Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-05-29
Hon. Stephen G. Phillips.

At the Free Soil Convention, at Dauvers,
IN Tuesday, Hon. S. G. Phillips, of Salem,
having been absent when the nomination
Of Mr.. Rantoui took place, said he desired
10 express his hearty corporation Ia the
measure which had been taken. He was
wiling to confess, that with remnant of
his strong Wing sympathies and predilec-
tops, he had looked with some lack of con.
6depce upon the agreement between the
democrats and Free Sellers Of the Legis-
Jature, but the consistency, 6rmness and
holiness of the great majority of the
former had convinced him that they were
sincere lovers Of freedom and political in
tegrity, and he gave the coalition, viewed
in the light of the past, the character of an
honorable and faithfsl agreement,
With the nomination of Mr. RantouI the
Free Sellers and the Democrats of the
Second District had made an equally honor.
able and faithful agreement. 1t was, on
the one part, that Mr.. Rantoul should be
true upon the great questions of freedom
on the other, that he should receive the
support of all who were lovers of liberty.
And, said he, the agreement will be scrupu.
lousy carried out By his mastery ex-
position of the unconstitutionality of the
Fugitive Slave Law, by his prompt volunt9-
ry aid as a counsel for the Fugitive Sims,
by his regard for the dignity of sovereign
States, but more by his long course of con-
sistent opposition to the anti-progressive
spirit of the age, Mr.. Rantoul was well
worthy TO be the standard bearer of all who
regard human rights as of more worth than
trade and property.
In mastery argument, Mr.. Phillips de-
Tended his party from the aspersion of dis
unionism, ridiculed the idea of separation
or secession by any State, refuted the
sophiStry that the trade of the north would
suffer from its devotion to free principles,
proved the identity of the merely nominal
Wing and Democratic parties, SO called,
expressed distrust of the Wing candidate
in the Second District, confidence in the
soundness and integrity of the great Dem
ocratic party upon the slavery question,
rejoiced at the proposed action of the
"Bolters" as certainly tending to expurgate
the party of its excrescences, stated the mag
ntude of the issue that would soon be pre-
sented them, and concluded by enjoining
upon all present, and the whole district, the
necessity of laboring increasingly for the
success of their nominee.
Speaking of Mr.. Rantours present posi-.
ton as one that was telling most powerfully
upon the Democratic party of the country,
and of this approaching election as one
towards which were turned the eyes of the
whole people, North and South, Mr.. Phil
lips alluded to a remark made by John
Quincy Adams, very shortly before hi:
death. On some vote in the House o.
Representatives, in which the Wing mem
bers, as party, had not come up to theil
professions, Mr. Adams turned to circle O
friends, and said with peculiar solemnity
"Ah the Wing party never will abolish
slavery" Then suddenly changing his
tone, with slight laugh and chuckIe SC
peculiar to him, he said, cit is the Demo
cratic party after all, that are to be the rea
aboitionists !' Pointing with his long
bony finger to different individuals in the
hall, he continued, not such Democrats az
that, and that. and that, not in my time
but by other Democrats, and at a future
periodp His friends, somewhat surprised
at this avowal of opinion, asked for the
philosophy of the thing. Mr.. Adams then
went into detail Of his reasons, saying
that the Wing party had made and would
make their action the result of expediency
that to secure power it would court the aid
of the South, and eventually become the
pro-savery party; that on the contrary
when the present managers of the Demo
cratic party were gone, though then seem
ingly bound indissoluby to the slave-power
it would, from the inevitable tendence o
its own principles, become the great anti
slavery party of the country" "Never
added Mr.. Phillips, did a prophecy seen
more near fulfilment."