The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-10-17
POLITICAL PROSPECTS.

A correspondent of the New York Com
mercial Advertiser, who has just returned
from an extensive tour through the Western
States, furnishes the following account OF the
political prospects in that section of the coun-
try:
My first stop after leaving New Orleans for
any time, was at Peoria, Illinois, one of the
most beautiful towns in that great State.
While there heard a political speech from
General Shields, who was at that time stump
ing it through the State as candidate for the
Senate in place of Mr.. Breese. ! was much
disappointed in the man. As a speaker he is
dull, prosy and uninteresting. His remarks,
which we're chiefly directed against Van Blu
rem and the free soil party, caused no enthusi-
asm, and on his concluding, some one cried out
three cheers for the Wilmot Proviso,' which
were given heartily; then three cheers for
Gen. Taylor which were as heartily given
From what | saw and heard of Gen. Shields
there, and elsewhere in the State, / should
say he was greatly overrated as man Of tai
ent, and second to no man, Gen. Pillow always
excepted, in vanity,
There is in Illinois strong free soil party,
though it did not show itself in the late cleo
ton, but will on the 9Th of November. There
their party, who will vote for Gen. Taylor. ]
put down this State as more certain for Tay-
Tor than Michigan is for Cass. In Wisconsin
the free soil party outnlmbers the Cass party
and if the Wings remain as firm rs when was
there, she too viii give Taylor plurality vote.
In the Northern part of Ohio, particularly in
Mr.. GiGdings's district. there is great defec-
ton among the Wings, and there may be or
5000 there and in the Western Reserve who
have gone off to the free soil party, but this is
more than countcrbalanced by the Democrat
ic German vote, which will be for Van Buren,
because ne is a Dutchman, and many of these
men think they have been voting for him for
the last years-Mr. Van Buren,, however,
will not get one fifth of the vote of the State
and as between Cass and Taylor, l consid-
or it one of The most doubtful States in the
Union.
Michigan put down as certain for Cas-,
though he has opponents there, of the most bitter
character particularly of the free sellers. On
my arrival at Buffalo l was told by the free
soil folks that there were not many scceders
there from the Wing ranks, but little farther
off they were all going with them, and as
proceeded Eastward / constantly heard the
same story. In conversing with intelligent
Wings in Western New York | found they
could not name many dissenters, but still
seemed to feel good deal of apprehension,
and on my arrival in this State, the same ap-
prehension and timidity were felt by our
friends until after the election, when their
spirits became suddenly revived. Many, even
sagacious Wings, expected, from die noise and
buster of the new party, to lose the State
would remark generally, thatin my travels in
the free States, until / reached Vermont, there
seemed to be more acrimony Of feeling, more
bitter denunciation, between the Hunkers and
Barnburners than were ever exhibited BY the
former and the Wings towards each other.
have also found that in every section Of coun-
try which have visited there are many hon
est Democrats who will vote for Gen. TAYLOR
for President. This State, the only one of the
thirty that compose our Union, that has never
been any thing but Wing, is just as much
Wing as ever, and there is now hardly ros-
sibility of her being any thing else.
fthere is any State in the Union in which
the free-soilers could make an impression on
the Wing party, it is this, as they all are, and
ever have been, free soil men from principle
But they are not going to yield certainty for
an uncertainty by giving up Gen. Taylor for
Cas- and as the people here read for them
selves. and know and understand what they |
read, they know that every vote giYen for Van |
Buren, is one for Cass. An effort. however, is |
now making to amalgamate the Cass and Van
Buren, parties A prominent Cas- man. / |
B. Villas, of Chelsea, has written to many of
the leaders Of the party, urging this course TO
defeat the Wings, and as passed through Bur- |
lington yesterday, was told that prominent |
free soil leader was there from Aliddlebury-a
man who has been with five different parties
in this State, TO wit an Adams man, an An
ti-mason, Democrat, a Liberty man. and now
a free soil Loco-as an envoy, proposing mar
rage to the Democrats, but as l was told with
out much success. Many of the old fashioned
Democrats declare that they will vote for an
open opponent rather shan an insidious friend.
You may put down this State as certain for
Taylor, and Taylor as certain of being our next
President.
E-oncb ,a1flanoa1 in TOuis,ana Oh