Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-09-14

certainly with no such views. great COT.
vention was assembled in New York, g.
highly intelligent and respectable gentle.
men, very many Of them well known to me,
and they nominated Gen Taylor, certainly
with no such views. Gen. Taylor's nomi-
nation was hailed, not very extensively, but
by some enthusiastic and not very far-see-
ing people, in the Commonwealth of Mas
sachusetts. There were even among us,
Wings, quite early enough in manifestng
their confidence in this nomination, little
too early, it may he, in uttering notes of ex-
uIta'ion in an anticipated triumph; it might
have been better that they should wait.
Now the truth is, gentlemen and no
man can avoid seeing it, unless, as some
times happens, the object is too near our
eyes to be distinctly discerned,-the truth
is, that in these Conventions and also in the
Convention at Philadelphia. Gen. Taylor
was nominated exactly for tits reason, that
believing him TO he Wing, they thought
he could be chosen more easily than any
other Wing. That is the whole of il that
sagacicus, wise, far-seeing doctrine of 0vdiI-
ability lies at the bottom Of the whole mat
ter. (Cheers.) So far, then, from mputing
any motive to these Conventions over the
country, or to the Convention in Philadel-
phia, as operating on majority of the MEM
bers, to promote slavery by the nomination
Of Gen. Taylor, do not believe word of
it; not one word.
see that one part Of what is called the
platform of the Buffalo Convention says that
The candidates before the public were nom
mated under the dciation Of the slave pow
er. | do not believe word Of it, In the
first place, tine Convention at Philadelphia
was composed in very great majority Of
members of the Free States BY very
great majority they might have nominated
any body they chose. Aud in the next place
1t is true that there were persons IN that
Convention from New England, among the
most earnest and most active in procuring
the nomination Of Gen. Taylor, and men
who would cut off their right hand before
they would do any thing which they believed
would promote the interests of slavery in the
United States do not admire Their dis
cretion, or their policy, Understand that, }
but acquit them of any such base motive.
! know the leading men of that Conven-
ton. think understand the principles,
aud think understand the motives that
governed them. Their reasoning was this
Gen. Taylor is Wing; not eminent in civ.
il life, not known in civil life, hut still man
of sound Wing principles. Circumstances
have given him a reputation an eci0t, in the
country, and if he is the Wing candidate
he will be chosen. and with him there will
come into the two Houses Of Congress an
augmentation of Wing strength. The
Wing majority in the House of Representa-
tives will be increased, and the Locoioco
ma iority IN the Senate will be diminished
That was the view, and that was the motive,
however wise or however unwjse, that gov
erned great portion Of the gentlemen,
believe large majority Of those who com.
posed tie Convention at Philadelphia. Now
gentlemen, in my opinion, that was a Who'll.
y unwse policy; it was not suitable to the
} Wing character; it was not reconcllable tc
, true wisdom; it was shor-sighied tempori
, zing upon questions Of great principle; bu
t acquit anybody orcerned in il from any
e. imputntion e tina, motive which is ascrbeo
r to them; aud especially which is ascrbec
4. to them in a part of this Buffalo platform.
: Such, gentlemen are the circumstance:
, connected with the nomination of Gen
e Taylor. / only repeat that those who orig
inally had the NEST agency in bringing hin
: before the people, were Wing Convention
y and meetings, IN the several States, in th
1 Free States, aud that great majority q
e that Convention which nominated him il
= Philadelphia, were from the free States, ant
d might have rejected him if they had chosen
r and selected any body else on whom the
S could have united. This is the case, gen
d tlemen, as far as can discern it, and exer
l. cisng upon it as impartial judgment as
can, fairly, this is the case presented to III
5, Wings, so far as respects the personal fiji
! ness and personal character of Gen. Taylor
o and the circumstances which have cause
l. his nomination.
i Now, fellow citizens, if we were weigl
i ing the propriety of nominating such PEI
son to the Presidency, it would be one thing
'e if we are considering the expediency, or
Y, may say, the necessity, which TO some mine
rs may seem to be imposed upon patriotic an
IS well meaning Wings, to support him sine
It he Is nominated, that is quite another thin.
- And that leads To the consideration of VIII
D. the Wings of Massachusetts are to do, ,
ut such of them as do not see fit to supper
II. Gen. Taylor. OF course they must vote {,
s. Gen, CaSs, or they must vote for Mr.. Va
he Buren,, or they must omit to vote at all.
IL agree that there are cases in which, if "
ne do not know in what direction to move, "
Of ought to stand still ill we do. admit thel
m are cases in which, if we do not know VIII
IL to do, we had better not dove know N
IN what. Blu, on question so important
of ourselves and the country, as the questo
d. of popular election, under constitution
III forms, in which it is impossible that evel
ne mans private Judgment can prevail, or ey
tn ry mans private choice succeed, it become
i'll then question of conscientious duty al
IS, patriotism what it is best to do upon Il
n whole. And that leads to the consider
ut tons which should influence Wings, in II
to opinion, upon the question now before thel
III Under the practical administration of Il
lat Constitution of the United States, the
re- cannot be great range of personal choi
he in regard to the candidates for the preside
Use cy. In order that their votes may be effe
I'd, tive, men must give them for some one
OF those who are prominent before the publ
g. That is the necessary result from our iorI
by of government, and from the provisions
nd the Constitution and il does, therefor