Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-12-06
Free Democracy" "Long Team,
and Precedents.

aCy," Long Team,
and Precedents.
The cries of the Free Democracy for the ofi-
clal pap which they have lost, arc truly lansn,a-
Bile, and excruciaiing in the extremel w.
hear their wangs and lamentations at every
turn and every corner of the streets. Their
newspapers are filled with demonstrations loud
and bitter, Illuminated against the wicked wings
OF our legislature for their oppression and tyran-
ny In appointing such men to office as they saw
Ut 10 appoint, and such men as they imposed full
ana Implicit confidence in. This Is the snbiect
OF tnelr daily and hourly conversation. and for
anght we know, forms the subject of their
Dreams 30 troubled, 50 anxious have thew been
OF 'ate upon tins subject, and so completely have
'neir mlhas oeea occupied with it, that the poor
slave and free soil have nearly been lost SIGHT of
and forgotten passed quite out of mind and
memory. And stranger witnessing their pres
ent grlmaces and contortons of countenance at
tie loss OF few Offices. would very naturally
come to the conclusion, that the loaves md fishes
were the only things, in the wide world, that
tbey ever cared a straw for. And most kind and
'ndulgent reader, between you and us conf
denllally you know-we give it as our candid
opinion, that the stranger would be perfectly
correct.
But It is not for the purpose uf noticing in
particular, the scurrlons and indecent, but char
acteristlc attacks of universal Truck and Dick
't upon the Wings in he premises, that we
commenced this article. But il il for tho pur.
pose of exposing piece of meabness of The CO.
ANTON leaders, usual with them IN all political
DISCUSSIONS, and an outrageous attempt to mis-
state and falsely political history Now. the CO.
ALTON papers, as every body knows who has
paId the least attention to the subject, have de-
CARED time aud time again, that the on.
y precedent which the wings can cite TO sus-
TAIN them IN their course in the appointment of
county officers, at the last session of tie Lepis.
la'nre, Is the action Of the Federasts III 1913,
at Vergennes. But in order that we may not be
accused OF misslating the lying assertions of the
gree Democracy on this point, we present to
our readers, below, divers extracts from several
OF the coalition papers in this Sate:-
Once, and only once, have the people of this
state ever witnessed an attempt of this charac-
ter In I|Vc, under the rule of the elder Adj
ans the same scene was enacted at the noted
slaughter house session at Vergennes Green
.Nountdin Freeman.
Never, since the federal massacre at Vergennes
IN Us, had Vermont witnessed such scene.-
Spirit of The Aye.
1t Is most arbitrary and capricious excise OF
power, precisely similar IN principle, to that
winch actuaed the Fcdoralists of this State in
l|9o-and this IL the only precedent which their
Successors OF 1919 can cite in Its iavor.-.Narih
Star.
Political prescription like this was never be-
fore known IN this State, except in 1898, when
the same use of power by the Federal parry was
called the "Vergonnes Slaughter."- Brandon
Post.
The rule allowing counties to select their own
officers has so long been in force as To become
part OF the constitution, TO ali intents and pur-
poses. 1t has been so since the adoption of the
constitution, and has been subjected to but one
general violation, and that was in the old feder-
al times, unter the administration OF John sAd.
ans. Patriot.
Now IN regard 10 this matter, we have simply
to state that The editors of the above named pa.
pers are most profoundly Ignorant or wilfuv
wicked. For ourselves we care but precious lit
tie about precedent. In fact we have strong
dislike to TO the word. We believe that the
world Is indebted to the doctrine of precedents
ior more wrong decisions and erroneous opin-
Ions, anu Judgments, than to any one thing.
we think that int lligent men can arrive at
right conclusions and correct results, in most
cases, without the assistance of urecedents. But
Then our opponents have dragged into the dis
cusSlon the matter OF precedents, and as usual
nave stated but one side of the question They
nave stated Just SO much of precedent as suits
thelr purposes and convenience, and no more
IN inct, they deny that there is any more. Now
we iaRe Issue with them upon this statement
We state that there is other than federal prece-
dent to justify the action of the wings in the ap-
poin.nent of officers at Montpelier. We say
that there is a Republican precedent and we
bring upon the stand the same witness that thew
have produced. They have quoted Thompson's
Vermont for their proof, we do the same. On
page vi OF his civil History of Vermont, Mr..
Thompson, in relating the political events Of
loO2, says, " The appointments ieere mostly made
from The Republican party. but the business of
The session was generally managed with pru-
dence and moderation"
Again, on the same page, in detailing the po-
lltcal events of 1903 he says:
The Republicans had a small majority in
the House, and they were now resolved to en-
ploy It IN weakening their opponents. SeperaL
81 the Judges acre nop displaced, and nen OF
more approved republican primo pies appinled in
their places, and The ,0ork Of prescription on ac-
count Of political opinion i0as nop carried farther
nan ii ,cas BY The tederalists in I795."
Now, we call the atten ion of the editors of
The Freeman, Age, North Star. Brandon Post
aud Patriot to the above. We ask them to
state TO their readers, if they dare, that the
wings have acted in this State in 1919, Just as
The Old Republican party, under Tho nus Jeffar-
son, acted IN 1903. II they are honest they will
10 II. But Then we have never expressed, in
act never entertained, any very high notions of
heir pnIiucal integrity However, we shall see.
Bur Free Press.