Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-05-18
THE FREEHEAN
For the Green Mountain Freeman.
Letters to an Anti"SIavery Wing,
NUMBER VIII.

that you do nothing, or but very little to ad-
vance the cause of freedom, by remaining in the wing
party 90 not think that can say thing that will con-
vince you. You must acknowledge that the party
has not done much for twenty years past and their
prospects not much better now than ever before
There many in the party who will not vote again
for stakeholder It's ranks must be much thinned at
the approaching election.
Let us now take a glance at the prospects of the
Liberty party of which it is said by some, at never
can accomplish anything" The first vote of this par
ty as national party was given in 1910 AT that
time there of those who did not bow the knee to
Baal, 1882. In year the vote trebbled its num-
bers In 1871 it numbered 2h382 In 1914, the
Liberty vote was 64,727, and in 1916, 76627 Can
you find anything in the history of politics in this
country that will compare with this? In six years it
has increased more than ten fold And it's prospects
are now fair for much larger accession to its mem
bers this year. Its candidates for President and Vice
President are already selected, and men better quail
fed for those offices cannot be found in the nation
The Anti-Savery spirit is rapidly increasing. There
are not only Wings, but Democrats that have deter
mined to vote no more for Shareholders. And this
number is by no small, and it is daily ncreas-
ing. Men begin to get their eyes OPEN The subject
has lately undergone much discussion, as you are
aware, in Congress. The more said the more convinc
ed are many that the Liberty Party has taken the only
true ground.
The Liberty car therefore is fairly under way, and
it will 60 through and the sooner you jump aboard the
better lie must be blind who cannot see that the
Liberty party is destined to ride all opposition,
take the reins of government and guide our nation
to perfect freedom, prosperity and peace.
can think now of but one more objection that you
have urged against the Liberty party viz That it has
no settled principles of national policy In answer to
this would say that children are not apt to have SET
tied principles of action but that is no sign that they
will not have when they come to be men. The char
acter of the party in this respect is in the formation
state. Men of different politics and opinions have
united on one idea. They have felt that the abolition
of slavery is Of more imp rtance than all the other
questions combined. They have therefore agreed to
drop the consideration of other subjects for while,
until the party gain strength TWAS impossible
to form union any other plan; and think it was
the dictate of wisdom to unite in this manner even if
union might have been formed with some other par
ty questions embodied with the one main question of
ABOLITION OF slavery 1t takes some time to get rid of
old party notions and attachments Let person ac-
customed to the use of tobacco, leave it off and he
will banker for it for some time and while this hank
ering lasts he is not well prepared to Judge of the
merits of the total abstinence principle as he will be
after he gets weancd So with those who leave the old
partles after they become entirely weaned from them
they are much better prepared to judge what are sound
principles of national policy, than before This GER
tainly has been the with myself I now see that
reforms be made in Wing principles as well as in
Democratic principles-so-called. We need an en-
tire reform n9poitics and this reform will yet be
made, I think, through the Liberty party But con-
slider the objection that it has now no settled prn-
cipes of policy entirely unreasonable 1t Is right
however, to demand that it should ere long have its
fixed national principles. And I would invite you
to Join now and have the honor of helping us to de-
eide what they shall be- If Liberty men are men of
one idea, they are not narrow minded in their views
neither will they long keep still in regard to ma
tional reforms, besides the abolition of slavery. It
has been both unnecessary and nexpedent heretofore
1t is my opinion however, that our platform Should
and will soon be enlarged. Let us, though, discuss
principles, understand them, and settle that they are
right and important before we adopt them.
Friend VII you have read my letters attentivey
have hope that you are now liberty man. have
written with the spirit of kindness and friendship
have written for your good and for the good of three
millions of my oppressed fellow men; for the good of
theword. | sincerely believe that the only way to
be consistent anti-slavery man, and christian
is to vote against slavery by voting for anti-savery
men to FIJI every important Office in our nation. How
any anslavory man can think it his duty to vote for
stakeholder, cannot conceive. Yet it may be that
some can; will not judge them. Whatever may be
our opinions and course of conduct, hope always to
remain
Your true Friend,
TIRTpTAc