Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-08-12
Chase's Letter to Butler.

|
ter with the following appeal
This statement presents the question
Can those Democrats who united at Buffa-
10 in n solemn declaration of their indepen
dence Of the slave power, and Of their per-
pe:ual opposition to slavery extension and
nationalized slavery, or those, who perceive
the entire harmony of this declaration with
the great principles of Democracy, have
since declared their concurrence III 1t, now
support the nominees OF the Baltimore
Compromise Convention -
Ii cannot be denied that the slavery res
oludons Of the Conventions platform are
utterly irreconcilable with this declaration.
The candidates represent the platform, aud
especially the slavery resolutions. TO their
Influence and action the course Of the Con
ventions in the adoption Of these resolu-
tioazamust, iIspo sa,all degree be, ascribed
| 1t in SSH u SC now any man, whether
Radicafbr bunker, Free Soil or Pro-Slave-
ry, in view Of these facts, can hesitate al
TO The brapef answer TO be given to the
questiBk flgt asked To me il seems that
consj6gpCy, &onob self-rcspec', fidelity to
engagSnent3+ indeed, all obligations, NOR
al and boIiticSl--bmd Free Soil Democrats
to Withhold tbeR Support from these nomi-
nation. NIX
Antyey4<am aware that not few prom
linent i StfduaIs, dee,dy, engaged to the
Free SdI Democracy, and among them
1.-The thrqe distinguishedANew York Demo-
crats, Whose declarations,I have quoted in
a form& part of this letter. have announced
their Purpose to support the Compromise
candid les. am aware, too, that with two
or thre{ unRappily distinguished exceptions,
the FRYE Soil Democrats who take this
course eecare themselves as much as ever
opposed 10 nationalized slavery and the F1-
gltive Sh4e Ian, and Jas ready as ever,
whether as private citizens o., as represen-
ta,ivesto speak and vote against both.
| entertain very Nigh, personal respect
for these gentlemen II followed their lead
cheerIuIIy and zeat0uekF, @sil, in 1850,
they acquiesced i'll the S&Aclse resolution
congraiuIaling the countrywide the pass.
age of the Compromise meusSfrAs. Not
wihsranding this, | s i'll hoped ahaAbslieved
that, upon the occurrence of d crfst5A ike
the present, the Democrats of-New sYask
would again " feel it their duty to inter
yene"-that 8" the voices Of her freeman"
would be agaia lifted up to warn, to en-
courage, and rally the friends Of freedom
the lovers of Justice, and the supporters Of
the Constitutions" that II would again
"peal, in trumpet-tones, at llerkllner and
Utica" and be re. echoed from every hill,
top in the State" ...... >~
Thousands share with me The keen re-
grets accustomed by the disappointment q
this hope. Thousands-and among then
not a few New York Demoeeats-s-gdptlJ
thew Will nnt ques,issa tlra snnfives or the fl
deity TO their own convictions of those
who take different view fail to see eithe
the proprety or prudence of supporting thu
Compromise ticket, and thus giving the
highest possible sanction, even while il
words rejecting it, to the Compromise Plat
form
II il be not yet too late, would respect
iully ask these gentlemen themselves, wha
they expect to gain for Freedom or Free
Soil Democracy, by supporting the Com
promise Ticket?
Is it that Free Soil Democrats will share
in the patronage or influence the action oil
the Administration in the event of sue.
cess2 This expectation must rest upon
one OF two suggestions : either that Free
Soil Democrats will forego the assertion OF
their principles, in which case Freedom
would gain nothing bur lose much OF that
General PIERCE, notwithstanding the plat.
form aud his present position, will give
prominent stations to men whose actions will
endanger that very slave interest which he
is expected specially to guard, in which
case the supporters Of that interest will
have Just cause to complain. Is either of
these suggestions likely to be realized
| Is II that the extension Of slavery will
be checked, or the removal of nationalized
slavery secured! Every one knows that
the leading idea OF the platform, fully ell.
dorsed by the candidates, is the indefinite
perpetuation of slavery at the national cap
ltal, wlth all the reproach it brings upon
our Institutions and Government, and the
permanent maintenance, as irrepealable, of
the Fugitive Slave Act, marked as it is by
the most unwarrantabie invasion of the
rightssof the States and the liberties of in
divlduals. Ii is well known, also, that per-
sistent efforts are now being made to intro.
duce slavery into California, either by am
alteration of the Constitution. or by a d-
vision OF the State and the establishment
of 9. territorial government in the southern
fpartdo convert Utah and New Mexico into
| slayeholdng Territories, with view to the
fcreaton' of slave States; and to extend
slavery by insular or continental acqusl-
tions, in which the system now exists or
may be established. 10 none Of these pro-
jectscan any effectual opposition be ex-
pected from the Administration 0lthe Com
promise Nominees, if elected.
~ Is it that the other great interests of
Freedom and Progress will be promoted ?
What word does the platform contain in
favor of constitutional improvement of
Rivers and Harbors, SO important to the
progress Of The West, and to which the
Free Democracy pledged its support at
Rufalol What word in favor of Land
Reform, so important to the settlement of
the public domain, and so benefclent to
the struggling masses of our native popu-
lation, and to the emigration which press.
es upon US from the Old World What
word in favor of any action or declaration
by our Government, in favor of the nations
Of Europe contending for freedom against
despots? No State has more Uniformly
and steadily opposed all these measures of
Progress and Reform aud Freedom, than
that which pronounced first and pro.
nounCed Alone" foe General Pierce, at
Baltimore. MGR is there any vote or act of
his, SO far as am aware, which does not
iuSt;c,' "a, nro(oranco