turning home, the Barnburners issued an address, written by Samuel
J. Tilden, who fearlessly called upon Democrats to act independently.
This led to the famous convention held at Utica in June. Samuel Young
presided, Churchill C. Cambreling was conspicuous on the stage, David
Dudley Field read a letter from Martin Van Buren condemning the
platform and the candidate of the Baltimore convention, and Benjamin
F. Butler, Preston King, and John Van Buren illuminated the principles
of the Free-soil party in speeches that have seldom been surpassed in
political conventions. In the end Martin Van Buren was nominated for
President.

This assembly, in the ability and character of its members, contained
the better portion of the party. Its attitude was strong, defiant, and
its only purpose apparently was to create a public sentiment hostile
to the extension of slavery. Nevertheless, it was divided into two
factions, one actuated more by a desire to avenge the alleged wrongs
of Van Buren, than to limit slavery. To this class belonged Churchill
C. Cambreling, Samuel J. Tilden, John A. Dix, Sanford E. Church, Dean
Richmond, John Cochrane, Benjamin F. Butler, and the Van Burens. On
the anti-slavery side, Preston King, David Dudley Field, James S.
Wadsworth, and William Cullen Bryant were conspicuous. Seven years
later, these men were quick to aid in the formation of the Republican
party; while the former, for the most part, continued with the
Democratic party. But, whatever the motives that prompted them, their
action strengthened the Buffalo convention[375] which met on August 9,
1848, giving an impetus to the anti-slavery cause too strong for
resentment or revenge to guide it.

[Footnote 375: "The nomination of Cass for the Presidency by the
Democrats and Taylor by the Whigs led to the Buffalo convention of
1848. Pro-slavery Democrats were there to avenge the wrongs of Martin
Van Buren. Free-soil Democrats were there to punish the assassins of
Silas Wright. Pro-slavery Whigs were there to strike down Taylor
because he had dethroned their idol, Henry Clay, in the Philadelphia
convention. Anti-slavery Whigs were there, breathing the spirit of the
departed John Quincy Adams. Abolitionists of all shades of opinion
were present, from the darkest type to those of a milder hue, who
shared the views of Salmon P. Chase."--H.B. Stanton, _Random
Recollections_, pp. 162-63.]

There have been many important meetings in the history of American