Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-02-12
THE FREE MAN.
M0NTPELER,T thursday, FEB. 10, l84G.
Hon. Paul Dillingham;, Jr,

Hon, Paul Dillingham;, Jr
Ever since this gentleman's affirmative vote upon
the Texas question: have been strongly impelled to
express our surprise and indignation at his reckless
we call it by no softer Misrepresentation of
the people of this District upon question so vitality
affecting the cause of humanity and American Liberty;
but have refraned hitherto lest should be constru
ed into an expression of partizan spleen or personal i'll
will But these considerations shall no longer deter
us, believing do, that personal feelings should
be sacrificed on the altar of public good.
The doctrine has too far obtained and is too geDer-
ally acted upon that the oficehoder is the ruler, rath
than the servant, of the people, Especially is this
true of our members of Congress, who pay their ann
al visit to Washington, the great emporium of political
ugery and there frame general orders, which by them
submitted to their subordnates and through them
to the people, for their approval without nquiring as
to the merits and probable consequences of such
sures. Thus undoubtedly have the leaders of the So
called democratic party in this District and throughout
the State calculated upon forcing down the threats of
their political friends the damnable scheme of Texas
annexation, Notwithstanding the entire party leaders
and ALL without exception, to our knowledge, even
up to the day of the Baltimore Convention had uni,
formly opposed the measure. But in this they have
presumed too far The mass of that party as with all
the people, are honest are "unawed by influence and
unbrbed by gain" and they cannot be brought to ac
quesce in the support of measure, the great design
and tendency of which is, to give the ascendancy to
the slave-power of this nation.
But our design was, in all candor and good feeling,
to make a few inquiries concerning Mr. Dilnghan's
course upon this question And,
/. Has not Mr.. Dillingham;, with his party, recorded
his solemn vote in the Legislature of Vermont, and
elsewhere, against the annexation of Texas to this
country, for the reason that it would strengthen the
ant-repubcan power of slavery and violate the rights
and encroach upon the interests Of the north? And if
he has received new light upon this subject, is he not
bound, in justice to himself, and those who have
powered him to represent them, to publish this know
edge, for the benefit of all concerned?
2 Has he not in common with his party, repeatedly
voted against the admission Of any new slavehoding
State into this Union? How, then, could he vote for
the admission of Texas, with not only present. but etcy
nal, slavery, so long a single human hyena be
found who desires to goat upon the blood of his fell
lows?
3. The great majority of the freemen Of this Dis
tric are opposed to the annexation of Texas, believing
it to be unjust and wicked in every sense of the word
does, then, Mr. Dillingham; consider himself the repre-
sentative of the people? Is he justified in rampng
IIOo a. ;ukf &c III
great majority of his constituency TO crafty ptul
minority of reckless oice-seekers?- we affirm that
not in hundred of his own party entorained de-
sire for the acquisition of Texas until it was decreed
by the wire workers, who saw in it the only hope Of
filling their hands with the spos of ofice-and they
now submit to it only because it has been thus decreed
A, In his political addresses to the people, previous
to his reelection, Mr.. Dillingham;, when Intercepted
as to his intended course upon the Texas question, re-
piled that he not fully decided upon the subject
but Of this, all might be CERTAIN that he would dc
nothing to encourage and strengthen slavery. This
assurance, together with his former anti-savery pro
LESSONS, induced some members of the Liberty party
who formerly belonged to the democratic party, to ac
upon the wing doctrine ola choice of evs" and vote
for Mr. Dillingham; upon the third trial believing he
would do as much against slavery as his wing rival
and preferring his views upon the "other interests" o.
the country Such men now feel that they have beer
most basely betrayed and deceived Have they moi
cause of complaint?
s. In allowing the State of Texas two representa-
yes in Congress, Texas voter possesses the SAINT
power in deciding all the important questions before
that body as four and half freemen in this District
How can MIR, D. reconcile his support of this unjus
and unequal feature with his duty to his constituents?
These things are said in kindness, and not in anger
We would gladly have avoided saying them; but il
our Judgment We have reached that point in the down
ward tendency ofpublic morals and national freedom
whenhe servants of the people should not be allowed
to give themselves up to blind and reckless supper
of such measures as shock the moral sense of the
whole community without being called to account