Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-05-05
NUMBER TX.
Directions answered.
BY A WING OF ono


urged by the Liberty men" is that ellen
ry Clay is the Wing candidate for Presiden
and they cannot vote for him, because he
is stakeholder" My first answer to thi:
objection is, that Mr.. Clay is not the candi-
date for the Wing party at present; and
whether he will be, is quite uncertain. Nor
can | admit it to be good or sound policy
for me to Withdraw from the support of good
men at this time, for the reason that think
bad man may be candidate two years
hence for another office. Again should
Mr.. Clay die before the next Presidential
election, or should he not be candidate,
how can they Justify their withdrawal at the
late election from the support of men who
openly ayow aud support every principle
which they do themselves. NV next an
swer is, that Mr.. Clay, under the laws Of
Kentucky is permitted to hold slaves. BY
the Constitution Of the United States that
is made no disqualification from office. 1t
is an objection unknown to the Constitution,
and we ought to be careful Show we attempt
innovations upon that instrument unless
they be made in the mode pointed out for
his amendment
The first President, under the Constitution
was stakeholder /; and the shareholders of
those States have an equal right to hold office
that gentlemen who reside in the free States
have. For us at this day, to establish such
rue IS test for Office, would be violation
of the rights of the people ofthe slave States
This is, in my opinion, highly objectionable
1t would show us willing to inUade their
rights, while we profess to maintan our
own. This would be inconsistent Onr
inquiry should be, ,cW he maintain the Con-
stitutioR, and wW he support the coastitn-
tiORdt rights Of all parts of the Union? If
we are satisfied that he will do this, we
ought not to throw away our political in
fluence, and suffer our interests, our honor.
aud our constitutional rights to be trampled
under foot by party who appear anxious
to bring us under the subsection of the south,
/ would, in all candor, ask our Liberty men,
whether they would not prefer the support of
oar rights by slaveholding President, rath-
err than their destruction by a "northern
man with southern principles =! certainly
prefer that our candidates should not be
shareholders; for | believe savehodinp.
even in a slave State, to be Immoral aud
wrong, and must detract from the moral
"A of those, who practice it. Like
in our estimate of character but it is en-
titled to nothing more. Should Mr.. Clay,
or his friends, satisfy me that, if elected
President, he will in good faith, support all
these rights to which have alluded. and
which have been so often and so long
tramped upon, and he be the only cand-
date, who, in my opinion, will sustain those
rights, and who, at the same time, has a
reasonable chlnce for election, could not
justify myself to my conscience were | to
withhold my support from him. Were to
do So and thereby elect a man who would
violate our Constitution, and disregard our
rights, | should thereby become accessory
TO his acts.
In order to satisfy myself in regard to
Mr.. Clly's views on this subject ] as one of
the sovereign people, may PROFOUND to him
any and all questions that may deem i'm
portant on this subject and if he be wor-
thy ofthlt high Office, he will not hesitate
to answer them fully and frankly. If l..
then, become satisfied ;hlt he WILL if elect
ed disregard those Constitutional rights of
the north, cannot support hint would
be wrong for me 10 do 50 for should be-
come accessory to the violation of our Con-
stitution, and the subversion Of the rights of
the free States Questions of policy con-
stantly require Of us mutual concessions of
opinion; but no circumstance can Justify
the yielding up of any portion of the Com
When that shall be done, society
will be resolved into its original elements.
Another objection is, that shareholders,
when in Office, do injustice TO the free s
States. This assertion has proved too true S
in many cases, but is not correct in all in ,
stances. quote the example of the present t
Speaker ofthe House of Representatives, the {
Hon. John White. No northern man con- I
demned his official acts. He has discharged I
his duties honorably, g. is as much entitled {
TO confidence as though he lived in free r
State. Here | would caution our anti-slave- G
y men not to permit their lofty principles Of y
human rights TO dwindle down to mere To- Q
,al iealousies. We should no more invade i
he spirit of the Constitution by making the il
holding Of slaves test for office, than we t.
hould permit our southern friends TO in il
'ade its LITTER c
Again it is said, that the Wings have 4
lone nothing in favor Of those rights which q
men consider so important. Is
he assertion correct? Have not ]. q. Ii
adams, William Slade, Seth NJ. Gates, and ii
'ther Wings, done what they could for the b
efence and support of northern rights p Il
Iut it is said these are indioiduols Yet Il
hey belong to the Wing party, and consti- p
ute part of it; and surely their acts can e
ot be placed to the credit of the 0ther par m
y. But do not our friends, who make fl
his objection, charge over to the Wing e,
lriy the acts Of individuals belonging to
hat political sect when they oppose the &,
ause of human rightsl The great body of
he Wing party in Congress voted to repeal
Il -. IL. Il