Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-07-15
From the Congreg ationalist.
Platforms and Presidents.
Hon. Z. L.. KEYEs, Chairman.

The candidates of the two great parties
for the highest Office in the gift Of the ma
ton, are in the field, and the representa-
tives of those parties, in Convention assem-
bltd, have defined their respective positions,
and given the world to understand what
principles they propose to contend Tor IN
the coming contest. With these Platforms,
so far as they relate to political matters
strictly, as Religious Journalists, we have
no concern. But where they touch upon
moral questions Of the pro.oundest lInpor-
lance alike to national and individual vel
fare. we not only claim the right OF remark,
but we could not hold ourselves innocent OF
evil if we should remain silent concerning
them.
The Democratic Convention, after emu
merating in nine particulars their political
faith, 90 on to speak as follows =
" RESOLVED That the FORGING proposition GOV.
ers, and intended to embrace, the whole
subject of slavery agitation in Congress and
therefore the Democratic party of the Uuion,
sanding on this national platform will abide by
and adhere to faithful execution of the acts
known as the Compromise measures settled by
the last Congress act of retaining fugi
tives from service or labor included which act
being designed to carry cut an express provision
OF the Constitution, cannot with fidelity thereto
be repealed, or so changed as to destroy or i'm
pair its efficiency.
ResOlued, That the Democratic party will
resist all attempts at renewing in Congress, Or
out of it, the agitation Of the slavery question,
under whatever shape or color the attempt may
be made"
The Wing Convention adopted as their
eighth declaration of principle the follow
ing -
Resolred, That the series Of acts of the Thir |
ty FIRST Congress the act known as the Fugi- |
tive Slave law included-are received and &C.
guessed in by the Wing party of the United
States, as a settlement IN principle and substance
Of the dangerous and exciting questions which
they embrace: and so far as they are concerned |
we will maintain them and insist upon their
strict enforcement until time and experience
shall demonstrate the necessity of further egs-
lation, to guard against the evasion Of the laws
on the one hand and the abuse of their powers
on the other not impairing their present efficien
cy and we deprecate all further agitation of the
questions thus settled as dangerous to our peace
and will discounenance all efforts to continue
or renew agitation wherever or however the at
tempt may be made; aud we will maintain this |
system as essential TO the nationality OF the Wing
party and the integrity Of the Union"
The simple meaning of these declarations
may be stated thus.
The great Wing aud Democratic parties
both agree:
|. That the Fugitive Slave Law shall
never be repealed,
2. That il shalt never lie dormant upon
the SLalpleshook, but shall he unsparingly !
and increasingly executed.
3 That it shall not be a subject of
public remark that no man shall talk /
about it, or about the condition of slavery
which called it forth.
A. All this snail be done for the sake of
the preservation Of these great parties, and
to secure the permanence of the Union.
Now good men, and bad men, and all
men are, of course, free to respond as they
see fit to these platforms and the nomina
lions founded upon them, and we already
hear and read earnest discussions of the
relative merits of Pierce and King, and
Scott and Graham. But for ourselves we
have not got so far yet as the consideration
Of the men, nor do we see how we shall
ever get beyond the platforms. There is
little to choose between them, except that
the Wings, coming last, had better oppor.
tuntty to brace their imbers firmly, and
clnch we'll their nails, and offer TO the
Southern Moloch a somewhat more elabo.
raicly built car upon which to ride forth to
victory.
We could not vote for Gabriel himself np-
on such a platform as either of these two
We are not ready yet to cast our vote
were il even for the highest archangel-in
favor OF the irrevocabeness of a law which
we consider infamous; in favor of a with
drawa of the inalienable right of free
thought and free discussion from that very
subject which needs thought aud discussion
most; in favor Of degrading our free CHI
zenship into the sembiance of something
which the Russian serf, or The Hungarian
bauer would scorn as beneath the level Of
his own involuntary degradation.
Others will do as they please No doubt
many good men will try to sweeten the bitter
platform with the honey OF a layorite candi.