Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-01-06
Wing and Democratic Issues for 1884,
WHAT ARE THEY2

\ WHAT AXE THEY
1t u.s. sometimes amusing, if not instructive to wit
ness the efforts of parties through their leading Or
gans to conceal their real objects and purposes by
keeping prominently before the people, imaginary or
fictitious ones. Especially is this the case, when,
during the protraced strife of party and amidst the
conclusion of political elements period arrives in
which it is clearly observable that the old landmarks
the distinctive principles and measures for which
the combatants so strenuously commended, have all
been swept away and disappeared with the smoke and
dust of the contest
Without asserting, for the present. that this is the
position of the parties at the head of this article, it
becomes important to enquire, at the commencement
of new year, which is to witness another exciting
Presidential election, what that position is.
AS there is, in many respects, a close connection
between the political questions agtaed in 1874, and
at the present tme we will pause for a moment and
take retrospect of the past before contemplating the
future.
1t can hardly be said that the annexation of Texas
was at issue between the Wing and Democratic par
ties in the last Presidential election. If any issue
really existed between these parties on this question:
it had respect to the lime and mode of annexation, and
not to the annexation itself This is apparent from
the fact that the Wing party never committed itself
against the annexation of Texas at some future time
1t is apparent from the fact that large State Conven-
tons and mass meetings of the Wing party, in many
of the States, adopted resolutions in favor Of the
nexaton of Texas and, at the same time, nominated
or supported Henry Clay for the Presidency. Will
lam C. Rives, leading statesmen and Senator from
Virginia, the warm personal friend of Mr. Clay, pub
licly declared to large mass meeting of Wings, in
his own state, that he had personal knowledge that
Mr.. Clay was in favor of annexation at future time
and Mr.. Clay himself never said or wrote word
against the ultimate annexation of Texas. So much
before election. What happened since?
One of the ablest champions of slavery in the
Southern States was elected Secretary of State for
the express purpose of negotiating for the annexation
of Texas; and this man was unanimously nominated
to that post by Wing Senate. A Wing member Of
the House introduced the resolution of annexation
which finally adopted by Congress; and the foul
deed was consummated by President Tyler, who rode
into Office on the Wing triumph Of 1840 Our apol-
ogy, for abiding to facts so well known to the reader
is, that it is now admitted, by wings well as Liberty
men, that the annexation of Texas was the cause of
the present war with Mexico Indeed, Mr.. Clay de-
cared in his recent speech at Lexington, so late as
the 18th of last Now, that # had not annered
IeraS ,Oe should haze hal no Car.'
Whether this legitimate fruit of annexation, viz;
the ,Oqr ,cjth .Nrico, be made an issue between
these two parties for S48 Or, in other words, wheth
er both parties are not responsible for it, will
slider hereafter.
The Tariff of 1S42-the boosted immaculate tariff
of 1912, which to interfere with in the least even by
su8pccng some of its provisions imperfect was po-
ical treason-which to repeal would bring unparalle-
ed distress and bankruptcy on the rich deprive the
farmer of his prices, and the poor of his wages has,
with its twin sister, the Distribution of the proceeds
of the sales of the public lands" gone to the tombs
of the capuets" These two questions-the only
prominent issues between Wings and Democrats in
1874, cannot be made issues in 1848. They are put
to rest for many years to come, if not for coming
time
The President, in his recent annual message, eulo-
gises the tariff Of 1846-says it yielded eight and a
half millions of dollars more revenue the past year,
than was realized from the tariff of 1912, the year
preceding-that the great interests of agriculture,
manufactures, commerce and navigation are highly
prosperous under its operaton-that the number of
factories and the capital invested in them is steadily
and rapidly increusng"-and recommends that it re-
main unchanged. As to the public lands, there will
be no surplus to distribute from their sales, long
as large national debt remains unpaid, which, &C
cord;nr IN the Presidents showing will probably n
mount to about eghty-fve millions of dollars by the
end of the next fiscal year. So much for the dis
graceful and nhman war, which the President by the
united aid of Wing and Democratic votes, is now
waging, reentlessly, against sister Republic O
Mexico r. V. NJ