Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-11-08
To the AbOlitiOniStS.
AN OLD MAN.

cannot give separate answer to each of the
numberess letters on the subject Of the nomination
of Mr.. Birney to seat in the Legislature Of Mich
igan.
The county of Saginaw, in which MIR. Birney
sides, is i'll very new part of the State, and con-
tains but $50 voters There is no Liberty party
organization in it. Mr.. Brney is, however, so
highly respected by his ighbors, that both wings
and democrats among them have expressed their
desire that he would, for the sake of promoting
their local interests, consent TO represent this coun
ty in the Legislature. The wing convention, held
in this county, year ago, would have nominated
him To the legislature, had they not feared he
would decline the nomination. He was told this
on his return from the Eastern States; and his re-
ply was, that he would have accepted it. few
weeks ago, and during his present visit to heEast,
a democratic convention IN his county gave him
the omination.-Eleven days afterwards, hoWeY-
err the regular democratic committee of his county
came out with printed protest against his nomi-
nation, and based their protest on the ground Of
his very great and effective hostility to the demo-
cratic party. They called convention to nomi-
nate person in the place Of Mr.. Birney, and
doubtless such nomination has taken place ere this
time.
Mr.. Birney thinks it his duty to accept the nom
inaton with which portion Of the people Of his
county have honored hm--and to do so, though
he should not have the prospect of getting fifty
votes. If he is willing to serve in the office for
which he is proposed, and believes that he can do
good in it, why should he not accept this nominal
ton? Why should he not accept oft, even tho
none but democrats, or, none but wings, were will
ling to give it o-him9 Why shoudh he refuse to
receive Il nomination to any office, in which he is
willing to serve, come that nomination from wings
or democrats, or even from Shareholders them
selves? The great doctrine of the Liberty party
is that none but anti-savery men are fit for civil
office. And would abotonists have Mi. Birney
himself practically repudiate this doctrine? But
| he would be doing so were he to decline this nom
nation. We care not how bad the parties that
nominate our men, The worse the parties that do
so, the greater the hope of the salvation of our
country.
But, you say, that wings call this nomination "a
coalition bet,ceen James G. Bjrney and The Loco
foc0s;' and that, consequently, of those who
came from the wings to the Liberty party, will re-
turn, and vote for Henry Clay. 10 this answer
that in the first place, abolonats are not respon-
sibe for this W ickcd lalsehood Of the wings, and
that they only who coined it, will be the ultimate
sufferers from it; and, in the second place, thai
the strength Of the Liberty party like that Of eide
ons army,s in the integrity rather thahin the mum
Der of its members. The Liberty party will be
stronger, not weaker, for the secessions fFoAt it,
occasoned by the foolish story, that Birney issco
alescing' with the democrats, and is DEMOCRAT
They who have left US because of this story, were
nut among us. Jhey WEH OUt FROM us, because
They were mol Of us list john ii. 49, The few il
our party who desire to return to the wing party
had rather be in large though corrupt party, tina,
in an honest one wi ich is small.
They stumbled al that stumbling stone (Roman'
tx. S2D It's a part Of Gods plan, that they WHIT
seek, or are willing to avail themselves ST, occa
sons and excuses for deserving the cause Of truth
shall not fail of having them. God tries the rcli
gion and the hearts of men, by putting stumb
ling stones in their way. Behold / Ing in Zion
stumbling stone ({omans iX. $50 He put
stumblng-stones in the way of abolitonists to IT,
their sincerity aud faith. The nomination il
question, though it reflects nought bur honor d
Mr. Birney and on those who gave it to him, i
. nevertheless one of those neutrality-suspicious.; aboli
: tionists but in namo.-men of weak anti-slaycr
faith, and of corrupt heartS-sumhIe at it, sIh
TACT, that they who have now quit the Liberty plr
? ty have quit it for the purpose of voting for Hoi
! ry Clay, is abundant proof that their hearts ar
c corrupt. They cannot vote for James G. Birncy
who has emancipated his slaves, and thereby rt
= duced himself to poverty and to the necessity {
i hardening his hands by daily labor OH new farm
e but they can vote for Henry Clay, who lives o
IS the unrequtod toll Of his sixty slaves. They ca