Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-07-30
THE FREE VI A N .
For the Green Mountain freeman.
A SANDER RefutCd.


Mr.. EDITOR :-"The Liberty party is responsible for
the defeat of Clay and the election of Polk and the an
noXaton of Texas, and the war with Mexico" Such
the substance of what commonly appears in the wing
papers. Its truth deny, and maintain that Mr. Clay
is responsible for his defeat and that it is wrong
to attempt to transfer the blame from him to any one
else.
Every body remembers Mr. Cays "Ralegh Letter."
in which he came out "fat-footed' against annexation
was upon the ground of that letter that the wings of
this State and of the north generally rallied remem-
Der well how confidently they appealed to the Lber-
ty party to support Mr. Clay, on the ground that he
was clearly and fully committed against annexation;
and remember it the better because in my small way,
piled them with this argument myself But what
was my disappointment and modification when he
yielded to the opportunities of shareholders and wrote
his letter to Alabama, and subsequent one cxplana-
tory of it, but making worse. have not the letters
before me, but never forget the impressions they
made on me. They were complete abandonment of
the ground taken in the Raleigh Letter, especially in
that they, in substance, declared what Mr. Clay knew
"
slavery, and added, what | was astonishcd and con-
founded to see that personality he had no objections to
annexation.
Although had long supported Mr.. Clay and had
committed myself to his support in the last election it
was very hard work to continue that support after he
had avowed himself an anncXationst in the letter to
Alabama. And there is nothing about which feel
mlre confident than that that letter lost him thousands
oTotcs. wasupon the result of the election satisfied
and am still satisfied, that if Mr. Clay had stood still
upon the ground of the Raleigh letter he would have
carried the State of New York, and thus have been
elected. If | remember right, he wanted but about
$500 votes TO carry that State 1t required but a
change of | $50 votes produce this majority of $500
votes against hm;-and what candid, intelligent man
will deny that his change of position changed more
than $50 votes in the State of New York? Nobody
can deny it. Wing as was it was as much as pos
sby could do to support him, after this change. How,
then, could ask men, who had become attached to
the Liberty party to support him? did not and could
not 1t was much as could do TO vote for him my
self, although strongly committed to his support This
was out and out opposed to annexation, "pcrsonay,"
politically, and in every way at the same time that
wished and hoped tosecurc other important objects by
his election besides defeat of annexation. All this
was enough to overcome the feeling produced by his
strong speech in 1889 in favor Of slavery, and his rude
treatment of MrMendcnholt to whose civil request that
he would cmancipato his slaves, he replied by telling
him to go home and mind his own business. 1t was
very hard work for me to get over these things but
did get over them for the sake of defeating annexation
as Mr. Clay's Raleigh letter led me to suppose would
certainly be done for his election. But to please ultra
supporters of slavery and those whom he knew were
bent annexation, for the sole purpose of sustaining
and porpetuoting it, he consented in an evil hour to
say that personally, he had no objection to annexation,
and that it had nothing to do with slavery.
do not hesitate to charge M. Clay with defeating
his olvn election; and should like to see the wing odi-
tor who is willing boldly to deny it, and give reasons
think the editors of the whig press would be better
employed in doing this than in repeating the charge
that the Liberty party have elected Mr.. Polk annexed
Texas, &c.
have thrown out these suggestions hastily, not hav-
ing time to 60 fully into the subject wish, Mr.. Edi-
tor you would find the letters of Mr. Clay to which |
have alluded and publish them, so much of them as
will show up this matter fully, and set the community
to discussing it upon its real merits.
A WING OF 1T.