Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-08-31
POLITICAL.
From the Boston Wing.
Martin Van Buren,,

Before the meeting of the Buffalo Convention,
we received several communications, both for
and against the selection of Mr.. Van Buren, as
Presidential candidate. We declined opening
controversy at that late hour, which promised to
occupy much of our space, with but little good
effect. One of the articles, favorable to Mr. Van
Buren,, we publish to-day on the outside of our
daily paper.
For ourselves, we have this to say in reference
to Mr. Van Buren's position on the slavery ques-
tion-tIat we shall not defend any of his
delnquencies in former times. We dsap-
proved of his promise to veto the abolition OF
slavery in the District Of Columbia we dsap-
prove of it now We disapproyed of his course
in relation to theAmistad captives; we disapprove
Of it now. Wherever and whenever Mr.. Van Bu-
rem has shown disposition to yield to the de-
mands ofthe slave power, there and then we were
opposed to him, and we shall not defend such
conduct now. At the same time, we will say
that we believe Mr. Van Burens fault was main
y the result of his position and the position of his
party, and not of his judgement or his heart. His
fault resembles that of those men, plenty enough
hereabouts, who are sincerely opposed to the ag'
gressions Of slavery, but who by the position OF
their party, feel compelled to support such man
as z1dCudTy dylOT, knOWlHS very WCl al lHC
time, that he is an ultra advocate of the slave
power When we consider it fair to forget John
P Hae's true-hearted opposition to slavery nOw
and abuse him for voting for polk and Texas in
1874, then we shall think it equally fair to lose
sight of Mr.. Van Burens heroic conduct for the
last eight years in our Indignation against his
misdemeanors of the eight years previous.
Thus much once for all, relative to Mr.. Van
Buren's "pro-slavery" course, against which the
Taylor and Cass presses are now making SIM
utaneous attack, thinking no doubt, to make the
people forget their own present degraded condi'
ton by bringing up the past alterations of men
who are now infinitely in advance of them. 1t
will not do. We tell these men, that the people
of the United States do not care so much what
men were eight years ago, or even one year ago
as what they are NOW. The resolutions Of the
Wing Legislatures and Conventions of Massachu-
sets for the last few years do not excuse the deep
treachery Of some ofthe men who sanctioned them;
on the contrary, they serve to make that treach-
cry still blacker and deeper, And the more they
attempt to prove that Mr.. Van Buren, has been
wrong on the subject of 81 ivery the more the peo-
pie will honor him for being right nOw 1t is the
Martin Van Buren, of to-day that we support for
the Presidency, and we shall not discuss the deeds
the Marian Van Buren, Of 1910. Let the dead
past bury its dead. We act in the present and
for the future. We care.not so much what man
has been, as what he is.
Mr.. Van Buren, was sacrificed by the slave
power in 1874, because he would not consent tt
the annexation of Texas. He returned to pri
vate life, and has remained there, unobtrusvt
and quiet, bding his time. He held to his de
liberate opinions firmly, and never yielded them
and at last, when the party which had supported
bm d TB B Re had a bad Eh5 Pse
the nomination Of Lewis Glass; there were for
tunately 10 obstacles Of personal delicacy tt
prevent him from boldly coming out and placin.
himself directly in opposition to that cringin!
dough-face That act electrified the whole
North, and it is not too much to say nay it il
the literal truth-that Mr.. Van Buren's Letter
to the Utica Convention has brought the Demo
cratic party in Congress, with but few excep
tions, into free ground To that letter, and tc
the agitation consequent upon it, is to be attrb
uted the late glorious success in Congress-the
victory over the Compromise Bill of Calhoun
Phelps and Clayton, and the victory on the Ore
gon Bill-Compelling the Senate to recede from
the Missouri Compromise. Are these things
nothing! Is Mr.. Van Buren, deserving of nc
praise for doing this noble work, and for giving
the North the only victory it has ever had for
many years? The Taylor papers say that the
old Democratic party has been the buIwark and
chief support of slavery 1t s true but the
Magician has changed all that by one single
act Honor to him for using his magical pow.
ers in the service of freedom. We will trust
him that he will use them in no other service
hereafter