Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-11-29
VOL. xiv, NO. a---wIoLE NO. 1850.


bis tour north have il from source en-
titling It TO great weight, that he has given
strong limitations of views and policy favor
ing the prohibition of the extension of sla-
very. How that may be, time aud events
will disclose. Candor compels us to admit
that since his accession to the Presidency,
his Administration, so far as developed,
has been Wing and nothing else. 1t has
my hearty approval with two slight excep-
tons. | could have wished him to have
pulled the halter off Mr. Doughfaced Han
negan without an hours delay, and that his
Secretary would at once override the prac-
tice Of his Department in Withholding pass
ports to colored citizens.
Before abiding to the present position
of parties, let me add one word more
in relation to the past. One portion of
the Free Soil Wings, you know, went
SO far as 10 cast their votes for Van Blu
rem; another portion, and by far the
more numerous, simply withheld them
from Gen. Taylor. For one never de-
sired the election of Gen. Cass. He
was more hopelessly gone on the Slave
question than the Wing nominee could
ever be. | entetained no fears of his
success, till just before election. From
the outset, felt that he could not get N.
York, Vermont, Massachusetts,, or Con-
necticut and confess, did desire TO
see 100000 Wings in those States with
hold their votes from Gen. Taylor, and
thus show the South they would not 81
lently submit longer to their dictation.-
This was the height Of my solictude.-
And while | withheld my support from
Gen. Taylor, voted for Gov. Fish, and
that too even against Gen. Dix. have
watched the former during his whole
course in Congress. He never gave
wrong vote; is against slavery, and on the
side OF Freed ON. But Senator Dix,
highly as appreciated his talents and
his recent efforts in favor of Free Terri
tory, could not forgive. He gave that
fatal casting vote, which brought Texas
into the Union, and with it all our wo
and that too while his political friend,
Mr.. Van Buren,, then lay slaughtered
victim, bleeding on the altar OF South
crn vengeance, for refusing to favor what
Mr.. Dix helped to consummate.
In relation TO the events Of 1913, |
can only say, that | have no regrets to
offer, though ii was the most painful act
of my political life. Yet as the case
then stood-as the evidence then was,
should feel justified under the same cir
cumstances, to tread the track again,
nothing daunted. But it were vain to
spend regrets for that which cannot be
recalled. 1t is not with the past we are
now dealing. The present calls for our
sober elaboration.
How stand parties and issues in 1919 /?
Have not recent movements and arrange
ments placed you and me, as Anti Sla-
very Free Soil Wings, in a false posi-
tom DO we not owe ii to ourselves and
cur principles to put ourselves right be-
fore the people Are we now to fell
lowship men, and swallow doctrines
which we have ever loathed and repudi-
ated! Let us examine the facts and
see.
You and | well remember, fellow
citizens, when the results of the Balti-
more and Philadelphia Conventions were
announced in 1913, how deep was the
indignation, and how significant the
mutterinSs of the North, We thought
we saw the hand of Slavery at work in
both Conventions. The pent-up feel
ing of the North sought vent. First a
] 4
Massachusetts, gave utterance to that
feeling. This was followed by the third
and unprecedented gathering at Buffalo.
1t seemed for the time like the breaking
up of parties. The pillars of Slavery
tottered. Congress turned pale and lis
tened and even Dickinson fell on his
knees and begged for mercy.
That Convention, you recollect, laid
down as the basis of Northern action, a
Plalform-yes, "the Buffalo Platform :"
a platform, at once noble, commanding,
uneXceptionable 1t had my cordial APP
probation and had its entire moulding
been committed to my hands, | could
not and would not have attempted any
improvement, save sprinkling a little
more discrimination" into the Tariff
Resolution. Taken as a whole, the
platform was an admirable one. True,
its foundation was nearly all Wing ia
brio but none the worse for that.
Upon that platform you and were
urged TO take position. True, we had
great msgivings as to the nominee, and
as TO the " final perseverance" of some
of his defenders. On that platform the
Barnburners formed the right wing OF
the army. They entrealcd us to go
with them, and like Hannibal of old,
swear by the horns of the altar, ''hoslility
to slavery now and forever" That was
the watch word-that the test question.
So stood the issue, and so they fought
tho battle in 1913. But Taylor was vic,
torous -Cass defeated, aud Van Buren,
distanced and while the Barnburners
could not claim victory, they found
what was next TO it, consolation in hav-
ing handsomely laid out Cass.
But lS49 has come, and how stand
the issues now3 What has become of
| Al 4 r Il