Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-06-29
WHAT OUGHT TO BIZ DONE !

Since the PRONUNCIATION of the proceedings Of
the Baltimore and Philadelphia Conventions, this
has been serious question with consderate
Wings; and not with Wings alone 1t is now
more than ever in our day, time of trial with
honest men of all parties-with men OF no party
principles ut all. The AboltioniSts agree nei-
Their in their platform of action nor in their mode
of action; the so called Democracy has its In.
dependents and Barnburners many Of the Wings
are earnestly crying What shall we do ?" and
III this agitation among parties old and new.
it is not to be doubted that those who have not
been closely identified with either, are intently
looking for the signs Of the times. 1t is, howev
er, with the Wings that We have most to do and
especially such as have chosen TO deliberate up
on the present crisis. We, too, have deilbera.
ted-we trust with some regard to the response
biity imposed by our connection with public
press responsibility rendered peculiarly weigh
,y by the Importance of the question to be de-
termned. We have practically answered the
question for ourselves by placing the names of
ZACHARY TAYLOR and WILLARD FILL.
MORE at the head of our columns: but ii is due
to our readers to state, in part at least, the
grounds for deciding that This is uhat zoe ought 10
do
T1AE RULE OF DUTY.
AS to the mode OF arriving at this conc fusion.
The Wing party, by lis representatives, had de.
cidcd that Taylor and Fillmore should be the
standard bearers in this contest. The real ques-
ton, then, with any man who had any doubts at
all, was practically whether to 60 ,oith his par.
eide that question? In our judgment he must
lay aside every hindrance to an impartial decis-
ion, such as party allegiance, preconceived opin-
ions, personal feelings and pride of consistency
he must look not to the things which are be
hind, but to present exigencies Of the times and
to the future results of his action - remembering
that his political allegiance and best services are
due to his country, to his party only so far as
that party itself aims 10 serve the best interests
of the country. Like the mariner who has lost
his reckoning and is driven he knows not where
upon dangerous sea, he must take a new OBJ
servaton he must find his position /; he must con-
suit his chart and clearly understand every dan
ger that besets him on either side he must watch
bis compass, and find his true course; and if the
winds above and the under currents below are
and long trusted captain is overboard-he must
just be content TO take the only means of safety
which Providence has left him, and do his very
best TO bring the ship and cargo safe to port.
Our duty is 70 serve our country in the bes
way we can. If we cannot do as we would, we
must do the best we can. If we cannot save al
our principles, we must see if we can by any
means save some. Rashy to refuse to do am
thing, or to do that which will palpably resuI
IN evil, merely because we cannot act accordin!
TO our preconceived and cherished notions, is t
be trescnerous 10 our trust. This, we think, il
the true rule for determining the question of du
ty. Mere sticklers for party may derde it, it il
higher standard Of principle and patriotism
than theirs. Protested sticklers for principl
may deride it men who think they cannot vott
for shareholders, or military chieftains, or an,
body who does not come fully up to their stand
ard of political principles and personal characte
men who never yield one whit of their notions
or vary an iota from their accustomed course i,
any emergency and so, in their very firm adhe
renee to principle, they permit themselves AM
their principles to go down to destruction logeth
or. 1t was this erroneous view Of duty whic
led thousands to withhold their votes from Nj
Clay in 1914, the fruits of which have been al
ready felt in the annexation of Texas, the Mex
lean War, an enormous National Debt wretch
ed Treaty forced from unwilling Senate, an
a consequent Slavery question overshadowin
every other in the politics of the nation, an
threatening the peace and the very existence c
the Union itself Can any man doubt that
would have been wise in the anti slavery Whip
OF 1874 TO yield much of personal policy, c
principle even, if so they are pleased to call it
Are not the sad results of their course rresstibl
evidences that it cannot again be innocently pu
sued? We advocate no laxty of principle, how
ever; rather what we do insist upon is, that eve
ry man should carefully determine what is tn
grand aim, the leading principle and purpose {
his political action: to ihai let him be ever tru
Us the needle to the pole = to that let him yiel
every uiIng ,.,St Is no.. .a4....... - ....: