The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-08-22

But the question is not, What is tn
position of Vermont with regard to slave
ry and its abolition but, What is the pc
sllIon OF the wing party, extending as i
does throughout The country, and having
It's supporters in every state. The Balti
more Convention that nominated Mr.
Clay, met, deliberaed, resolved, and sepa
rated, but took no action whatever on thi:
momentous subjects. Mr. Clay has re.
Gently stated categorically the object 70,
which his party is organized-emancipa
ton is not named in the list. In his
speech in the Senate in 1899, he insisted
that slavery was sanctioned and sanctihed
by the Legislation Of more than two hun
dred years; and he Tejoiced that IL was
not true, that either of the two great po-
ltical parties in the country had any de.
sign or aim at abolition. He has since
declared that he would suffer the tortures
of the inquisition, before he would sign a
bill having for It's object the abolition oil
slavery in the District of Columbia, or in
any manner give countenance TO the
project. And in a speech delivered al
Raleigh, short time prior to the Bati-
more Convention, he reaffirmed all the
opinions contained in the speech of 1899.
Aud yet with full knowledge of his pc.
stion on the great question of emancipa
ton, he received the unanimous nomna.
ton of that convention. But an anti
slavery character has been claimed for the
Wing party, on the ground that it is OPP
posed to The annexation of Texas. That
a vast majority of the Wings OF Vermont
and of the North, are opposed to it, we
do not doubt; but that that party is op-
posed to it, or that it ever will be, under
lis organization, wants confirmation
There is as clear a distinction between
the objects Of party and the private
views of its members, as there ia between
the chartered ends OF a corporation, and
the opinions oflhe individuals that com.
pose it. 1.-THE wing party is opposed to
annexation, why did not the Baltimore
Convention avow hostility 10 the project,
and the Grand Council of the party,
pledge the party to resistance2 And the
letter of Mr.. Clay is Ieyelled only at an
nexatlon as presented in the Treaty then
pending in the Senate. Ii the assent of
Mexico can be extorted, Mr.. Clay is no
where committed against the annexation.
Moreover it is well known that in the
Southern States the annexationss in the
Wing ranks not only put the construction
on that letter which we have gwen, but
argue that he is firm & reliable friend OF
the deleslable scheme. At the Wing
convention held at MiIIedgevile, Ga. for
the purpose of nominating Electors of
Pres ldent and Vice President, the follow.
ing resolution was adopted unanimously:
Resolved, That we are in favor of the
annexation of Texas to the United States
at the earliest practicable period consistent
with the honor and good faith oil the ma
ton.
Mr.. Rives, Wing senator from Vir-
glnla, In a speech made on y week before
last, and reported in the Richmond Wing
said he himself was not opposed to the
Ultimate annexation of Texas-and de-
cIared his belief that. "MR. CLAY
WAS FOR ULTIMATE ANNEX
ATION-the aohOle course Of Mr.. Clay
Sh0wed Aas. and he was willing to leave
j, in the hands of Mr. Clay" But we
have ii nearer approximation to Mr.. Gays
real views upon this subject, in a letter
from himself 10 the editor of a Wing pa
per in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, dated Ash
land, July 1, 1874. We copy the male
rial paragraph.
Gas 10 the idea of my courting the all
olitonists, it is perfectly absurd. No
man IN the united States has been half so
much abused by them as | have BEEN
| consider the Union great political
partnership. and that new members ought
not 10 be admitted into the concern at the
imminent hazlId of its dissolution. PER>
TO THE ANNEXATION OF Texas but
would be unwilling to see the Union dis
solved, or seriously jeoparded, for the
sake of acquiring Texas.
So Mr.. Clay personally has no objec>
tlun TO annexation, and will oppose the
measure only at The Imminent hazard of
the Union. From whence will proceed
disafeclion towards the Union, in the
event of annexation? Why, from the an.
tislavery men of The North, 10 be sure
Judge, then, which will best conduce to
prevent the annexation of Texas-for the
aboIiionists of The free States 10 combine
their Influence in favor of a Presidential
candidate who is an out spoken and con-
sstent opponent of annexation @nder all
circumstances, or break up their organi-
cation, and vote for Henry Clay, who
personally has no objection to annexation,
and who declares it TO be the duty of the
general government 10 protect and defend
the institution OF slavery!
The facts above reciled fix the relations
of the Wing party 10 slavery and its abo'
litlon 10 the slave power & the measures
f,r i