The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-07-18
From the Montpelier Waterman.
Democratic State Convention,

= L ueS0ay but the DattlS peSdu d' d pre-
sliminary meeting on Monday evening"
3 second edition in miniature ofthe Baltl-
more Convention, bordering very nearly
at times upon a general rOw. In short,
4 for the first time in Vermont, there was al
public demonstration of division in the
democratic ranks-a recognition of t1o|
8democracies, called in New York by the
2~euphonious names of Old Hunkers and
Barnburners. Stephen S. Brown, of ST..
Adams, E. D. Barber, of Middlebury Luz
Scius E. Chittenden, of Burlington, and al
5gentleman from Milton, whose name wei
do not know. took strong grounds for the!
8 " ilmot Proviso and denounced GEN.
ECAss. We did not hear Mr.. Browns
sopening, which was said to be very strong
MIR. Barber argued the matter well: he|
Eregarded the question to be simply this
whether the democracy must support
and sacrifice all their principles in
Preference to the extension of Slavery-or
xabandon Cass and stick to their principles.
eThis was the issue forced upon them BY
ethe South, and by Gen Cass himself in the
Nicholson letter. The Baltimore Con-
svention might have avoided it might, and
lin his judgment ought, to have presented
Ia candidate un~shackled, and left the guess
ftion 10 Congress-just as the Wings have
kdone, thought we but they had forced a
q choice between Cass and principle, and he
4 was for sticking to principle. MIR. B. was
Uninterrupted, IN no friendly way but it
gonly stirred up the fire within him, and e,
Slicited a fine peroration which carried the
Shouse by storm, and brought out a grand
4 burst of applause, even against the prevail
9ing under current of feeling. MIR. Chit
gtenden spoke very handsomely, and ar
& gued the Wilmot Proviso with a good deal
of ability-effectively quoting g. contrast
fling the opinions of men learned in con-
s stitutional law with the positions of the
Nicholson lester. The founders Of the
SConstitution nearly all our Presidents, Gu
Srists such as MARSHALL, KENT and STo-
SRr, all had affirmed the power of Congress
Etc the fullest extent over federal territory;
Sand it had remained for Lcwis Cas- 10
EswaIlow his own speeches and announce
Ethe entirely new discovery that Congress
Chad no constitutional power to act at all.
RThen, said he, as all honest man-as a
sman bound by the solemn sanctions of his
.ofiicial oath-Lewis Cass as President
Ewould be bound to veto any act prohibit
ting slavery in territory now free; and is
zthe very man of whom Mr.. Dillingham; in
sOctober last said, and solemnly invoked
SGod to witness the declaration, that no
Northern Democrat could ever support.
shim.
4 On the Hunker side, Judge Villas of
sChelsea, Judge Cobb of Stanford, and
I Judge Noyes Of Morristown, were con-
sspicuous. They contented themselves
Swith advocating the necessity of adheringI
ito the party, and endeavored as well as|
sthey could to dodge the Slavery question,
sby such stuff as is to be found in any late
number of the Patriot: but the spider 81
2webs were demolished without mercy.
sThe speakers endeavored to be courteous;
land the Chairman (Mr. Kidder of Orange|
ECo.) tried to keep order; but the Barn
burners were grossly insulted, particularly
kby Judge Cobb, who denied their right toI
ssit in the Convention and advised them to|
Eioin the Wings. These and like insults
zonly provoked still stronger resistance tol
<Cass from the other side. Finally, one of
sthe Hunkers rose for a third time, to sup-I
?port the "hero ofHull's surrender" and
{the audience by common consent quit the|
house.
Thus ended the first chapter.
The second was like unto the first, and
$50 on unto the end. Tuesday morning.
1.-THE Convention opened in form, and levi;
sdeutly by a preconcerted movement Hon.
Levi B. Villas fold Hunker) was put in-I
Ito the chair. We pass over the formal.
business, and deal only with the cream;
sof the matter.
3 Hon. Paul Dillingham; Jr. took the floor,
land in a briefspeech declined running asl
"a candidate for Governor; it would inter-E
sfere with his business; bat besides that
she didn't agree with the Democracy on
Pcertain important points. In the main heI
faccorded with the sentiments of MARTINI
IVAN buren,.
/ Sundrv Of the old Hunkers deprecated
sthis movement of Paul's; if he didn't ex-I
sactly stick to all the notions of the party,
fthey would stick to him.
S. H. Price. Esq. of Windsor spoke al
sbly for an hour and a half The Wilmois
eproviso was the great question Of the day,
/ absorbing all others, and if Gen. Cass5
and the Democratic party are faithless tol
THE country in this emergency, he must
sand would quit both.
Hon. Stephen S. Brown,of ST. Adams
twas a Barnburner too, and stood on the
Psame ground. He warned the Democrat
Icy that ifthe Rubicon is passed now there
would be no return. lie said that Gen
.Cass could not get forty votes in the town.
sof St. Adams.
! In the afternoon a long and bitter fight
fensued about delegates from Swanton-
There were two sets, Barnburners and Old
sHunkels. 1t had been whispered by theE
,Old Hunker leaders, and especially by the
D@-