Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-04-16
Mr.. DiIIineham's Letter.

AAls
The last Patriot cantains letter from the Hon.
Paul Dillingham;, IT, in which he peremptorily declines
being again considered candidate for Congress. He
says, g This is no hasty determination on my part
Two elections was all l ever expected-all ever de-
sirod-more, perhaps, than ever deserved" we CO.
Ply the two most important paragraphs of his letter.
containing as they d. the only attempt at justtica-
ton of his course upon the Texas question which he
has ever degned to offer to his constituents, to our
knowledge, either in Congress or out.
"Our country is still in its infancy, yet it ranks even
lnow, among the first in the world. But what we
shall be does not yet appear" Looking to the past 1t
is not perhaps extravaganza to predict OF the 1uture,
that the end even of the present century, nay see US
nation of eighty or hundred millions OF inhabitants
and that even then we shall be comparatively
young people, Our growth and perpetuity, however,
depends much on our remaining rural-an agrlcultu-
raj people, at present nterprlzng- Intelligent
full of energy and hope; instead of becoming coun-
try Of dense and crowded population, where the
struggle for success in life is all among the rich and
the great where the degraded masses can have no
chance but for life of hardship and misery, and no
hope but for an early grave.
In this view if will be seen why when Texas vol
UNFAIRLY offered herself to us, consented to receive
her. though attended with evil which regret, but
which woudhav pertaned to her. had we refused the
offer Hence too, it will be perceived why am now
for Oregon to its last broad 1t is ours by right
it is a country of vast capacities for sustaining
large population of free Intelligent christian men, Such
a population we can give it. No other nation cam
None other would if they could look on any new
state added to this Union a new cord to bind 1t to-
gether-as new guarantee Of its duration"
Thus it will be seen that Mr.. Dillingham; is, to the
fullest extent, convert to the latest edition OF the
creed of cutaneous democracy Oregon, CAL
1onia, and-all that joins us over which to extend
our free and Christian institutions. In the fuliilment
of these designs, he became most supple tool IN the
hands of the shareholders of extending the "ree" IN
stuion of eternal slauay over the territory of Texas;
and now he stands silently and tamely by while the
savehodg partners in the contract are struck with
a mastery inactivity" and so strenuous for peace
that they would give up even the last broad acre" OF
Oregon if need be, to prevent war
What allow us to ask of Mr.. Dillingham;, is the
high mission of Democracy? Is it anything short OF
Il the elevation and redemption Of Universal MANI
Can its ends be gained by the costly sacrifice of hui
man liberty and happiness? In what does the great
ness and permanency of our republic consist? Is it
f in extended territory broad rivers, and multltudnous
peope-whe the one portion of the inhabitants are
converted into oppressive tyrans, and the other into
mental slaves? Will the admission into our Union OIL
eght or ten new Texan States cursed as they must be
with eternal savery-heir fair fields laid waists by the
nerveless hand of umequited toil-the intelligence
morality and religion Of the people destroyed by idle
ness and despotism, on the one part, and egallzet
= heathensn and bitter revenge on the other-her whole
borders filled with violence and blood this be
a consummaton upon which the eye of the phanthro
pst and christian may feast ITSELF and which will tent
to fill up the ideal picture of our future greatness?
Mr.. Dillingham; acknowledges that slavery was
drawback upon his joy at the acquisition of Texas
but, SAYS he lit was an evil that would have pertaine
r to her, had we refused the offer" True, the evi
would have perained to her--and so would the gull
! and evil consequences. band of pirates may b
! bent on following their bloody avocaton-but shou
We therefore, be guiltless in receiving them into on
community, throwing around them the arm of our de
fence, and not only sharing their plumber, but FORBID
DING them by la,c to eUe abandon their wicked pursuits
=, We have been sadly disappointed in the course G
Nr. DllllnnUdIU WllllG III OOl1ItSS' W. PluNCu IL
little confidence in his onti-sl slavery Professions-n hi
philanthropy and practical christianity and especial
in his public pledge that he would do no act tendin
to sanction and strengthen slavery We believed hir
too strongly imbued with the free spirit of his own ma
=, tive mountains to tamely bow to the mandates G
= southern slavery. Let the record express our dsap
Il pontment'
i At the commencement of the present session Q
d Congress- the Texas question up for final decis
o ion. The subject was referred to the committee o
Is the Territories, of which Mr. Dillingham; is member
IF on the 9th day of December last. This committee
e composed Of five Shareholders and four non-saveholt
V ers-the latter being Douglass, of Illinois; billing
/ ham of Vermont; Thompson, of Pa; and Rockwell
v of Massachusetts, The reference Of this queston,w
N have said, took place the 9th of Dec, and h
morning of the 10h the committee reported in favor
:, admitting Texas into the Union, with consttuto
e forbddng the Legislature the power to ever abois
slavery, but with the consent Of all the Shareholder
= and allowing her hco Representatives in Congress
when there was not the least evidence of her havin
If larger population than Florida Delaware or Arkar
IS sas, which entitled to but representative eacl
g Now Mr.. Dillingham; could not but be aware, that tn
great object of acquiring Texas was, to enhance tn
4 power of slavery. Common sense and bitter exper
Nc ence as well the unblushing avowals of Calhoun
Is while Secretary of State, lin letter to our Mniste
to France, if we mistake not and many other south
u en statesmen and journals all combined to estabs
this fact Soapparently had this been the object {
the scheme, from its very inception, that all parties
4 the free States had uniformly joined in condemnin
the measure. In our State, the whole people, wit
l., Mr.. Dillingham; among the number, have repeated
rendered their judgment in its condemnation. BIT
now, when the final struggle between the dark plot
of slavery and the hopes of freedom arrved-whe
e the trap must be steathy sprung, before the risin
II indignation of feemen could be heard and felt anon
u their recreant representatives, Dillingham; coul
y eat his own words belle his professions and len
~ his ready support to measure which, in our Jude