Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-08-11
From the National Era.
Names-Their- Value and Signif-
icance.

We observe that the State Central Com
mittee Of New York address their call for
a { State Convention, ITO the Independent
Democracy Of the State of New York.
We are glad to see this, and it affords a fit
ting occasion to say a few words on the val.
ne and significance of names.
That swords are things" is universally
acknowledged. The "words" chosen to
to designate party organizations are especial
" "things." They stand to the general
eve, and for foreign nations, and for history,
as descriptive of the character, nature and
tendencies of the organizations themselves
At the present moment, in this country.
parties are in the process of dissolution
and reorganization. But in this process
they obey a law which .s as real as that
which controls the decay and renewal of
the forms of nature.
Those whose vested interests or timid con-
servatism make them averse to change, and
lead them to oppose progress and distrust
all reforms, and especially the greatest re.
form which the crisis demands-the divorce
Of the General Government from the Slave
Power and its ant~i,progressive and ~despotic
inAuences-will naturally array themselves
on one side; those who con6de in God and
the People, who dare to trust principles,
who love pragress, who are anxious to res
cue the cpunlry fro II The grasp Of the Slave
Power, taad, to rindica,e for her a place in
the raISof ,easw"rld's advancement, will
naturally array themselves on the other.
The existing Administration makes ad.
hesion to the Pro.Slavery resolutions of the
Baltimore platform The basis of its party or
ganization These are, in the worst possi-
sense, conservative. They assert the SUI
premacy of Slavery in the most odlous
form they introduce the hateful aud in
suIting word ''hnaIIty" as the characteristic
of the Fugitive Slave Act they deny the
right ofthe people to examine ior themselves,
to discuss for themselves, the proprleiy OF
legislative acts of their servants; they at
tempt to throw over the most disgusting
~despoilsm of The Slave Power the shield Of
the National Government, al d To compel
from the People unhesI,atlng acquiescence
in it's DEGREES. This Administration calls
itself democratic, but it is not The shadow
of title to the name. 1t represents only
the irresponsible Slave Power, which usurp.
ed the control and dictated the platform of
the last Baltimore Convention, which as
sembIed as a democratic body. The most
devoted friend of Ire rights of people, the
most strenuous opposer nf monopoly legis
lation, the best aud irmest register of cor
ruptlon aud speculation-in a word, the
truest and best Democrat in the land, can
expect no favor from it, unless he bows
down and worships the Moloch set up at
Baltimore. Jefferson himself, Macon him.
self, could expect its smiles on no other
condition. 1t this is democracy, dlaboI
ism is religion.
But under what name must the Opponents
of The Slave Power naturally rally? AT
Buffalo, in 1913, they took tile name Of Tie
Free Democracy, in Difference to the feel
lngs of the New York B%arnburners. The
Pittsburgh platform. as it was originally
drawn up, substituted for this designation
that of The Independent Democracy. the
Committee tn which the resolutions were
referred, had some difficulty in agreeing as
to the bes, designation, aud finally consent.
1 Ell tai cuakeae Sai adop-ad n. D.. G .iaa arsi
hat ac''oN = h0dt any consideration Of
this matter, Eas adopted by the Conven-
ton.
We observe a general increasing ienden-
cy to adopt the designation of Independent
Democracy. We are rather glad of this.
We W the BArnburners nothing. That
there are true and faithful opponents Of
Slavery among them, who deplore their
false position, we do not doubt bat OF
their organization nothing better can be
said than that the friends of freedom and
progress generously trusted it and were
shametully betrayed. We don't want the
name, as adopted from them. We prefer
that our organization be known as the In,
dependent Democracy; or, 10 use the ex
preston of Senator CHASE, as democrats,
by the grace of God free and independent.
This designation has many advantages
practically, over that of Free Democrats
Notwithstanding that the words free and in,
dependent are nearly synonomous. The
main thing, however. is TO insist, distinctly
and perseyeringly, on our clear title TO the
name-Democracy and Democra's.-wili
or without p%refixes or %afixes. These are
the only names which describe the meas
ures and men of the Pittsburgh platform
Free Soil, Anti-Slavery, represent onl,
partial aspects of that great creed of Free
dom and Progress. No man who stand
upon it, or acts in the organization created
by it, ought to allow himself TO he called
by any other name than hat of Democrat
No European lover of liberty-no Result
or notwithstanding the three platforms
could hesitate for a moment to recognis,
in that Of Pittsburgh the only exposition o
living, practical, working democracy.
I~lence-and we are glad to notice thi
they who come among us from the Of,
world, refugees from tyranhy-and espec
tally The Germans-who look &c a democra
cy for those doctrines Of liberty and tina
devotion To progress which history ha
taught them ~ associate with that nobl
name, disappointed by the apostacy of III
old line Democracy from the faith an
practice Of Freedom, are beginning to loo
more and more 10 the young, vigorous, an
progressive Independent Democracy, for tn
realization OF their hopes from America
Let us hold fast to that name. 1t is gu
own by every right. Let us never surrer
der it.
Now and then some one argues that
will not do to call ourselves Democrats, fu
the fear of alternating nm who may hav
been Wings, We have no fears of All