Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-04-23
Who elected Mr., Polk ?

The following extract is from the Boston Chrome
foul caumnies that have been charged upon it, and
places the responsibility upon the Wings, where 1t
properly belongs. At late Anti-savery meeting
SIN reply to the charge that the abolitionsts elected
Mr.. Polk Mr.. Cummings stated on the authority of
Hon. Luther Bradish, late Lieut.. Governor Of New
York, that Mr.. Clay was nominated to the Presidency
when it was well known that he could not carry the
State of New York. Before the campaign Of 1910,
Mr.. Clay met the leading Wings of the country at
Saratoga, and put to them the question whether they
1.-THE whigs could carry New York. 1t was replied that
they could. He then asked if they could carry it, he
being the candidate. There expressive silence,
and at last he frankly answered that they could
not "You surprise me-" said Mr.. Clay, "what is the
reason% The reason assigned to him was his cele-
brated speech in the Senate in favor of slavery in 1885,
for the author of which the abolitionsts who held the
balance of power in the State, could not be made to
vote In accordance with this the delegates of New
York in the Wing nominating Convention voted first
for Scott, and finally for Harrison. AS neither Mr..
Clay nor the Abolitionsts of New York had changed
their views, Mr. Cummings argued that the nomina-
ton of the former for the election in 1874 made
in the full knowledge that he could not be elected"
Let honest Wings ponder well the facts here brought
had been feeby presented and but partially understood
when the liberty flag had but just been unfured, and
only mere handful we're prepared to put forth any
efficient action to abolish slavery; even then the
Wings did not dare to put up slavehodng candidate
for the Presidency, they had not mpudence enough to
ask anti slavery men to vote for such man. But in
1914, when the 1000 Liberty men had increased to
more than 10000, after they had nominated candid
ate every way worthy ofther suffrage, and proclaimed
to the world as one Of their cardinal principles, that
they could not and uOuld not sustain any man for Of
flee who was guilty of holding his fellow men in AFFECT
servtude With these facts distinctly before them,
the Wings nominated Henry Clay who affirmed in
one of his letters that he lost the nomination in 1910,
solely on the ground of his being stakeholder Dur
ing the last campaign he re-endorsed every sentiment
which he had previously advocated in favor of slavery
and stood pledged to do all in his power to perpeuate
it. Had the system lost any of its odious character
during the four years that interviewed? or had the alb
otonsts shown themselves so subservien to slavery
during that time, that the Wings supposed they would
be ready to sacrifice their principles and be induced
to vote for one of the most guilty Shareholders in the
nation? If it was on this ground they nominated Mr..
Clay they have met With the fate their course of con-
duct justly merted, Some of their own party would
not even vote for him; how then could they expect
Liberty men would give their suffrage for man, who
in l84O could not secure the support of proslavery
Wings and in IA of only part of them. We know
of no language that can describe the dishonesty and
oF bo tO oil
NIT that it was because their candidate stained
with the blood of slavery, that causeI his defeat, but
attempt to charge the guilt upon the Liberty party,
which has hitherto used all its moral and political pow
er to abolish slavery