Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-07-20
VIM. w. WHITE, Secretary.
TO THE FREEMEN OF VERMONT.

Whereas every principle of justice, humanity, and
republican freedom is opposed to Slavery as wicked
in itself, destructive in its effects upon free nstitu-
TONS and graspng and intoerant in its policy towards
the interests and principles of the people of the free
States it is the duty of every friend of freedom to use
every legal and constitutional MEANS" to arrest its
progress and provide for its extinction: and,
Whereas. In consequence of the alarming encroach-
ments of the Slave power and its constant successful
efforts to WELD the influence and the power of the
government of our common country for the extension
of Slavery the great moral and political questions of
the day, and the issues of the present presidential
campaign those growing out of and having direct
reference to, Slavery extension: and,
Whereas, the Democratic National Convention by
the nomination Of Lewis Glass; have attempted to pledge
the Democratic party to the test the subject of the
extension of Slavery into the Territories of the u
States, required by the Shareholders of the South and
thereby forced that issue upon the democracy of the
free States: and,
Whereas, the Democratic State Convention for Yer
mont holden at Montpelier this day, adopted the fol-
lowing resolutions
Resolved, That in the opinion of this Convention
Congress have the constitutional power to prohibit the
introduction of Slavery into the Territories of the Unit
ed States, in which Slavery does not not now exist
so long said Territories remain under the jursdc-
ton Of Congress and that it is the imperative duty Of
Congress to exercise that power Immediately.
ReS0tUed That the democratic party of this State
by repeated resolutions in State and County Conven-
lions, stand pledged to oppose, by every lawful and
constitutional means, the extension of Slavery into any
Territory belonging to the U. States, now free, and
that we here reiterate that pledge.
Thereby distinctly and unequvocally pedgng the de-
mocratic party of Vermont against the principles pro-
mulgated by Lewis Cass in his letter to Mr. Nichol
son. and,
Whereas,h said Convention after the passage of said
resolutions, proceeded to pass resolution approving
of the nominations of Lewis Cass and VIM o. Butler
for President and VicePresdent of the United States
and pledging The party to support those nominations
and thereby directly multiplying the resolutions above
set forth: and,
Whereas, the Hon. Paul Dillingham;, jr. the nomi
of the State Convention for the office of Governor
after repeated and strong declarations in favor of thu
principles of the resolutions above quoted and being
present and acquescing in the passage of those reso
lutions without dissent did, in the said Convention
commit himself to the support of Lewis Cass for thu
Presidency:
~Therefore, we the undersigned delegates from thu
counties Of Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Chitten
den, Orange Windsor, Addison Rutland, Benning
ton and Wndham, tosshe said State Convention, il
view of the utterly false and unprincpled position il
which it is attempted to place the democracy of thi
State, in relation to the great question of the exen
sion of Slavery-the only question of principle in tn
ensuing State and National electons-feel it to b.
due to ourselves, to the obvious moral sense of thu
people of the State, and to the spirit of the countr
and age in which we live and the principles we hav
ever maintained, to repudate the action of said Con
vention, and to hold ourselves entirely absoved from
all obligation to abide by its decisions except so ia
as they in accordance with the resolutions abov
set forth, and to declare as we solemnly do our
selves in favor of free soil and free labor and agains
the further extension of Slavery, as both Nationa
and State test and in the spirit of concession due
the emergency of the crisis, involving great peri
to the interests of freedom and humanity, we are anx
ious, for the purpose of securing the great object