Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-12-24
TO TIE FREEMEN OF
THE 4TH DISTRICT

Inc 9TH OF January is at hand-a day which we
solcmuly believe is to decide the most important
questions ever submitted to you. BY the law Of
the State the person who receives the greatest num-
Der Of votes on thatday will be elected At the
last trial, Lucius r. Peck received 1897 votes. Geo
b. Chandler received 1910, and A. j. Rowc re-
ccWod 1852. 1t is morally certain therefore, that
Alr Peck or Mr.. Chandler must be cected--thot
every freemen, who votes for any person except Mr.
Peck Or Mr. Chandler, will in fact lose his vote
OF course it becomes the duty, as 1t is the .bicb
privilege OF every Freeman seriously to consider
for 'etom he shall vote ho,c he shall best confirm
TO the ireeman's oath-boto best subserve the inter-
ests OF his state and his country. No question as
to the character ofMe men in nomination need en-
barross us: both arc highly respected and esteem
ed nor as to their political character need there be
any question: MIR. PECK is nominated and rrred
Npon the ireemen as friend and supporter of the
present national administraton-Mr CHANDI FER
is publicly pledged against the policy adopcd bv
that administration In point Of fact therefore the
great question for each man to determine is yho,b-
or he Will sustain or oppose the policy of President
Folk. 10 this question we ought ali oiyo candid
consideration, and an honest answer Our own con
Vlctlons OF duty are Clear and VIC hone TO be able
to make them IN some degree clear to all who will
read.
Whoever has read the Presidents Messare with
care, cannot tail to that the most prominent fea
lnre ~ me pohcy OF the administration is q vast
ACCESSION OF TERRITORY.
The President claims, and by our army he has
already IN fact occupied, the territory between the
Ncuces ana the Rlo Grandc, which a friend Of the
administration, tScnntor BENTON.1 in n speech
delivered IN tic summer of 1915, described as "n
slice q The Republic Of .1icrico,
TWO THOUSAND MILES LONG, AND SOME
HUNDREDS BROAD"---
territory which. if it averages l56 miles broad is
more than equal in area TO
IS SUCH STATES AS VERMONT!
Twill also be seen that the President inform us
that VIC have conquered - New Mexico and the Cal
ifornias." Woli-New Mexico we suppose is in
cudod, partly at least, in the territory above de-
scrbed by Senator Benton, SO we have only to as.
certain the extent of the CALIFORNIA; to wit 1900
miles long, and averaging about 100 broad-o
equal to about SIXTEEN STATES AS LARGE
AS VERMONT. The sum total of the territory
now claimed by President Polk and acquired, or in
the process of being acquired,is therefore
81 TIMES AS LARGE AS VERMONT!
The result of our examination of the documents
and maps astonishes us and we feel that the sim
pie truth is almost too vast to gain credence. But
such are the facts, as any reader see for him
self by examining any modern map; yea, in the
very Message of the President the nation is told
that we have acquired military possession of the
Mexican provinces of New Mexico, New Leon,
'Coahuila, Tamauipas and the CALIFORNIA;, a terri
tory larger IN erient ihap that embraced in lie orig
indt thirteen states Of the Union" 1t is to be re,
marked that here he does not include all the Rio
Grande territory. 1t will be seen therefore that
the President fully confirms our statement
And lchere, we beg the reader to inquire, is this
immense territory? There are the FIVE
STATES equal to Vermont. which President Polk
insists part and parcel of Texas, and therefore
already annexed to the United States? We an
swer, that all of any value-all approachabe by
water and open to commerce. nearly all fit for civ
ilized man to dwell in, LIES BELOW THE LINE
of latitude sc degrees 80 minutcs-which line, by
tho Missouri Compromise and by the resolution;
anneXng Texas, is made the line between