pelled, and a very general concurrence Senate-Gen. Cass now ranging himself of the party in his support ultimately se- with its opponents, but in his speech We return to the dissenters at Balti- avowing his concurrence in the principle more from the Cass and Butler nomination. of the Proviso, while he regarded the atIn the progress of the Wright and Cros-tempt to establish it as untimely and inwell controversy in this State, a difference auspicious. But soon after the next Conof opinion on a great National question ress assembled (Dec. 28, 1847,) the same Gen. Cass addressed an elaborate letter had been gradually developed. When, to Mr. A. O. P. Nicholson of Tenn., avowafter the victories on the Rio Grande and the simultaneous declaration of War views, and that he was now opposed to ing that a change had taken place in his against Mexico, it became evident that the Proviso altogether, as at best of doubtan acquisition of Territory would be ful constitutionality and at once perilous among the results of that War, the disand useless. This letter was widely cirposition and future institutions of that culated, and was doubtless effectual in seTerritory become objects of general conclose of the War had removed most of the curing the defeat of the Proviso when the original grounds of opposition to it. doubtless exerted an influence also in cured. cern. Just as the XXIXth Congress was closing its first or long session, Mr. David Wilmot, a Representative from Pennsylvania, after a hasty consultation with several of his Northern 'Democratic' friends, moved to add to a bill before the House, designed to give the President control of Three Millions of Dollars wherewith to make Peace, a Proviso in the words following: had been lost. It winning Southern support to Gen. Cass, and thus securing his nomination for President. Free Soil question had become Long ere this, however, the Proviso or a potent element in the feud which divided the party in New-York. The Wright or Radi"And be it further enacted, That there shall be cal wing had never cordially approved neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in any Territory on the continent of America which shall the policy of Annexation, though they had hereafter be acquired by or annexed to the United acquiesced in it under the stringency of States by virtue of this appropriation, or in any a party necessity, giving pledges to their other manner whatsoever, except for crimes followers that the acquisition of Texas whereof the party shall have been duly convict ed: Provided, always, That any person espine should not be permitted to operate as an unbalanced aggrandizement of the Slave more than two parties are engaged, to fall Power. Their votes in Congress had away from the weaker into the ranks of been gained for Annexation, upon a the two principal parties. Many thoudistinct pledge that Mr. Polk would se- sands who would have preferred the eleclect the mode of effecting it prescribed tion of Van Buren to that of either of the by Mr. Benton's alternative joint resolu- leading candidates, were constrained ultition-a pledge falsified by the maneuver mately to reason thus-True, I prefer of having Mr. Tyler make the selection Van Buren, but my vote will not elect just as he was bidding adieu to power.- him, while it may decide the contest as Of course the Radicals unanimously and between Taylor and Cass, and I so greatly cordially supported the Proviso, and ad- prefér one of these to the other that I canhered to it throughout, while their adver- not consent to throw it away.' That this saries fell away from it. At the Syracuse argument did not prevail still more univerConvention which rejected Flagg and sally is a striking proof of the strength of nominated Hungerford, one of the last the Free Soil sentiment throughout the acts was the laying on the table by the Free States. Only by convincing them Hunker majority a resolution proposed that the election of Gen. Cass would not by the Barnburners which affirmed the prove detrimental to the cause of Freeprinciple of the Wilmot Proviso. dom in the Territories, could the great mass of the voters be brought to sustain one or the other. When, therefore, a call was issued by an Ohio State Convention of dissenters from both the Philadelphia and Baltimore nominations for a more general Convention at Buffalo of all devoted adherents to the Proviso to nominate a National ticket, the Barnburners' naturally responded to the call, as did the Liberty party and a large body of Whig dissenters from the support of Gen. Taylor. The Buffalo Convention assembled on the 8th of August, and was imposing alike in numbers, in ability and in character. Nearly or quite all the Free States, with several of the Slave States, were represented. The de liberations of the Convention were con On the 7th of November, Electors of President were chosen in every State, save that in Massachusetts (where a majority of all the votes is requisite to a choice,) no election was made by the People, but it was well known that the Legislature would choose the Taylor Electors. chosen having been nominated and supA decided majority of the Electors so ported by the Whig party as in favor of ZACHARY TAYLOR and MILLARD FILL MORE, these candidates are already virtually and will soon be actually chosen rewhile the Congressional Elections thus far spectively President and Vice-President, tinued through three days, were signally harmonious and dignified, and resulted in the nomination of MARTIN VAN BUREN for indicate a very decided preponderance of President, and CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS