Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-08-09
JOHN M. CLAYTON.

This gentleman who now occupies the fist
post in the Cabinet, us Secretary of State, is
just now the especial object of the abuse of the
coalitionists.
His first offence is, a refusal to grant a pass
port to a colored man. See North Star. which
intipetes that zoe will pronounce the refusal "all
right" What is the fact? Simply that the
Secretary acted in accordance with a regulation
of the Departmental regulation established
| long ago, and acted upon under all adnlnislra-
tons, Martin Van Buren, and james X. Polk IN
elusive Did the North STAR or Tie other loco
foco organs OF the coalition, ever complain be-
tore ? Had they word to say when their 5eore-
tary was bound by the same regulation? Nola
word Thus much to exl lain the action of the
Secretary. Whether the regulation is right is
another affair and we don't hesitate to say that
If 1t makes any distinction on account Of color,
in our Judgment 1t Is MT right. The citizens of
all the states, black or white, arc entitled to the
s1ne privileges and il The law IS wrong in
this respect, it should be mode right immeoiate-
| !y. We believe John NJ. Clayton himself will
be os prompt as any man to do right
Mr. Cmyon's second offence is, that he fur
nished declaration Of the views Of the cabinet
upon The Protocol to the MeSicau treaty, to S n.
aior Foot "a ucUioco and Sayocrit; and be-
cause Srnator Foot was the organ of the Secre-
tary, so far as 10 bring the question TO the Senate
in the proper form, it is assumed BY the coalition
organs that the proposition itself was very bad
thing altogether. They insinuais that 1t was
something very bad and hence buried beneath
a Senatorial injunction of secrecy. See The last
Green Mountain Freeman. Bot why this mys-
terry? The facts are public enough. MIR. Ben
ton assailcd the protocol, 10 revenge himself up
on the late administration; Mr.. Foot appeared as
The champion ofth1t administration. This storm
about the protocol threatened danger; 1t might
blow up the flames Of war again. Mr.. Clayton,
as it was his duty 10 do, examined the subject
carefuy-p construction upon the protocol
just and satisfactory every way, both to Mexico
and TO our government and then adroitly avallcd
himself Of Fool's position to bring the lOcoflcos
of the Senate to support The views of Of the cab
met. The result was, a vote OF the Senate al
most unanimous, sustaining the cabinet: Mr..
Benton and one associate only, if we remember
rightly objectiug. II the coalition organs can't
find any worse offence in Sir. Clayton, we advise
them 10 seek some 9th r. object Of attack. This
mystery-thcsc insnuatlons without facts-wlll
hardly satisfy honest-mnded men who are al
ready suspicious that the whole coalition concern
is but the game Of the cat under the meal"
But who and what is JonN NJ CLAYTON, that
he should become the object Of abuse from anti
slavery men?
The slavocratic allies of the coalition tell us
that John NJ. Clayton is-an dbotiioniSt 1t is
true, in the correct and honorable sense OF the
term.
Mr.. Clayton was reared and has ever dwelt in
a slave STATE; yet was he ever an anti-slayefy
man. lie has been public man IN a slave state
"a candidate for stations Of high honor and re-
sponsibillty, which might well tempt the anb-
ton Of any man. yet has he ever had the moral
courage to stand as an anli-slavery man. He
was once an heir to slaves but he refused to be
a slave holder, and mancipated them IN his
place in the Senate on the 3D. Of August, 1913,
while speaking upon the Compromise BILL lie
declared that he was 10 stakeholder; and he al
so declared, almost in the very words of the free
soil platform, That slavery is "mora social,
and political evil" which he never did and never
would vote TO extend-and moreover, that it was
an evil to be abolished by those among whom 1t
exists. This was his last declaration upon the
subject, ere he became Secretary Of State by
appointment from President Taylor. II any
man doubts his sincerity let him turn to the re-
cords of the Senate upon the annexation of Tex
as John NJ. Clayton against it, while his
aLusers were for it, Let him turn to the Senate
record Of March |, ls47: lie will there fnd
that Mr. UPBAM Of Vermont, in accordance
with the views Of the people Of Vermont sub
mlted the direct, broad and emphatic PROPOSE
ton of the ordinance OF 1859, erciudlng sidrery
from ALL TERRITORY THEREAFTER ACQUIRED
or ANNExED. John NJ. Clayton cast lis vote
for it.
Such is the man who is now selet ted as tie
mark for the weekly abuse o! the new born anti.
slavery organs in Vermont. Why is this injus-
tce? Is ltzeal against slapery that prompts
the coalition organs TO Witty an anti-slavery
man. Not one whit Mr.. Clayton is Whig,
and member OF Whg cabinets he is wor-
NOiINo5uS VI SdSOu OO.sdtlIeI. dilN hence tuG
new organs of the coalition, fresh from doing the
dirty work of savocrat; ocofocoisn, delight 10
abuse him. They remember that he is Bhig,
who has done good service in proslratng the late
saVocrauc dynasty: they forget that he is ore
among tie noblest OF anti slavery men, an anti
slavery man in spite of his birth and educetion
IN the midst OF slavery IN spite OF a pro slave
ry public sentiment prevailing around HMM
spite OF the prejudIces of a slave holding popu-
latlon-Nnd IN spite of the temptations to which
his position subjected him, 70 20 with the popu-
lar current Such man deserves honor; and
honored John NJ. Clayton now IS, aud honored he
will be, when the coahlionis,s have sunk iathoms
deep beneath the contempt OF all honest men.
"No enemies 10 punish no friends 10 reTdrd"-y
This was the declaration of Gen. Taylor and his
friends il the last Presidential canvass. Green
Mountain Freeman, July 26.