Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-08-19
AUGUST 10, 1S47.
From tho Burlington Free Press.
THE ARTFUL DODGER---
AGAIN.


by that gentleman, and in great favor with the
founders OF the "Abany Regency" school OF
politicians. We refer TO the judiciouS neutrality
that is attempted to be gained by mol voting. We
do not by any means intend TO say that the bare
fact of the absence of The name of a member
from the list of yeas and nays is even primn .fd
cic evidence that he pWpoSeiy abstuined from
voting on the question decided. The fact needs
additional circumstances to make it, ordinarily,
worthy of comment. But where failure to vote
is the result of design-is the carrying out OF
system of party strategy-these circumstances
are rarely wanting Circumstances are stub
born and unmanageable things. 1T is often times
far easier to dispose Of direct than OF circumsan
tial evidence, and the latter is oitentimes the
most conclusive proof of guilt Mr.. Dillingham;
is lawyer and will understand the distinction.
| In laying before our readers last week, the ex-
ccssvely judicious and concitiutuIy course of Mr..
Dillingham; in the last Congress on the Wiin,oi
| Prouiso, question involving an issue no less
momenlous and exalted that that Of Freedom or
lSiarery we had occasion to exhbel specimen
Of this neutrality manguvre. Our readers will re.
member that the cunning gentleman refuSediO uote
at oil on The final passage Of the S3000,000 bill
Now this Withholding Of his vote at the main
crisis would have been of less questionable I'M
port were it not for the awkward little circum-
stance of his voting against laying The bill on The
| before
said, if he is, as we are bound to suppose man
of sense and an intelligent legislator, knowing
the effect of his votes and willing to meet the
responsibility they imposed on him, he refus-
ed to lay the bill upon the table because he wish
ed the main question to be at once TAKEN and
the bill to be passed defeated. 1t is I'M
der such circumstances that the widest char
ity can discover nothing but the most un.
worthy and contemplate trihlng with the grave
duties of legislation, to say the least Of it, in the
lucoherent and inconsistent course thus pursued
by Mr.. Dillingham--a course wholly unworthy
of an accredited representative of generous CON
situency, and especially derogatcry to the prin.
ciples and the dignity of the people of Vermont.
But VIC will illustrate this trait of the political
temperament Of Mr.. Dillingham; o little further.
When we say hard things Of a prominent YER
monter, we like to speak by the book In look
ing over the record whereon is spread out his Of
fciul action in Congress, it is little remarka-
BILE to observe that the list OF yeas and nays is
not honored with the name of Paul DILLINGHAM;
IT, on other questions besides the Tariff of '46 y
and tie Wimot Proviso. On the 9th and 10th
of December, 1915, for example, that sturdy
friend of human rights, J Q. albums, presented
certain circumstances and petitions against The
admission of Ierds rs II Slawhoiding Sinte, and
moved tina, they should be referred to special
committee and be prlnted--a motion sure, one
would suppose, to secure the appreciation ant
the support of all consistent and honest anti
slavery men. This motion was met by that of q
pto-sovcry Southern Locoioco, to lay the pei
tons on the abc-as containing prayer entir
lly unpaaabe to the party of "progress," lin
cluding the progress of slavery of course !yOn ex
aiming the yeas and nays on this question, W,
find the names Of Messrs COiLnmer Foote ant
Marsh, recorded in the negative, las their constt
uents would eXpect) and that of Pau! Dllling-
ham Jr.- eraciiy no,cherel TO vote for this pro
slavery expedient for muzzing the voice of tn,
voice of the free North, would CRATE harshly oil
the ears of his Yankee constituents, and votin!
against it would thwart the plans of the South
ern moulders of" Norlheru doughiaces; !" and So
like the ass in the fable, Mr.. Dillingham; s!arve
between two bundles OF provender
Nor is this single instance. From even tn
imperfect investigation we have been able Il
make, we unhesiiatingly affirm that, while tn
names Of Messrs. Cohdnier, Foot and .MorSh, will
uniformly be found recorded against this /" dem
ocratic" motion to lay upon the table all expires
slons of the popular feeling and wishes agains
the extension of slavery, Mr. Dillinghans mar
will as uniformly be found no,chere the very ap
prehenson Of the dispeasure of the Souther
" democracy" apparently striking him, for tn
time being. speechless Take another preciou
example On the lth of December, 1915, Nj
Cutrer, of Washington County, ~ Y, presente
memorials numerously signed by members O
all political parties, praying The abolition Of .Sldue
ry and the Stare Irdde in The District OF Coiun
6id" Mr.. Cuiuer moved that these memorials b
referred to select committee. TO vote ngains
or TO withhold vote in favor of this motion
could not be excused by even the miserable an
sneaking pretence Of the erpense of printing
The motion was simply to refer. But Souher
democracy tolerates not even such a conces
sion 10 the free "prejudices" of the North, an
the motion was Immediately made by the demo
cratic Mr. Boyd TO lay the memorials on the table
Here again, thanks to the terror of political trim
mers and dodgers the call for the yeas and nay
we are able to sec how Vermont stands in tn
battle for Freedom. jacob CoHnmer, .Solomo
Foot, and Geo. u. Marsh are fonnd voting dgGins
the proposition, and Paul Dillingham;, Jr. is foun
us usual IN such contests-n0iCheFe! The mar
the Fermom man-whO could find a ready voic
to welcome TEXAS into the Union, notwitnsland
ing her Constitution is the. very hot bed of III
Internal principles aud spirit of Slavery and Op
preston, and who in the comfort and safety OF
cushioned seat IN Congress, is loud mouthed i
censure OF the worn soldier and patriot, Genera
Taylor, for the wise, humane and HONORABLE
terms of the captualon of Monterey, is dun
as the sheep in The shearer's hands when the free
men Of the North ask, in resi- ectful terms,
boon, not tor Themselves, but for outraged human
ny Shame upon ermont, that she should ey
er send to the councils Of the Nation, where tn
moral as well as political character of her PEG
pie should be felt IN the votes OF her representa-
lives, and where the principles Of Freedom an
70 Humanity which have grown with her growt
and strengthened as her strength increased
should never fail to find an advocate in son
hers, a man who could hesitate between the in
pulses OF duty and the low requirements of pay
"!
We intended, in this article, to notice the alb
snrd and Inconsistent course Of Mr.. DillInghar
IN reference 10 granting Mr.. Polk authority t
iappolnt Thomas II. Benton General in Chief G
the Armies in Mexico, and IN reference TO hi
vote cenSuring General Taylor for the terms q
the c0pulatlon OF Monterey. But we must re
serve what we have to say on these and othe
topics for future numbers. In the meantime
however, we will thank the Montpelier Patrol
or any other respectable locoioco journal, (w
would specify what papers are excluded by TIN
qualification If we were not afraid our erudt
contemporary Of the Sentinel wauld be aAFroned
to deny that Mr.. Dillingham; vote both for an
against President Folks darling scheme for ap
pointing Benton General-in Chief over Scott an
Taylor of course, on both Sides Iha
i If the power so particularly sought, had beer
conferred by Congress, Mr. Benton would have
received The appointment In the meantime gu
friend of the Patriot is at liberty TO enjoy tfe
and easy conference on the subject with It's can
| 1idatp for GuVeruOr-- will back the records