Whigs in the next House of Representatives. The Senate will be more equally of Massachusetts, (son of the late venerated ex-President,) for Vice-President. A divided, probably not more than five maseries of resolutions were adopted pro-and factious opposition to the new Presijority either way, but no indiscriminate claiming the most devoted attachment to the principle of Freedom in the Territories, dent from a majority of this dignified body need be apprehended. to the exclusion of Slavery therefrom; declaring in favor of free grants of Public On the 5th of March, 1849, (the 4th fallLands in limited quantities to Actual Set- ing on Sunday,) Gen. Taylor will doubtless tlers; in favor of the Improvement of be inaugurated as President and Mr. FillRivers and Harbors by the General Gov- more as Vice-President, and the former ernment; of the raising of an adequate will immediately form his Cabinet and Revenue by Duties on Imports, &c. &c.-enter upon the direction of our National These Resolutions constitute the Buffalo concerns. On the 4th of December followPlatform, which was ably and forcibly coming, the XXXIst Congress will assemble mended to the People of the Free States to consider and adopt such Legislative thenceforward to the close of the Presiden- measures as the condition of the Country, tial canvass, by a number of the ablest and of its depressed Industry and dilapidated most effective public speakers in the Finances, may render necessary. May country, and which, we hazard nothing in the Divine blessing attend their mutual saying, were commended to the judgment labors; and general thrift, plenty, contentand approval of the People to an extent ment, happiness, crown their efforts with far beyond what was indicated by the vote that true glory which springs not from carfor Van Buren and Adams Electors. There nage and desolation but which results from is an irresistible tendency in a protracted exalted power wisely and unselfishly deand engrossing Political contest wherein voted to the lasting good of Mankind! 15 insurrection. The army of Radetsky was increased, and on the other hand, the King of Sardinia, whose sympathies were known to be in favor of the Italian cause, called out an additional force of 25,000 men on the 10th of the month, and concentrated his army on the line of the Ticino. THE year now closing, will in all time sides. The troubles increased from day to to come remain an epoch in the History day, and Lombardy was declared by the of Europe. Within its compass are in- Government at Vienna to be in a state of cluded events of more importance to the future than any which have occurred for centuries, and the rapidity with which the entire condition and relative positions of the European nations have been changed, is something for which we find no adequate parallel in the records of any age. The history of the two or three previous years, it is true, demonstrated the existence of the causes which have led to demanded concessions from the King of these conclusions, but even those who were most confident of the result, did not dream the crisis was so near at hand. In the meantime, similar movements had taken place in Sicily. The people Naples, which were not granted. An attempt was made to force them into submission, but the Swiss troops refused to The first token of the approach of these fire on the people, and the Duke of Serra changes, was given on the first day of the Capriola declined accepting the Viceyear, though its cause may be traced back royalty, unless he should have power to to the Amnesty granted by Pius IX. The make the desired reforms. Signs of reMilanese, who had never borne the Aus- sistance soon began to show themselves; trian yoke patiently, toward the end of on the 4th a serious outbreak occurred in December, 1847, formed a league by which Messina, which was followed on the 12th-they bound themselves to abstain entirely the time secretly appointed for a general from the use of tobacco, after the first of rising-by the descent of the country January. This league would have drawn people upon the garrison at Palermo.an important source of revenue from the The Cavalry which attacked them, was Austrian Government, and in order to repulsed with a loss of fifty, and, aided by break down the growing opposition, Ra- the citizens, they commenced barricading detsky, the Military Governor of Milan, the town. A Provisional Government took measures to bring on a collision be- was appointed on the 15th, and the troops tween the troops and the people. Cigars soon after opened a bombardment, which were given to the garrison, with directions lasted twenty hours. A temporary susto smoke them in the public streets, and pension of hostilities was procured by the on the afternoon of the 3d, bands of intervention of the Foreign Consuls, but soldiers, thus provided, traversed the the strife was finally terminated on the promenades. The people gave vent to 19th by a sanguinary battle, which retheir disapprobation in murmurs and sulted in the taking of the Bank and hisses; the troops fell upon them, and a Royal Palace by the people, after which massacre commenced, which lasted till the soldiers withdrew and the whole city midnight. The indignation of the Italians was surrendered to them. Trapani, Caat these barbarities was not confined to tania, Syracuse, and other towns, followed Milan. At Brescia, Pavia, and other the example of Palermo, and the struggle cities of Lombardy, disturbances occur now commenced in earnest, for the Indered, in which persons were killed on both pendence of Sicily. |