Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-07-19

From the Bui ington Free Ptcss.
To Free Soil Wings.
Our position at the present time is an i'm
portant one, and it becomes us to pause ere
we suffer ourselves 10 take a step which it
might be difficult for us to retrace. Last
year, we felt constrained, by our sense of
duty, to leave the ranks in which we
had contended for those political principles
which we had long and conscientiously cher
ished. We left the Wings, not because we
had changed our views in relation to the
great political questions of the day, not be-
cause we had changed at all. We were dis
gusted with the proceedings of the Nation
al Wing Convention. 1t seemed to us that
those composing that assembly, representa-
tlves of the Wings of the United States, had
abandoned our tlme-hoEofed platform, aud
nominated man, of whose qualifications we
were ignorant, and who was guilty of that,
which to us was especially obnoxious, viz
slaveholdng. We had seen some things to
admire in Gen. Taylor, and we knew of no
objection to him except his holding slaves,
and his supposed identification with the slave
interest. We believed that we had already
had too many Southern Presidents, and we
dare not risk in his hands the destines of
those vast regions, which, in great meas
e,by his bravery and skill had been added
to our domains. We feared him because
he was stakeholder, and had said nothing
that would satisfy US in regard to what he
would do In relation to slavery in the Terri
tories. We had avowed eternal hostility to
slavery, without compromise, and with no in
tention ever to yield the contest, until victc-
! ny should be ours We felt constrained
therefore, to leave the Wings.
The Democrats, falsely SO called as a
distinctive appellalion, presented to us can
didate still more Objectionable. We could
have no sympathy with man, or party, who
for the sake of spolls, could crouch before
that dark spirit of slavery which had so long
ruled us with rod of iron. The Demo-
cratic party had done the foulest work for
slavery with the spolls of office for its re-
ward, beleing their name, aud making the
very word stink in the nostrils" of every
nation familiar with its history-We could
not vote for Cass. What then could we do 7
Nearly all Northern Wings were in SINH
lar dilemma, and, presume. most of them,
with us, delayed their decision until the
Buffalo Convention.-We were all disap-
pointed in the result ofthat Convention
There was no chord in Wing heart which
could vibrate with anything but pain at the
mention of Martin Van Buren,. Not that
, he was destitute of merit but he had
been President, and while in that office had
done things which we never could forgive in
a statesman. Why he should have been Sc
, lected from the host ofnobler men, men who
had been almost martyrs to the cause of hui
} man freedom, was to US eXplicable only on
the hypothesis that the Barnburners of New
| York had SO decreed. Still, the son of re-
vered Father ust fallen in the sevice Of
: his country, was upon the same ticket, and
= without hope OF success, yet with a good
e conscience, we strained ourselves to the I'M
l.. pleasant duty OF voting for Van Buren, and
e Adams. Our Wing friends could not swal
t low that nomination, and here we separated
: some voted for Taylor, some not at all
d and we for the Free Soil ticket. We were
= glad that Gen. Taylor was elected rather
n than Cass. was at least; were not you
y resolved, for one, not to condemn him il
Il advance. | was willing to give his admin
c islratlon fair trial. Now the question is
- what shall we dol The Wings of Vernon
e have nominated an unobjectionable ticket
S aud worthy man. No honest man can com
d plain of his administration. The Wings o
c Vermont have always taken strong grount
5. upon the subject of slavery. Our member
} OF Congress have, from the beginning of tn,
= slavery agitation, done their duty nobly.
7, The Free Soil party and the Democrat,
a party have formally been joined in wedlock
o unequally yoked together according to m
s. apprehension. Now what is our duty q
e What obligations are we under, to join tn
IS ranks of this ntw party with its new name
e 1t is true we joined the Free Soil organiza
1t ton to effect national objects. Men iron
o other parties besides ours did the same, bu
d did we therefore bind ourselves by an IN
disSotuble bond? Did we not feel and Sa
st that we would never again harness ousrelve
1t to the car OF party, to be driven whitherso
At ever he who, for the time being, as leader
re should choose to direct us2 The presen
&c organization is a coalition.
= But why object to a coalition l hav
le no objection at all to mere coalition, but
do seriously object to the amalagation G
'e the dnti-siduery and Hunker parties Is
ID probable that the party which supporte
D Cass has essentially changed its character
1t has passed anti-slavery resolutions in Cor
IN vention. True, but why has it not bee
IN done before2 The Wings have always OF
" posed slavery, the Wings as party, III
all Wings ofthe North. The Democratic pa
ty never, until recently, with any spirit
I'd Last year we needed the help of the DEM
)rl rats: but inst ~ lono as there was Iaft a