Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-09-23

i whien nominated MN M Philadelphia we,y
from the Free States, and nigh, have :"
Jected HIM IT they bad chosen, and selec,a
any body else on whom they could bs,
united. This Is the case, gentlemen, a. G.
as can discern it, and exercising upon !,
impartial Judgment as can form-tbis b.
the case presented TO the Wings, so far
respects the personal fitness and pers,,.
character of Gen. Taylor, and the cirrum
stances which have caused his nominarjon
Now, fellow-citizens, if we were weiyl
lug the prOpriety of nominating snch ne,
son 10 the Presidency, it would be one thin,
If we are considering the e3pediency or
may say the necessity, (Which TO SON.
minds may seem TO be the case,) by well
meaning and patriotic Wings to support bin
after he is nominated, that is quite ano,bs-
thing. And that leads 10 the consideratO,
of what the Wings of Massachusetts can
to do, or such of them as do not see fit n
support Gen. Taylor. OF course they INNS,
vote for Gen. Cas-; or they must vote foI
MIR. Van Buren,; or they must omit to yms
at all. ! agree that there are cases in wbrb \
if we do not know in what direction to moys
we ought to stand still till we do. admit
there are cases in which, i, we do not know
what we do, we had better not do " e kuor.
not what. But on question so iInporant
I to ourselves and the country, on a auestionI
of popular election under Constitutional
forms in which it is Impossible that every
mans private Judgment can prevail, or eye-S
ry mans private choice succeed, il becomes =
then, question of conscientious duty and
patriotism, what it is best to do upon the
whole. And that leads to the considera-
tIone which should Influence Wings, in nv
opinion, upon the question now before us.
Under the practical administration of the
Constitution of the United States, there
cannot be great range of personal choice
in regard to the candidate for the Presidep-
cy. In order that their votes may be effec-
tive, men must give them for some one OF
those who are prominently before The pub I
lie. his Is the necessary result of our
forms of government, and from the provis-
ions OF the Constitution. And il does, til ere
fore, bring men sometimes to the necessity
of choosing between candidates. neither of
whom would be their original, personal
choice.
Now, what Is the contingency .--what is /
the alternative presented to the Wings
OF Massachusetts? In my judgment fellow
citizens, 1t Is merely one; the question is be-
tween Gen. Taylor and Gen. Cass.-l
And that is the whole of it.-TGreat sensa-
ton. am no more skilled to foresee no.
litlcal occurrences than others. Judge only /
for myself But, in my opinion, there is not
the least probability of any other result than
the choice of Gen. Taylor or Gen. Cass. y
know that the enthusiasm of new-formed
party,-that the popularity of new-formed
name, without communicating any new
formed idea, Enthusiasm may lead men to
think that the sky is to fall and the larks are
suddenly to be taken. entertain no such ex-
pectations. | speak, without disrespect of
the Free Soil Party. | have read their plat
form, and though | think there are some
rotten places in it, can stand on it pretty
WELL But see nothing in it new or yalu-
able. What is valuable is old, and what is
new is not valuable. If the term Free Soil
party, or Free Soil men, designate one who
is fixed and uhalterably in favor of the re-
strction of Slavery-is so to-day and was so
yesterday, and has been so for sometime,
laughter then hold myself to he as good
a Free Soil man as any of the Buffalo Con-
vention. Much clapping.l Ipray to know
who is to put beneath my feet freer soil
than that upon which have stood ever since
| have been in public life? ] pray to know
who is to inspire into my breast a more res
olute and fixed determination, to resist the
advances and encroachments of the slave
power than has inhabited it since |, for the
first time, opened my mouth in the councils
of the country? Enthusiastic excitement.)
OF Martin Van Buren,, the Free dirt can
didate, and his anti-slavery principles, Mr..
Webster says:
But now, OH this very subject of the ex-
tension of the slave power, | would by no
means do Injustice to MIR. Van Buren,. If
he has come up to some of The opinions ex-
pressed in the platform of the Buffalo Con-
vention, am very glad of it. ! do not
mean to say that there may not be very good
reasons for those of his own party who
cannot conscientiously vote for Gen. Cas-,
TO vote for him, because | consider him
the least dangerous of the two. But IN
truth, looking at Mr.. Van Buren's conduct
as President cf the United States, am a
maZed to find that be should be placed at
the head of party processing to be, beyond
all other parties, friends OF liberty ana enc
mics of African Slavery in the Southern
States. Why, the very first thing that Mr..
Van Buren, did after he was President, was
to declare that if Congress, in any manner
or degree-that if Congress intertered III
the least degree with slavery. he would We
to that action; the only instance in which
remember that President agreed to veto
acts before they were passed. " | must go
into the Presidential chair" said he, 4" The
infexible and uncompromising opponent OF
every attempt on the part of Congress to
abolish slavery in the District of Columbia
against the wishes of the sIave-holdIng
States; and also with determination 10 re-
sist any exercise of power against the wish
es of the sIave-holiing States. That IS, u
Congress pass any law upon that SUBJECTIVE
will meet il with .ae exercise of his Con-
stitutional power.
In the next place we know, for remeH-
- ,ho, NJ Iap puren,S casting vote was