Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-04-04
WHO ARE REsPoNsIBLEI

bly, and benehclally employed, than IN dlsputlng
at this late day. about the relative responsibilities
of EACH arising from the election of James X.
Polk to the Presidency, the passage of the Texas
Resolutions, and the anticipated consequences
ofthese events We should much rather see al
union Of all the citizens every party, who dep
recate the calamities feared, for the purpose of
ayertng them, and of efecting such salutary
changes in the public feeling and sentiment as
might result in the election to the high and re-
sponsbe offices Of the Government, of men, who
shall be distinguished as well for moral purity &
sound democratic principles, as for intellectual
power, and experience in public life; and thus
prepare the way for accomplishing the great and
desirable work of establishing justice, and of Sc
curing the blessings of Liberty to ALL in confor-
nifty to the Declaration Of independence, and
our National Constitution BY thus wisely re-
framing from mutual reproaches and uniting up
on Fundamental principles, and faithfully and en-
SPECIFICALLY carrying them out in our elections,
very soon we should witness repeal of the laws
which restrain unofending human beings Of their
liberty and the enactment of others, adequate to
the protection of every individual in the nation,
however humble, in the full enjoyment of all his
rights We should soon witness searching
operation" in all the hooks and crevices which
for half century have been the concealments of
official wckedness, and Of the 'doleful creatures
Of corruption and ultimately a thorough purih-
fcation of every department Of the Government,
from all that is hostile to democratic liberty, or
h ,,,Oro1 IF nnErbt al
Christian nation.
But Notwithstanding these views, since por-
ton of the Wing presses have thought proper to
call up, and again to urge these unjust and injuri-
ous yet often refuted charges against the Lber-
Party, it seems proper that we should say some
thing in behalf of its general course, associated
as it certainly is, with truth, and justice, and
virtue, if not with party expediency.
Since the passage of the Texas resolutions in
Congress, we find some of the editors petulantly
exclaiming to the Liberty Party somewhat after
this manner: "There! you see what you've done
elected Polk Got in Texas The South
has got the advantage. Abolition is down. The
Tariff will 90 next And all this, just because
the Liberty party we're so obstinate that they
wouldn't vote for Clay" Of course, if the Lib
erty Party have accomplished all these results, it
must be admitted that they are very formidable
party, and altogether too Important to justify the
contemptuous treatment which their opponents
have been pleased to bestow upon them. But
let us look at these assertions.
affected Polk" If man may be justly ba-
med for the occurrence of an event, which he
zealously and with all his might, strove to pre-
vent, then it might seem reasonable to hold the
Liberty party responsible for the election of a
man for whom they did not cast solitary vote,
and whose election they strenuously opposed
and not otherpisc. But be that as it may, in
whatsoever light it may be viewed, there is no.
thing more clearly demonstrable, than that the
Wings elected Polk, in precisely the same sense
in which they would have it appear that he was
elected by the Liberty Party
But how did the Liberty Party elect Polk?--
Why, their Wing opponents say it was done by
giving their votes, not for Mr. Polk, but for Mr..
Birney instead of Mr.. Clay Very well; we re-
ply, that by the same rule, the Wings elected Mr.,
Polk, by voting not for him, but, for Mr.. Clay,
instead of Mr.. Birney But they will tell US,
this is not just reasoning, because the Wings were
the most numerous party and it would be abb
surd to ask the larger party to yield to the small
er. Our answer is, that this, with the Liberty
Party, was a question Of conscience and of moral
right; and hence could not be affected by any
consideration of numbers 1t is fundamental
principle Of the Liberty Party that no slave
holder or advocate or abettor of slaveholding is
entitled to the votes of Christian Freemen; that
voluntary slaveholding, under all circumstances is
sin, and that to sanction it by voting or in any
other way, is morally wrong. They also hold that
it is their duty to exert all their influence and all
their best efforts to abolish Slavery by all justa-
bic means. They had held Convention, we be-
lieve, something like year before either of the
other parties had theirs, and nominated a can
didate for the Presidency, in all points unexcep-
tonabe at least so far as the interests Of the free
states were concerned
Touching the subject Of Slavery, he was OK
actly conformed to the protcsscd standard of the
Northern Wings; for they protested to be as
much opposed to slavery as the Liberty mer
were. They have uniformly protested their de
sire to have Slavery abolished as soon as it coulC
be done safely and consttutionaly; he professet
the same, land desired it no sooner, nor in any,
other way, They were opposed to the Annexa
ton of Texas; so was he. They were opposed
to disturbing the present Tariff; so was he
As a man of talents, if not as eminent as Mr.
CLAY. he was fully equal to the station for whicl
he was nominated, and certainly not inferior t
majority of those who have occupied the Elk
ecutve chair; while as man of integrity and q
moral purity, he was unsurpassed To supper
Mr.. Birney, therefore, (f the professions of tn
Wings were sincere) required, on their part, n
sacrifice Of any principle, moral or politcica
They might have adopted the nomination wit
perfect consistency and in view of the grea
questions pending, it would seem to have bee
their duty to do So In their wisdom, howeve
they exercised their unquestionable right of pu