Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1849-04-19
LITCHFIELD ENQUIRER
LITCHFIELD, April 10, IS49.
The Election and Free Soil.

Th0 EiGCtaOl ana Free SOils
What has the cause of free soil gained
bv the Connecticut election? or rather,
What has it lost? Certainly it has gain
ed nothing in the election of Chauncey
F. Cleveland to Congress, in opposition
to such man as John 4 Rockwell. The
former has been notorious for his subser-
viency to aparty which repudiates the
doctrines Of the Wilmot Proviso, and, but
few months since was candidate for
Presidential Elector on the Ccss ticket!
He was strenuous advocate Of the Bal
timore Platform-a superstructu based
upon Slavery and Southern Rights. But
he had got his eye fixed upon his goal
the means were nothing. the end eve
ry thing, with him. True. he had said
all sorts of hard things about the free
dirt party but now he thought their
votes might be Of essential service to him,
and his tactics must be altered to suit the
emergency! Accordingly, he induced a
free-soil democrat to write him letter of
inquiry and he Of course wrote a salts
factory reply. He told his new friends
he had got upon the Buffalo Platform,
and was ready to fight the battles of free
soil and anti-slavery. By this time his
| old friends began to be alarmed; but
with a ready tact he quoted their fears,
assuring them lie was still democrat and
still subscribed to the Baltimore creed.
The scheme succeeded his old parti-
| Fans voted for him because he belonged
to their party, and his new allies voted
for him as matter of conscience and
duty The result is known.
Mr.. ROCKWELL had been four years in
Congress, and had uniformly voted and
spoken in favor of the Wilmot Proviso.
But this did not suffice. The pledges of
politician, given on the eve of an cleo
ton, were preferred. We hope the sin
cere friends will not be disappointed in
him but we have little confidence in
pledges made under such circumstances.
A few months ago, Mr.. Walker was cleo
ted to the U. S. Senate from Wisconsin,
under the most solemn pledges on his
part IN favor of free soil, &c. But DUR
ing the late session of Congress he viola
ted every pledge, and went the whole
figure, both in his speeches and votes, in !
favor of Southern measures. The legis-
lature, indignant at his conduct. has. by
large majorities, passed votes of censure,
and called upon him to resign; but he
can defy the legislature, and talk and
vote as he pleases, until the expiration Of
his term. We simply give this as an in
stance of the little value ofpledges made
by candidates for office on the eve of an !
election.
Thus much in regard to the election
and candidates in the Sd Congressional
District. We might with equal justice
say as much or more in relation to the
lst and I'd Districts. The wing candid
ates were from the first CONSTANT, un-
compromising opponents to the extern
sion of slavery, and firm friends of the
Proviso. The candidates supported by
the free-soil party. and elected by their
votes, were at best but new converts to
the cause. and the time and way of their
conversion might reasonably lead one to
suspect that selfish ambition had some
thing to do with it. We are not predis-
posed to Urumble. We are willing the
victors should enjoy their triumph and
reap its fruits; but we do admire consis-
tency even in politicians and office