State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-01-19

cannot agree upon a candidate for the
Presidency, of their own principles, and
that it is therefore useless to call conven-
ton for that purpose. If this be true, it is
because there are so many recreants in the
cause, so many dish-water nntimosons, so
many whose itching palms have seduced
them into betrayal Of their cause, TO the,
apparently, strongest party, with hope of
participating in the spells of office
We arc told that it is useless for the Anti
masonic party to nominate candidate for
the Presidency, because he cannot be cleo
ted. This is precisely the language of our
opponents on the right hand and on the
left. A brave argument truly, because anti
masons are in the minority lin the nation)
they must disband, and swell the ranks of
party, whose political creed, rs carried
out by the practice Of the party, or rather
its leaders, is as opposite to true antinason-
ry as black is to white, darkness to light, as
reckless passion is to calm and sober reason,
as the doctrine which inculcates respect for
and unhCsitating submission to the laws, is
to the coutemning, evading aud trampIing
: upon those same laws, as cXemplied in the
course of the Military Chieftain' of the
! Richmond Enquirer, almost from his first
advent into public life. Itwould be equally
exquisite logic TO argue, that inasmuch as n
large majority of the inhabitants ofthe earth
are determined to sustain the kingdom of
Satan awhile longer, the feeble minority Of
Christians ought not only to forbcar all fur
ther opposition, but give him their hearty
| support. No; let the antimasonic party,
| however small it may be, maintain its in
tcgritY, and rally around that principle
which must ever remain the corner stone of
rational liberty.
Let a CoHyENTroS be called, and some
reputable citizen who is known to be a
sound political antimason, be nominated,
that all true antimasons may have an op-
porunity of going to the polls and voting
according to the suggestions Of their own
judgment and the dictates of conscience.
And let the weak, the vasciating the tenn
porizing, and those whose adhesion to the
party never had n stronger motive than
mere temporary political expediency,--let
them, and all who will, forsake the party
and renounce its principles. To change
ones opinion from conviction Of its fdlsi-
ty, is not even ground for reproach. But
for men, while they continue to deny that
their opinions have undergone any change,
to face about IN practice, is quite a different
thing. Young said, hundred years ago,
that men were but children of larger
growth. The line is accurately descriptive
of muldtudes Of the present day. Boys
will stick to their tops, their marbles, their
kites, about as long as many of the larger
growth viii adhere to one set of principles. /
Without even the pretence, that they have
become convinced that the principles they
have for time maintained are untenable .
they become restless and uneasy, their toy
no longer affords them amusement, aud .
they long for something new,--they are
tired Of marbles and go to flying kites.
But few years since, every political /
antimason was u constituent part of one .
great and consistent whole. From each .
part emanated becoming zeal, verging
towards common centre. The party was /
in reality what the present national Execu-
tive and his rotation cabinet have always
claimed TO be, to wit, d amt. But consis-
tency has lost its charms, and unity has
become disregarded toy. Then, when
the party was feeble and despised, but few
in number, and confined within narrow
bounds, none of its adherents thought it
lacked strength or courage to walk alone.
But now, after it has for years been cunning
strength, extending its geographical limits,
and sending up new shoots in different
quarters, which with the exception of New
Y DIRK Shame upon herr have continued to
now, after its basis has become
enlarged and the necessity for its distinct
organization is becoming daily more mani
fest, it is all at once discovered that it has
no available candidate of its own, for
President, and ought therefore to give its
support to a candidate whose sole merit is,
that he stands a chance of being elected.
And it is further urged, that contrary +.
course may have the deplorable effect of
preventing a choice by the people. That
IS, the Antmasons ought 10 assist in eleva-
ling man 10 the Office of Chief Magistrate,