The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-04-24
THE GALAXY.
MlDDLEBURY, VT,
Tuesday, April "a, 1849.
FREE SOILERS VS.. TIE ADMIN.
ISTRATION.

and industry with which the late partI-
zans of Martin Van Buren, cast about
them to find the shadow OF pretext for
bringing "a railing accusation against
the new administration, as it is gratifying
in more senses than one-to see them
so completely foiled in every attempt they
have made hitherto. All through the
campaign, they vehemently maintained
manifesting much righteous Indignation
against any who presumed TO iisinuate a
doubt-that General TAYLOR was man
Of sectional views, nominated for the ex-
press purpose Of furthering Southern in
terests. and at heart-and so he would
prove, they maintained, in practiee-bit>
terly hostile TO every measure looking, in
the remotest degree, to the restriction or
final extinction of Slavery. Now we free
ly confess that We enjoy the utter discom-
future and confusion into which these our
dear brethren are thrown by the course
General TAYLOR has pursued hitherto, and
their notifying disappointment to find all
their former predictions untrue. In this
state Of mind. it is not surprising that they
should catch at every semblance of shad-
ow, on which to found hope that they
may yet discover what, they must already
be nearly convinced, never had an exists
ence, except in their own imagin alton.
General TAYLOR desired the establish
ment of some sort of Government in Cal
ifornia. He "preferred the authority of
law, TO that of bowie-knives and revolt
vers. " That country is rapidly filling up
with emigrants from all parts of the world
Within the year. it is presumed, the pop
ulatlon gathered there will be not less than
10000. The question of the existence
of Slavery in that country, everybody,
who is well-informed, regards as settled
forever. The South, even, long since,
gave up all expectation Of ever seeing
their sad institution" established there
Even Mr.. Polk himself, one of the most
jealous of all tie propagators of Slavery,
intimates as much, in his last message.
Their opposition to applying the Wilmot
Proviso to the territories OF California and
New Mexico. he grants. is only contest
for 6" an abstract right, and not for any,
thing of practical consequen ce.-The fact
that General TAYLOR, under these cir
cumstances, expressed desire, to certain
persons not then members of Congress, to
have some sort of government established
in the new territory-not indicating apref-
erence for any particular plan, when tUo
schemes were under discussion in Con-
gress, both presented by Northern men
has been seized upon by our Free Soil"
friends, as a sure indication that he en-
tertains deadly hostility against the Will
mot Proviso Really, if the Free Soil
party can find no better basis for opera.
tons than this, it must be reduced to the
last extremity.
We have never maintained that the
President would favor Northern views, ca
clusirely we have only maintained-in
accordance with the principles avowed in
his Allison letter-ihat he would not IA
vor any particular section. Northern or
Southern, Eastern or Western but that
he would leave all matters of legislation
the Slavery question included-entireIy
to Congress. Should our Representatives
at Washington pass bill for the govern
ment Of the new Territories, including
the Wilmot Proviso, we then believed
and time, and our experience of the man,
have only strengthened the belief-that
he would unhesitatingly approve it.
General TAYLOR has called about him
a Cabinet, composed of men eminently
national in their views-for we are not
willing, even, to make an exception Of
Messrs. EWING and CoLLAMER-whose
views are certainly very decided, and are
pervaded by the strong Anti-Slavery sem
timent which exists throughout the States
to which they respectively belong. Mr.. |
CLAYTON, who is at the head of the Cab
met, belongs 10 a state where Slavery
"has name to live but is not himself
Shareholder, and his opposition to Slave
ry Extension, and has vote in faror ofthe
Wiimot Prouiso, are matters of record in |
the journals of the Senate, and are we'll
Understood everywhere. The remaining
SIX are equally divided between the North
and the South. And Of the three South
ern members, it is worthy Of notice. that
h..