Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-03-14
AIN FIR E e M A N.

"A
did it make any effort to curta the aggressions of
slavery or deprive it of any of its almost omnipo-
tent powerl The sacred right q petition was e.
ven denied us, though the party had majority
of forty. Not bill was presented, or motion
made TO remove the gangrene Of slavery, that was
preying upon the vltals of the nations capital, and
robbing other portions of our land Of their beauty
and glory, though directly under the power and
control of Congress.
Gddngs was even censured and sent home by
these lehig aboRiOniStS fer expressing his feelings
too freely on this delicate subject About the
same time Francis Granger declared before wing
congress, when about to be appointed post master
general that he was not an abolitionist and if he
were one, he should expect to be put out of all Of
fee Mr.. Everett was also kept in suspense six
weeks before he could receive the appointment of
minister to St. James court, on account Of his an
ii sl0veryBfeeings; and these noble emotions, if he
ever had any, must be stihed, and his friends
youch for his being sound to the core on the sub
ect of slavery before he could get the appointment
Mr.. Clay, also, was compelled to pledge himself
to the interests of the slave power, gain and again.
before he could get a single southern vote 1t was
facts like these, together with knowledge of the
course pursued by Mr.. Clay, for the last 80 years.
during which time lie had done all in his power to
extend and perpetuate slavery that forced the con-
yction upon US that the wing party, and its leader,
could not be trusted with a question of so much
interest the annexation Of saveholding territory.
We were honest in our convictions Of duty, and
have seen no reason yet to regret the course we
pursued.
But there is another view of the subject deserv-
ing Of notice. The scheme has been perfected
without the aid of Mr. Clay or Mr.. Polk bur by
the sanction Of mongrei president, elected by
wing votes and this, in part, accounts for the
desperation Of the wings, and their abuse of The
Liberty party for they feel that their guilt is too
great, and their sins too numerous to bear them
alone But we are told that had Mr. Clay been
elected, Texas would have been kept out, from the
fact that the ma iority would have decided against it,
aud this alone would have influenced Congress and
defeated the measure. Mr.. Polk is now minori-
ty president, aud if the wings considered their
votes were cast against annexation, then the ma
jorly have already decided against the scheme, for
no one can deny that every vote for Mr.. Birney
was ii vote directly against annexation, and some
of the southern members give us the credit of hay-
ing done more than the whole Whig party to de-
feat the accused measure. A tohig member from
Tennessee introduced the Joint resolutions, and
IL, f. Il
Clay's election had changed their votes would
that have defeated the scheme2 Would demo-
cratic House have refused to vote for annexation
on account of his election? Had the south sup
posed that Mr. Clay was opposed to the measure,
they would have been still more anxious to have
consummated the work before he came into the
presidential chair and the democrats would have
been compelled to so for the measure or witness
The entire destruction OF their party. The vote in
the senate could not have been materially altered
by his election, us only three wings voted for the
scheme, and they were known friends of annexa-
ton and were instructed to go for it by their con-
stituents Tyler certainly would not have refused
to sanction the measure, whatever the result might
have been.
1t is evident, then, that if the liberty men had
voted for Mr.. Clay, and thus secured his election,
admitting all the wings can ask, we should have
accomplished nothing. The ground we have so
long and so monfulIy maintained would have been
given up into the hands Of the enemy, our princi-
pies would have been violated, our cause ruined,
God and liberty dishOnored, slavery would have
triumphed over freedom, and despolsm over hui
manity and we should have been tormented with
the guilt and disgrace of showing ourselves to be
hypocrtes, by abandoning our post and giving our
vote for notorious Shareholder and duelist. God
he praised that we have not fallen into the snare
our enemies have set to destroy US, but have done
our duty faithfully and fearlessy, and can now 90
on our way rejoicing with light and merry heart,
leaving the events at the disposal of an all wise
Providence.