SUPPLEMENT.

THE FIRST GUN FOR FREE SOIL.

AT the threshold of the Free-soil revolt of 1848 Ex-President Van Buren, who was spending the winter in lodgings at Julian's Hotel in Washington Place, New York, said one day to Mr. Tilden as he handed him a roll of manuscript: "If you wish to be immortal, take this home with you, complete it, revise it, put it into proper shape, and give it to the public."

Mr. Tilden replied that he had not the slightest wish to be immortal by any process that would impose upon him at that time any more labor; but he consented to take the manuscript down to the residence of the Ex-President's son, John Van Buren, who then resided in White Street, and he agreed that if John would do half of the work, he would do the other half. John did agree; and a few days after the interview referred to, Tilden and John met at the Ex-President's lodgings to report.

Mr. Van Buren opened the subject by asking what they had done with Niagara Falls. This referred to a somewhat ambitious metaphor which had found its way into the Ex-President's manuscript. "We have struck that out," was the reply. He laughed, as if rather relieved at having an unpleasant duty discharged by other hands, while they went on to read the result of their joint labors.

After the Address had received the combined approval of each party to its composition, the next question was, how to get it before the public. After discussing various plans, they finally decided to issue it as an Address of the Democratic Members of the Legislature. Accordingly, on the 12th of April, Senator John G. Floyd, from the Committee of Democratic Members of

the Legislature to prepare and report an Address, read the paper to his colleagues, by whom it was unanimously adopted. I give the paper entire, partly because it was a joint and several production, and though not all from the pen of Mr. Tilden, all its views were his by adoption; partly because it throws new light upon one of the most grave and critical epochs of Mr. Tilden's political career; partly because Mr. Tilden's contribution to it would be imperfectly appreciated unless read with the context; partly because the document is very rare, and has been forgotten by most of those who are old enough to remember it when it appeared; and finally, because the history of its origin, now first disclosed, adds not a little to its permanent interest and importance. This Address deserves to be regarded as the corner-stone of the "Free-soil" party, as distinguished from the party of unconditional abolition. The name of the author of each contribution to the joint Address is given at the beginning of his contribution.

ADDRESS OF THE DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.1

To the Democracy of the State of New York,

[JOHN VAN BUREN.] In pursuance of a time-honored and wellapproved custom, the Democratic members of the Legislature, before their final adjournment, ask leave to address their Democratic fellow-citizens throughout the State. The small minority in which they find themselves in the councils of the State commend more strongly than ever to their strict observance those usages of organization which have so often in times past enabled the Democratic party to rise with renewed energy and efficiency from temporary defeat, and have carried it triumphantly through the most severe conflicts. In accordance with the custom for many years uniformly observed by those who have preceded them as representatives of the Democracy at the State capital, they assembled in joint caucus on the 21st day of February last, and by a unanimous vote passed the following resolutions :

Resolved, That it be recommended to the Democratic electors of each Assembly district in the State to appoint a delegate to a Democratic State Convention for the purpose of nominating candidates for electors of President and Vice-President, for Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, and for such other State officers as are to be chosen by general ticket at the next fall election.

"Resolved, That the State Convention be held at Utica on the 13th day of September next, at 12 o'clock, M."

They are confident that the Democracy of the State will see in this simply an act which was expected at their hands, and which it would have been a dereliction of duty in them to omit; nor can they doubt that the attachment of the party to its regular routine

1 Adopted April 12, 1848.

of nomination heretofore observed will rise above the whinings of factious discontent, which may seek to raise a doubt as to the regularity of the Convention.

The high character of the offices to be filled, and the importance of a judicious selection of candidates in order to secure success, will no doubt insure a full and faithful representation of the Democracy; and the warning of the past will doubtless prevent the bestowal of confidence upon such as have heretofore sought it only to betray.

Since we left our homes to enter upon our duties here, a delegated Convention of the Democracy of the State, convened in strict accordance with the usages of the party by the Democratic members of the last Legislature, assembled at Utica on the 16th of February, which, for the personal and political character of its members, their ability, zeal, and patriotism, as well as in its official proceedings, may well compare with any that ever assembled in this State. Held at midwinter, there were nevertheless but three counties in the whole State unrepresented; and while the full delegation which attended gives the best evidence of the confidence of the Democracy in its regularity, and its published proceedings give the best evidence of its wisdom and political soundness, we cannot refrain from adding an expression of our entire conviction of the propriety of its inception and the excellence of its conclusions.

That assemblage appointed a delegation of thirty-six members to attend the Convention to be held in May next at Baltimore for the nomination of President and Vice-President of the United States; and whatever state of things may be there presented, they will but illy reflect the spirit of the Convention which nominated them, and the sentiment of their mass constituency, if they do not unyieldingly claim to represent them without co-rival in that body, and fully assert and firmly maintain, under any and all circumstances, the principles, the rights, and the honor of the Democracy of New York. While so much is required of them in the discharge of their duty as delegates, their character affords an assurance that their whole duty will be performed.

The present position of the Democratic party in this State claims the serious consideration of all those who feel any attachment to its principles or concern for their perpetuity.

We entered into the political canvass of 1844 united in our principles, under leaders whose lives commended them to our confidence. The result was the election of our candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant-governor, a large majority in

both branches of the Legislature, and a respectable majority of the congressional delegation; and if anything further were wanting to show our proper organization and great efficiency, it was furnished in the fact that we gave a majority of some six thousand for the present National Executive. At the expiration of two years we find our congressional delegation reduced to a meagre minority, and a governor of the Federal party elected by a large majority; and a third year throws the whole legislative power, by an overwhelming majority, into the hands of our opponents. The same party which gave the President the voice of this State could not bring him within one hundred thousand votes of any respectable opponent; and a portion of that party itself, discarding all its usages and forms of action, have formed a separate and complete organization, under the name of "Hunkers." This section, enjoying the whole patronage of the Federal Government, and professing to act under its advisement, are now assailing the men and the principles of the party they have left, with a bitterness and recklessness unparalleled in the annals of party controversy.

That it has been deemed advisable by the Administration at Washington to remodel the Democratic party in this State by changing its direction without impairing its efficiency, is made apparent by the neglect of those who enjoyed the confidence of the Democracy, and by the bestowal of its patronage upon such as had received few, if any, marks of popular favor; that the attempt, however, has been eminently unsuccessful, the meagre list of hirelings enlisted for this purpose most conclusively shows.

Unable to control the action of the Democratic party, they have formally withdrawn from it, and for the time have perhaps reduced it to a minority in the State. That this secession is to be regretted, we cannot with truth admit, the seceders consisting principally of those whose adherence to us has been simply a matter of pecuniary interest, and whose departure has been occasioned by the same consideration. But whether desirable or not, such is the fact; and they hold in relation to the Democratic party a position as antagonistic in organization and in principle as the Federal party itself. That the Democratic party will rise from this temporary minority by the excellence of its principles, purified and strengthened by the departure of those who have so long brought odium upon its doctrines, no man can doubt; and so wide-spread and all-pervading is this opinion among the masses of the Democracy that we feel constrained sincerely to declare that from the best information we have been able to obtain from a free interchange of opinion with each other, and with such