Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-08-09
Letter from Gen. Fletcher.
Proctorsville, JuIu 81, 1874.

Ma. EDITOR.
The Freeman dated the 26h was not received
until to-day. have this moment discovered ali
article in which the writer says that it is reported
IN Chester, that renounccd at Royalton my polit-
cal abotionism, and pledged myself for Clay.
am we'll aware that the pursuit of such a mean
adversary rs he who can fabricate and circulate
downright falsehood, can add no laurcs to the
assaiant; yet it is sometimes necessary to silence
the croakings of the most insignificant insects.
conceive it to be duty owe to myself, and to
the Liberty Party. whose principles most heartily
adopt, and whose interests uniformly labor to
promote, to say that the above report is wholly
and entirely unfounded and false. If any one of
my ncighbors has any thing to alegc in relation to
position of an honest man and give the communi-
ty the facts or charges in detail, and not aid in
propagating SANDER in suca dastardly manner.
Allow me to say, Mr.. Editor, that was slow in
throwing of the shacElcs of party, and breaking
away from the ranks in which had long acted.
Ny opinions had been schooled and trained to run
in q particular chanrc for years, and | had often
attempted to support and defend them. 1t was
hard to rctract. was under the influence Of that
binding, excited party feeling, which is control-
ing the multitude around me. In such state of
mind sober judgment is laid aside, conscience is
dismissed moral principle gets leave of absence
(tII after this once) and all that was noble and
worthy in the man seems burnt up in the heat of
party. saw that while we were surrounded with
the elements of national prosperity and happiness
distress and embarrassment pervaded the land.
heard these calanties imputed by each of the po-
litica parties to the policy and measures of the OPP
pOsitc. | saw the power transferred from one
party to the other, but the same embarrassment
remained. attempted to search condidly for the
source of our difficulties and was constrained to
believe that there was something radically wrong
in the policy aud measures of our general govern
ment as administered by either of the parties.
was led to regard both of the prominent parties as
negligent regardless, or hostile to the great inter
csts of human freedom, whatever good they may
propose to accomplish, they fail to support the fun
damenta principles of liberty upon which alone the
general good is Observation-Disclosures abuses they
promise to remove, they stand pledged to the sup
port Of the greatest abuse with which the nation
was ever disgraced and cursed. I thus came tc
the conclusion, that connection with these parties
was wrong in principle, and disastrous in practice
| then joined the Liberty party, and | challenge
any man to prove that have swerved from the
principles of that party. My convictions that
have espoused cause just righteous, and honor
able; and that our measures are consistent ration
al, and feasible--have been growing stronger du
ring the last three years. and remain firm ant
mistaken, Notwithstanding the plausible sophistry
of Burchard and his colleagues. TO me, sir, it il
perfectly manifest that the question Of American
slavery, or this slave power and influence, is III
great political question of the day, more deeply
affecting the vital interests and permanent welfare
OF the nation, than all other party questions. Be
lievng this, did not "pledgc myselffor Cay."-
trust, sir, that the time is coming when meri
shall'bo graduated by scale which is now too sci
dom applied-whcn the qualities which now raist
man to the highest stations and secure him the
hosannas of gddy, caprcious multitude, will
cease to DO regarded as praiseworthy- NOR
al north shall command the paudits of universe
esteem, and secure the confidence and affection o
a Christian people When that happy time ar
rives, the virtues of James g. Birney will be
sure passport to the highest station.
SINCERELY yours,
RYLAND FLETCHER