Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-09-22
The Liberty Party---where is ~

DIX months ago usSro "as p'''''e" ts
extending over all the Northern States, known |
as the Liberty party. 1t adopted as t'Hddne'l- |
fai and inaeritie principle, and the sole and only
object Of It's organization, to confine the insitu-
ton Of slavery, rigidiy 10 he limits assigned 70
bv TIE Constitution. Some went so FAR, even, as
10 deny any obligation to regard the guarantees
Of The Constitution, as to slavery in the slave
States, on the ground that Il was in derogation
Of natural right and liberty, and therefore OF no
more binding force than any other agreement to
commit or aid in the commission Of a crime.
Among the particular objects aimed at by Ibis
Liberty party, was the abolition Of slavery in the
District Of Columbia, the prohibition Of the com
mcrce in slaves between the States, and the dc
NAL on the part Of the free States, Of any rem
cdy for the recovery Of runaway slaves
Il was aledecd that the Wing party though
i, had generally opposed the enerOaehmenis of
slavery, did not go far enough; and as Il was
made natter Of conscience with these jealous
crusaders against slavery, to vote with no party
that did not stand upon this isolated principle,
precisely as they regarded i, they formed a sep
arAte party.
1t was made up chiefly Of members Of tue
Wing party, who were made to believe, that in
this way they would sooner efIace and remove
the national disgrace and sin Of slavery. aa.
This party was to admit Of no compromises;
to yield nothing to cxpedicncy or to policy. 1t
could not, for instance, vote with party whose
success would insure the abolition Of slavery 10
the District Of Columbia-though opposed by
party openly hostile to its abolition, and though
hopeless Of the success Of their own party--un-
less il was committed also TO erery other measure
embraced in their principles. They would have
the trhoie or noihiaq. ....s.
This always seemed to us a bigo,ed compress
sion Of conscience, though we sympathised strong
" with the object they had in view, and respect.
cd the honesty md integrity Of the motives by
which the mas Of the Liberty party was influ-
enccd
The Presidential election Of 1914 furnished 8
striking illustration Of the folly, not to say wick
edness, of this stratlaccd adherence TO prescrib
cd principles. The South brought forward tho
annexation of Texas as slave State, as the greai
and absorbing issue Mr. Van Buren, was thrown
overheard for ~, o,,,n sn,, oro,,.y rc,.o,, Az.
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their own c.,d;d.,o. and d;.,;no, ora.n;,.,;or
aud ,Loy d;d
The con.aouo,o,. nr.d;c,ed hv -. .0,,n G.,
lowoa "a. -. :, a.. 20,
Mr. Birnsy elected M POD, and ensured the nd
mission Of Texas = a slave State now, and the
creation Of four more slave States hereafter.
Let us now see what the Liberty party had
effected by its distinct organization. They had
been in existence rs a national party FIVE years
and without attaining any one Of the objects 70,
which they started, they had been the diree
cause of the addition Of FIVE new SLAVE
STATES TO THE Union. 1t would no, be diff.
cult to calculate how long it would take, at this
rate, to abolish slavery in the United States.
Now another Presidential election approaches
and the South, not satisfied with the five slave
States, given to them by the Liberty party, have
increased their claims, and demand the appro-
priation Of all the territories to slavery. They
have made TIN, the great issue of the Pres;den.
tial election, and have found In Lewis Cas-,
Northern dougbface whom they can trust.
The question is, Where is he Liberty pa,tv,
They have ceased % exist as an independen,
marty. and So e,r .s ie.derx ronld 49,, !,
than, a.. .,..ii., Al ",