Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-06-07
The Extraordinary Doings at Baltimore.
What they mean.

WHAT thcS Wc"H
Probably if the whole Three Millions of Voters in
the United States had been separately asked a month
since to indicate their first choice for President and
Vice President, not one hundred would Lave designa.
ted James X. Polk for the frs office, not fifty would
have dreamed of Geo. NJ. Dallas Tor either. And yet
we find these two, BY Convention machinery, seri-
ously presented TO the American People as Candidates
for the two highest stations in their gift! That they
will be supported by the entire party enginery, though
not by the whole party strength, we see no reason TO
doubt. That they can be elected seems hardly credi-
BILE, and yet the Ten Millions of Texas Bonds. and
Millions on VI lions Of gran'ed acres Of Texas lands,
held ! the United States, will doubtless make them
selves formidably felt in the coming contest. Every
nerve will be strained to nrrny the ultra slavery pre-
judice of the south-the new fanatics enlisted by Cal
houn g. Co. fora crusade TO extend and consolidate
Human Bondage-in favor Of this ticket, and doubt
less with some success. We expect to see II carry
Louisiana (whereln the next Election is TO be held, J
and to make itself felt even in Wing Kentucky while
Tennessee will be contested by il with the energy of
desperation. Personally. the ticket is weak enough ;
but Polk and Dallas are both original, unqualified
Annexailonsts, and this will atone Tor all DEFICIENCIES
with the riders Of the Texas hobby. This will sweep
| Mississippi and Alabama Of course; South Carolina
is theirs by prescription; and they will endeavor-
unsuccessfvlly, we are conideni-tO overthrow the
Wing ascendency in North Carolina and Georgia. In
the remaining states. with two or three exceptions,
the question Of Annexation will operate strongly
against them but this, to the Disnnionis's who devils
ed the plot, is a secondary consideration. If they can
IN this contest nut lay nfm'y ana strongly Ine OASIS
of a southern Confcderacy, of which Texas shall form
o part, and the diffusion and fertilization of SLAYER
the ruling idea, they will not take to heart the defea'
of heir candidates in the Union.
But we had intended to speak rather OF the causes
~hich led to tue strange result at Baltimore. The,
are these:
In the first place, Mr.. Calhoun and his small bu
devoted band of adherents have been determined from
the outset 10 defeat Van Buren, at all hazards-p pro
curing the nomination for the Great NulGfer If posi-
BILE, but defeating Van Buren, any how. Tennessee
came half way into this plot at an early day--nom ma
ting Mr.. Polk for Vice President, hut expressing M
preference for PTesident-an indication, in the exlstini
state of things, equivalent 10 a declaration Of hostility
to Van Buren's nomination. South Carolina begaI
by caviling at the time Of holding the Convention
(Which was deferred from November TO May To plea't
her5 then at the manner Of choosing Delegates, AM
finally refused to go into the Convention at all, afie
the choice Of Delegates in mos, of the'statcs evince'
that there was no chance for Calhoun. Georgia wa
the only state carried by his supporters. In Nortl
Carolina, the battle was nearly a draw one, but still
the Van Buren, men had the lead there, and were de
cidedly successful in Alabama, Mississippi and Louis
lana. Missouri was firm as a rock IN his cause an
remained so TO the last Virginia instructed her Del
ega,es TO support him. Kentucky named her owl
Col. r. NJ. Johnson. Maryland and Delaware ind
Gated no preference. Such was the state Of Thing
presented by the Loco Foco Conventions Of The slav
states, while all the Free states expressly declared "a
Van Buren,. II seemed 10 us, as It seemed TO hi
friends, that he could moi fail Of obtaining the nom
nation.
Such was the aspect Of affairs when the Texas in
trigue was set on foot BY UpshuI, GIlmer, Tyle
Walker 4 Co. with q multiplicity of purposes, one
the most immediate of which was the overthrow
Van Buren,. The first two did not live to witness i
success; Tyler was fooled into the belief that it woul
be fish 10 his net, and it was pressed with zeal. ass
duty and monsy.-Calhoun II not one OF the ear'ie'
J c%oniIivers readily came into a measure 50 fnvorab
To al his designs; Dick johnson raised The Texi
flag in Kentucky and Polk in Tennessee, each hnvin
his own ends TO subserve. Van Buren's letter again
A-- ..-l.- - -. nAu.rAI l.
overthrow. He might still have been nominated,
al the Northern Delegates had been sianch, but h
defeat would have been overwhelming. 4 Text
candidate would have been nominated against hin
.nd he would have got no southern vote but tina,
Missouri.
His destruction was nearer than his friends Apr
hended: Some Of the Western delegates were alarm
ed by the portents OF defeat, and drew of to Cass.