Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-07-06
Choice Of Evils.


MANY wings say am opposed to Taylor,
don't like him, but shall vote for HIM to pre-
vent the election of Cass. "Of two evils Will
choose the least" Well, let US look at these
evils Wherein consists the difference! Which
is the greater, which the less evil! Taylor has
fought in this war Cass has furnished him the
means to fight Taylor owns more than two
hundred slaves, Cass tavors the increase OF the
number by permitting the market to be enlarged
fer them. Cass says Congress ought not to per-
init the extension of slavery. Taylor refuses to
saw ANYTHING about it. Cass is a gentleman,
scholar, and has had much experience in the at-
fairs of government Taylor is rough, I'M
couth soldier, abominabIy profane, and without
any experience in civil government Can you
choose between these evils! But it is said, if
Taylor be elected wing principles will triumph!
What wing principles? viii the Wilmot Provi-
so? Will a Tariff? How do you know? Will
distribution of the Public Lands? How do you
know But it is nonsense to talk about these
questions To pay our debts and support the
government we have got to have tariff sutfi-
GENTLY high to protect abundantly all the inter
ests Of the country And as to the government
lands, the income is pledged for years to come
to pay the interest and principal Of the twenty
million loan. To talk therefore about tariff,
and distribution, is to strive to get the people to
turn their attention from the great issue raised
between freedom and slavery.
But it is said, if Taylor is elected, he will
put wings into all the Offices. And that is what
is meant then, is 1t, by choice of evils-a
getting ofthe spoiIs? We know Of no such doc
trine.
Men are sometimes justified in doing an act
from which they know some evils will result, in
order to prevent the happening of an event
fraught with far greater evils; but there are cases
where men will prevent more evil by remaining
inactive, or by so acting as to let present evil
come, for the purpose of preventing far great
er future evil. Our opinion is, that there is no
prospect Of any good from the election Of lay
lor that can at all compensate for the loss OF
moral power and Of good Influence which eve
ry northern Whig must suffer who will stoop to
elect General Taylor to the Presidency. No
wing can support him without abandoning every
principle the Whig party have heretofore at some
time advocated, lie has been selected for no
other reason, than that he is a STAKEHOLDER and a
military man. No man can give any other rea-
sons for his nomination.
How contemplate to see the great northern
whig party, after condemning slavery so often,
and after condemning the elevation of a military
man to the Presidency, now taking one Tor
their leader simply because he is a shareholder,
and has military renown! The northern wing
people will never sanction this nomination.
They will show their time-serving, dough-iaced
leaders, that they are not to be made the nero
tools Of corrupt seekers after power.
Suppose the Wing party Of Cuyahoga county
should support Taylor, could the people ever put
any confidence in it? Have all our expressions
of sympathy Tor the slave, and for freedom, been
made merely for the hour! simply to gain the
votes of the people! We believe no suchthing
What the wings have said, they have meant, and
will abide by, notwithstanding the efforts of Ger
tain have been, and still would be leaders, to
persuade them to prove false to principle
Many northern whig training for Office, will
dig bis political grave within the next three
months, while he is hattering himself that he is
merely choosing between two evils.