The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-08-23
Nor he CaiedoHiaH.

Z Mn. Enron What can bc the reason
that the members Of the County free demo.
cratic ticket do not define their position? The
action Of the "old line" convention at st.
Johnsbury places those there rcnominatcd in
in a sufficiently ambiguous situation 10 de-
niand Anme- explanation from those who
should not have even suspicion Of pro-
slavcyism attach TO them. IL l. generally
known that the following questions were
pTopoundcd 10 some. IL not all OF that tick ct
by the cold limo" County Committee immedi-
ately preceding their Convention, viz;
"Will you support the nominees Of the
noNt National Convention for President and
Vice President 2"
do your views coincide with Mr. Pccks
in relation to the VI. Habcas Corpus Act and
the Fugitive Slave Law ?"
Such, in effect, were the questions propos-
ed, apd report says that they were answered
in writing or by friends NJ the Convention.
authorized 10 do ~, and that the answers
wore satisfactory except in one instance, and
that one maintaining tho principles Of the FREQ
wv F''s''''hf AiF'NH NNFFNp3bFNss
All this has been charged frequently upon
them, hut no denial has come from competent
authority indeed Il hns been explicitly de-
nicd By no ore. The Star says that your nc
-ssaEt sls. ,l-y ,,,s
vcntion in some particulars was dcrronebus,''
but dies not deny the main point charged
that Mr. hiattocks aud others df the County
tur aTr,i tiIrry JirriFuri tn r,atiT1Ir
al drnocPacy.
Yonr correspondence Pcacham)in YOUR napcr
Of the 9th inst. reasoning from the psst course
al AIE Maiieeks doubts the fact of being
50 pledged and calls for an explanation but
none has been given. Such inpcrturbablc
silence indicates that there is something ''rot-
ten in Denmark" ''-%'
If Mattocks and others arc not pledged to
the ''oid liners" why 10 they allow week afler
week 10 pass away without contradicting such
rumors2 'If they are in reality honest and
consistent free democrats and still maintain
the fundamental principles Of that party their
duty is perfectly plain Under existing circum-
stances, they should Immediately disabusc the
public mind ofnIl the r,itnors about pledges to
national democracy, which party has bowed
as low rs any other 10 the slaxe power, they
should proclaim their adherence 10 the dis
tinctivc principles OF the free democracy that
those who are called upon. to support them
can be limo doubt But Il IN reality they
have obtained new light and have become
convinced that the position Of Mr. Peck is cor
rect, that duty compels them TO pledge them
selves 10 the support Of the next democratic
candidate for President, whoever that may be
or whatever may be his opinions on the slave
question, then MS men Of honor they should
let the public know Il that those who cannot
subscribe TO such doctrines may not unknow-
ingly vote for the enemies Of the cause that
they hold to be the great issue Of the age Is
il possible that man of Mr. Mattocks' repu-
tation (to way nothing of the rest of the tick
ct) can love the honors Of the Office of State
Senator's well that to gain 1t he would CON
sent 10 remain longer before the public in his
present dilemma?
In the absence of all explanations the con-
victionanus come home to every mind that
the members of the county democratic ticket,
endorsed At St. Johnsbury, stopped from their
proud position Of opposition to the fugitive
slave law and of opposition to any candidate
for the Presidency who may not be hostile TO
me oncroachments of the slave power, for the
sake Of catching old line votes--votcs which |
are never given except in obedience to the
of thata controlling power, ma
tional democracy power which moro than
any other has served To extend and pefpetu.
NC slavery. After calm review ofthe whole
matter, and after such a length OF time has e.
Iapsed, the Inference may be fairly drawn
that the ''old liners were not mistaken in
their men, for if all had stood boldly uva TO tho
principles Of liberty, tho ticket would not
have boen divided, some would not have been
aken and another left. .IUE1J f.dt
Who will deny this? tJ-i iHJ a
Can the friends ofliberts consistently sup
wort candidates fnr, office placed in such pre-
iicamont IN thcir own acts OF cornn,i sitraor
775 'r-t-I z- s-,-t-isj tei rt,aats.i-
t-.-t 80 .slf - 0' LfAt s.' la