Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-08-18
The Buffalo Convention.

The Barnburner and Abolition Convention at
Buffalo has presented the names of Mr. Van Blu
rcn for President, and Charles Francis Adams
for Vice President, and il !. understood that the
other Abolition candidates are to be Withdrawn.
Tho coalition may therefore be considered
complete. The great abolition" Liberty"
and Human Rights party, which stood so straight
up on its principles in 1874, that it leaned back
wards which in that year opposed and defeated
MIR Clay-though coniesscdly pledged against
the admission Of Texas, with slavery, and the
war caused by ton the ground that he scds not
also in Jaror cC a5Oiishiag adrery ia The District
Of Columbia these same great siickhrs for prin-
ciples, regardless of consequences nov ooalesce
in support of n candidate who Acknowledges him
self pledged TO refo any bill dbOtshing siarery in
the District If Columbia, and whose only senti-
ment in common with them is opposition to the
extension of slavery over territory now free-a
sentiment which has been for twenty years pro-
fessed and practically carried out, both in and
out of Congress, by the Wing party.
We had charity enough for the Abolition party
in 1914, to concede their sincerity and honesty
of motive, while censuring their straight laced
biRotry and fanaticism. II was reserved for that
party to proclaim its own shame and disgrace,
and prove to the world that their conduct in
1914 was as unprincipled and infamous, as it
was inconsistent md unreasonable.
Mr. Clay, in 1874, was publicly pledged against
the acquisition of territory, or the annexation Of
Texas, with slavery. 50 inere tie At~E;Eon par
~, violently and bitterly, but although they Lnsi0
and admitted that Polk was in Jdror Of both these
measures, and that eiAer PoH or Clay MUST RE
ELECTED, they persisted in hro~ing d,ohy their
votes uron a third person, because Mr. Clay was
not in Jiaror Of atoiiahHg siaray IL he District
Of Columbia. Their votes would have elected
Mr. Clay, and thus have prevented che anncxA-
zion of Texas, with slavery, the war, and all the
innumerable evils that have flowed from il. But
no-the Abolition party preferred Texas and
slavery, the war, and all its predicted calamities,
rather than vote for a man not opposed to the ex-
istencc of slavery in the District of Columbia.
Now, where is that party? Look ye, trusting
and honest electors, who in 1874 were duped
and betrayed 10 vote against Clay, for the rca-
son, that n vote for him would be an implied APP
proval of his views of slavery in the District of
Columbia. See now where you arc led The
same leaders who called upon you IN iS44 to
vote against Mr. Clay, because opposed to abol-
ishing slavery in the District of Columbia, now
you to vote for Van Buren,, who is
not only opposed to, bat renews his pledge TO
reto any ta0 aboishing ddrery in that District;
who. as President Of the Senate. gave HIS ess,;Ds
vote in favor OF a bill authorizing Postmasters at
tho South to open Tie mail, and take out and
destroy all matter discussing The erils Of siarery;
who, as President Of the United States, exeried
himself to restore the Amistad negroes 10 their
kidnappers; and who, knowing that Polk aud
Dallas were nominated by the slavery propa-
gandists, for the express purpose Of annexing
Texas as a Stare State, came out in a public let
ter, ~ayowing his concurrence in their political
principles, and a sincere desire for their sue
cess"
VIII the conscientious aud sincere Abolition
ists-and such is the character of the masses of
that party-submit to be traded of and trans
ferred from one party to another, at the dieta-
ton of self constituted leaders? Win they be
made to support Van Buren, in ls4s, for the
same reason that induced them to oppose Clay
in 1874? Was it right to oppose Clay, because
he was opposed to the abolition of slavery in the
District of Columbia, and is it right to support
Van Buren, in ls4s, because he is opposed to
the same measure?
Yet these are the circumstances and the rea.
sons under which the old Abolition party must
vote for Van Buren,.
There never was an instance Of more COM
plcte qualification, of more complete abandon
mcnt of all the distinctive principles ever pro-
fessed, than is exhibited in the present condi-
ton of the Abolition party. Its leaders have
literally robbed it of every principle which
made il respectable, and transformed it from nm
independent party, standing upon n noble and
patriotic principle, but adopting an unwise and
impracticable mode of attaining it, into a party
without principles and without consistency.
Verify, the Abolition party ought to be hung
for committing suicide.
RBr John L. Buck, of Mortified, has been
nominated by the Wings of the 4th district for