State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-08-23

vi Ho'i Ho IeCoruS oI oIner parties, the
testimony Of thousands of the wisest and
best men in the nation, and your own ex-
perience and observation will abundantly
enable you to determine.
But your principles cannot effectually
triumph, unless your candidates succeed.
A minority may assert and maintain them,
against all hope of success; but no discreet
or sound politician or patriotic citizen will,
in selecting candidates to curry out his
principles, entirely overlook the prospect
of ultimate victory. Whoever regards the
great interests of whole people, and pla-
ces those interests in one scale, and then
attempts TO balance them by placing his own
particular favorite in the other, will often
find that he has fallen short of success. He
will sometimes find himself weighed down
by great community, equally patriotic as
himself, devoted to the same principles and
determined to maintain them, though diff
ferlng as to the men or means, by which
the great end is to be consummated.
1t was to sustain the great principles of
national policy adopted and cherished by
the antimasons, as well as those no less
important ones which constituted them a
distinct party, that the national antimasonic
convention of 1882 presented the name of
William Writ rs candidate for the Pres.
dency. High as that gentleman stood in
the estimation of his countrymcn, brilliant
and unspotted as was his fame, and valuable
as had been his public services, no one will
venture TO assert that he would have been
selected us the antinasonic candidate at
that time, had he not been known and
Incorporating opponent of policy of
Andrew Jackson's administration. The
principles and practices Of the dominant
party were at that time, deemed highly
dangerous by the antimasons, and they felt
it to be their imperious duty to array them
selves unitedly against them. No indica-
lions have since been given, tending to
show that the great body of them do
not entertain the same views in relation TO
the jackson party that they did in 1882,
and certainly no new reason exists, that is
known to us, why we should cease to OPP
pose TINT system of policy.
Believing, therefore, that principles are
permanent and immutable, however men
may change, the Antimasonic State Con-
vention of Vermont present to their fellow
citizens the names of WIN. ii. HARRISON
and FRANCIS GRANGER, MS suitable
candidates for the offices of President and
Vice President of the United States.
1t may perhaps be deemed unnecessary
to adduce facts or arguments TO show the
relation which these distinguished citizens
sustain to our party and our principles.
| Such as have had access to correct inior-
nation must be already satisfied on this
head. 1t is matter of surprise and regret,
that portion of those who have heretofore
conducted the antimasonic press in YER
mont should have deemed it necessary or
proper TO misrepresent the character, both
moral and political, of our candidate for
the office Of President, and to conceal his
sentiments entirely from their readers, or
perver and torture them into something
entirely different from their true meaning.
| How widely different has been the treat
ment of Gen. Harrison in this respect, from
that of MIR Writ at the last election! How
ready were all our presses, when he had
avowed his opinion of our principles and
borne testimony to their correctness, al
though that opinion was hastily formed,
and in opposition TO the views he had pre-
viously entertained and expressed, how
ready, we say were our presses not only TO
disregard his former opinions, but to over.
look the circumstance that he had been
himself connected, in early life with the
masonic institution. Let the same spirit of
candid generosity be extended to General
| Harrison, and his friends are more than
satisfied. OF his opinions Of the institution
of freemasonry, however, and the proper
means of efiecting its overthrow, we are not
left in doubt. They are unequivocally and
fearlessy expressed, and are entirely coin
cident with the views of the Antimasonc
party, as repeatedly expressed in the reso-
lutions and addresses of their representative
bodies. He is identified with our princi-
Piles by the whole course of his political
| life. With him the laws of the land have
always been held sacred. In no instance,
during his long and eventfnl public career
has he been known to violate single prin-
ciple of the Constitution. lie is moreover
identified with our party by receiving and
accepting his first nomination at their
hands. The antimasons of our patriotic
sister, Pennsylvania, second TO none in their
attachment to democratic principles, spon-
taneously and with great unanimity pre-
scented him TO the American people as
candidate for the first Office in their gift.
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND demo-
cratic antmasons of that state now present
an undivided front in his support, forming
the vanguard of tho mighty phalanx who
rally under his banner, resolved to save
their Country's Constitution from the iron
grasp of the spoilers.
1t is said by his enemies, that Gen. Har-
rison is deficient on the score Of civil quail
ifications; that he is incompetent 10 the
discharge of the duties of the presidential
Office. Such objections scarcely deserve
a passing notice. BY what criteria, it may
be asked, do his enemies Judge Of his quail
ilications? Shall they be determined by
his public acts, by his writings, by the
length of time he has served his country,
and the manner in which he has discharged
the diversified duties of the stations to
! which he has been called Il So we sub