Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-08-03

wi VIC llesiueHcy. Ihat Convention WAS
composed OF Whgs,-able, patriotic. gen.
uine Wings from every section of the coun.
try,--men to whom the destinies of the
Wing party and the destinies of the coun.
try might be safely entrusted. But that
Convention had an arduous duty to perform.
IL was no less than to ascertain, to combine
and concentrate the sentiments and the
strength of the great Wing party of The
Union. 10 do this it was necessary TO con.
suit the great variety of opinion-the local
preferences and local interests--the pecuI-
lar T. views and personal partialities, and the
uinerences OF sentiment on minor topics
which may be supposed to exist in this wide
spread Republic. That true Whius and
devoted patriots should differ in some par
ticuiars, is not matter of wonder. While
the great object of the Wing party. the
Lending and radical features of their creed
and policy was to be steadily kept in view
mutual concession and mutual >forbearance
on minor topics, were demanded. Each
was to bring something of his personal in-
terests and personal views, as his portion of
the sacrlfce upon the altar of the Constitu-
ton and the country.
~ was, moreover question of victory or
defeat. The united strength of the Wbip
party was necessaryto arrest the downward
course OF things, and for the salvation ofthe
country. Availability must be consulted.
Defeat with the first man of our choice was
sacrifice of all. Success with the second
or third or fifth man of our choice was the
salvation of all. The Wing party regard
principle more than men-and if thew in.
dulge in devotion to men, it is only because
those men are the instruments m CARVING
out the great and sacred PRINCIPLES for
which they contend. Under these circum.
stances that Convention determined as thew
old, and presented to the Wings of the IN
ion the names of ZACHARY TAYLOR as tbe;r
candidate for the Presidency. am aware
that another name would have been more
acceptable to the Wings of Vermont. But
am equally well satisfied that that name
was less acceptable elsewhere. 1t was the
duty of the Convention to consult the GEN.
eral feeling, and in my Judgment they acted
and decided wisely In nv opinion tbov
have selected the only man, who. under ex.
istlng circumstances, can lead US to victory.
shall we sustain the nomination! If NV
humble opinion is asked it is freely given.
We are bound to sustain the nomination bv
every consideration that can bear upon the
subject.
In the hrst place, it is a question of vic.
tory or ieat,-whether we shall stand hv
our coiors, or desert them; whether we shall
Persevere IN our efforts to arrest the prooress
OF mlsrule and political corruption or Weld
now and forever to party whose princinles
- action we ahhar,--whose pol;c.-.va NJ.
is destructive,--whose msrule, if continu-
ed, we are satisfied will result in the destruc.
ton of all which we hold valuable in our
lnstltutions--in short, whether the Wing
party shall continue in existence or become
extinct.
The democratic" party have nominated
Gen. Cass-the Wings Gen. TAYLOR. To
a choice between these two we are confined.
There is no probability of the election of
any other individual. The demonstration
in the North in favor of discarded favor
lite of the democracy" Northern man
with Southern principles, cannot result, in
my judgment, in the election of that indi-
vldual under any circumstances. The most
that can be expected from it, is to throw the
election into the House of Representatives
where CasS is sure to be elected. To throw
away our votes upon local candidates, only
States. l repeat, then, the choice is be-
tween TAYLOR and Cdss. If TAYLOR is
NOT elected by the people, Cass is our merit
President. We are driven to a selection
between the two.
Can any Wing hesitate 7 On the one
hand we have the mere puppet of party
drilled, dragooned in its ipline-pledged
to the platform Of the " Baltimore Conven-
tion"-a platform which is designed to SUI.
persede the Consttution-harnossed to the
ears with the straps and buckles and grths
which party arrangements and party pur-
poses have seen fit put upon him,-pledg-
ed to the anti-taritf and pro-slavery doc
trines of his party What can be expected
from man thus manacled but to carry
out in all its ultraism the very policy which
the Wings have from the very outset con-
demnedl
1t is said of TAYLOR that he is no party
man. If it were so he would stand infinite.
ly superior to his opponent, in my estima-
ton. The time has come, it appears to us,
when the occupant of the first Office in the
gilt OF the American people, (and as we are
proud to say, the first Office in the word)
should enter upon his high and responsible
trust with the independence of free agent
at least, and should not be regarded, as has
been the case with some of his predecessors,
as the mere puppet Of faction. The time
has come for throwing off party shackles-
when the elective magistrate of this great
Republic can respond to the confidence of
the people who elect him, in the honest die
tation of his conscience and his judgment.
IL we regard Gen. TAYLOR in the light of
no party man, the question arises 6etDeen
candidate committed TO all which is objec-
tionabie in Locofoeoism, and candidate
yho reserp, his independence to adopt such
a policy as his honest judgment shall dictate.
The difference is that between a candidate
committed to error, and one open to conyic-
ton. / cannot hesitate between the two
/ have that confidence in the soundness of
Wing doctrine, that believe they will COM
mend themselves to sound and unbiased
judgment. At all events prefer the man
who carries into the executive chair an hon.
est heart, integrity of purpose, and pure
patriotism, to one PLEDGED to all the here
sizes Of corrupt party. If | am to choose.
between them, prefer the one who is not
incorrigible.
But Gen. TAYLOR is not to be regarded