"NEW YORK, _July, 1848_.
"MY DEAR SIR,--Your letter came here in the absence of Mr. J. Van
Buren, which still continues, and it has been handed to me by Mr.
Bryant, with a request that I would answer it. I desire to do so
with perfect candor, and with as much accuracy as I can in regard
to questions which depend upon the concurring action of numerous
individuals composing a large party.
"As to your inquiry whether the Barnburners of New York will be
represented in the Buffalo convention, I can only say that so far as
representation consists in the presence of persons who will be asked
to consult with the members of that body and inform them of the views
of the Democracy, there will be no want of it. But representation of
the formal and authoritative character which is usual in the delegated
conventions of organized parties will not be possible, either from
the nature of the convention itself or the circumstances in which
the Democracy of this State are placed. The convention professes to
be merely a mass convention, and does not aim at the indispensable
characteristics of a delegated body--among which is a proportionate
representation of ascertained constituents, whose numbers and relations
are already known; but it will be simply a voluntary assemblage of
individuals, whose relations to each other are to be for the first time
established. Nor is there any person to act authoritatively for the
Democracy of this State, as an organized body, until the meeting of the
Utica convention on the 13th of Sept.
"But all this is not deemed to be a matter of much consequence. The
Buffalo convention must act with spontaneous harmony or it will fail
of its objects, and the spirit of the people and the circumstances of
the occasion will be likely to make it very independent of forms. If
it acts with wisdom, the Utica convention will doubtless concur in its
nomination for the Vice-Presidency.
"As to the Presidency, it will not, under any circumstances, be
practicable to change the position of the Democracy of this State.
Their convictions on this subject would be irresistible, whatever might
be the desires of leading men. Nominated, as Mr. Van Buren was, against
his wishes, and because he was believed to be the strongest candidate
with nearly all to whom they had a right to look for support, and
acquiescing, as he did, on the ground that his old companions and their
descendants had a right to his name to strengthen them in maintaining
their characters and cause amid the perils and difficulties which
surrounded them, it would not be decent towards him, now that more
than they at first hoped is sure to be accomplished, to seek another
representative. A still stronger consideration would be the bad faith
of such a procedure towards large numbers of men and influential
presses which have been drawn into our support of Mr. V. B.'s name.
Another would be the great impolicy of changing front on the eve
of battle, when the public mind has adapted itself and individuals
have found relations with reference to the candidate. And another
would be the conviction that in this State at least his name is far
the strongest that can be presented with reference to practicable
accessions to the cause. Of course this may be assumed to be the fact
among the Democrats from whom our strength must mainly come--and the
aid we have derived from it has been very great--while those Whigs who
are disposed to go with us prefer him to any other Democrat, if I may
judge from their expressions to me and others before the convention of
the 22d of June.
"The Democracy of this State supports the cause and Mr. Van Buren, an
organized party having more than fifty presses, many of which are the
longest established and most influential in the State, and are organs
on which perhaps the contest turns."