Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-07-14
The Crisis and Prospect.

AAS
--
The following eloquent and truthful expose of
the political aspects of the times, in relation to
the condition of the old parties, their prospective
dissolution, and the inevitable elevation Of the
principles of the Free Democracy upon their
ruins, is from the comprehensive and powerful
speech Of our champion Of the West, Geo. w.
Julian. delivered at the Free Democ ratio State
Convention of INDIANA, on the 25th of May
1853.
Read, treasure up its truths, and ponder them
we'll, freemen OF Vermont, for their application
is as extensive as their force is undeniable.
The political aspect Of our movement Alleged
proofs Of its decline.
In regard to the political phases of our cause
two facts are frequently referred to in proof OF
its decline. The first is the small vote of Hale
last year as compared with the vote Of Van Blu
rem four years previous; the second IS the over
whelming majority by which Gen. Pierce was
elected to the Presidency. Let US briefly exam
inc these supposed crumbs OF pro'siavery com
fort and see what there Is in them. In the year
lC1C, III TIC E1Iutc VI pACW Urn dlUnc, uoUut Out
hundred thousand men voted the Free Democrat
ic ticket for President, who before that time had
never been identified with the anti slavery move
ment, and never have been identified with il
since. They were not Free Soil men, but Van
Buren, men. They were not actuated by hatred
of Slavery, but hatred Of Gen. Cass, who had
been his successful rival, 1t is obvious that this
feeling was not confined to New York, but ope.
rated pretty decidedly in all the non-slavehold
ing states. 1t seems perfectly fair to suppose
that could we eliminate this Van Buren, element
from the struggle of l84S, and estimate truly The
reliable anti slavery force of that J ear, the vote
of 1852 weuld show an encouraging increase in
stead OF a rapid decline in our strength The
proper test of truth would be a comparison of the
anti slavery vote OF 1874 with that of last year
leaving entirely out OF view the deceptive e 'och
of l84S, and this shows an increase of nearly
three fold in the intervening space of eight
years.
Nor is the other fact to which | have referred
more ~solacine to the enemies of our movement,
Let me ask you how the large majority for Gen
Pierce was occasioned. That he is eminently
pro slavery, no man doubts. A more abiect too
of the peculiar institution could not have beer
elected among all the white slaves that infes
our Northern States. This circumstance, too
doubtless gave him many votes. But presents
one aspect only of the fact | am considering
The other is that Gen. Scott stoed upon u plat
form which in all essential particulars was az
objectionable as that of his opponent, and tn.
Wing strength therefore could not be rallied
To their honor be it remembered that thousands
of Wings, notwithstanding their dislike for Gen
Pierce, and their admiration OF Gen. Scott, as
man, and Notwithstanding the attempted drill o
their leaders and the influence of such men as
Seward and Greedy, could not be driven into the
support of the tinality platform. The eDornoG,
majority OF Gen. Pierce therefore,an The dlsper
sion OF The wing party, are facts which not only
admit: bot reqnire nm anli-slaverv solution. AnC
they are facts which to US all are run VI cncOur.
agenent. We should rejoice in the hopeless
! prostration Of one of these parties, aud the NOR.
bid growth and drops.cal condition Of the other,
And If, as | fully believe, the bolt which feIled
whllggery, to the earth has penetrated to the "vi-
tai parts OF the cutaneous democracy" wa
nave peculiar reasons TO thank God for his rner.
cies' Everybody knows that we have always
regarded these organizations as the ~bulwarks OF
slavery. The Southern wing of each of them
IN every instance, has given law 10 the whole
body, thus rendering it the wicked instrument 70,
the preparation OF every outrage which the slave
interest has seen fit to demand. To wage in
%creasing war against them has been considered
the clear duty OF every friend Of the slave. Oul
cause could never hope 10 triumph without theil
overthrow, and our great desire for years pas
has been to devise some method by which thi,
could be accomplished.
The Old Organisation-Ihe End of Whigger,
as a Party.
will not say that their formation, more thar
twenty years ago was not an honest work in the
main on both sides.-Those who believed in @
National Bank, in high protective duties, in large
schemes of internal Improvement by the Fedora
Government, and the distribution of the proceeds
Of our public lands, naturally rallied under q
common banner, and formed themselves into
party. Those who opposed these measures. and
1spoused The doctrines to which that opposition
gave birth, as naturally formed themselves into
another party. Each plead its own existence as
a necessity, resulting from the formation of the
other. Each held the other in its orbit, willis
both revolved round a common centre of anita 90.
nlstn, which was their spirit and their life. Mel
ther OF them therefore, self subslsting. but eacl
committed its internal dlssensions 10 the guild
ance OF this all-absorblng partisan luminosity
which lost sight Of everything but the CONNER
foe, and nerved it with a vigorous life, 1t was
however, an luminosity founded on principle
There were well defined issues between them
and each lebored earnestly for the success OF il,
cherished doctrines. 1t was, perhaps, impossible
that these parties should have been called int
being, because they we're divided upon the lv
ing issues of the time. 1t was quite as obviou.
that they could last no longer than the causes
which made them necessary continued operative
for party formation must always adapt itself I,
the shifting phases of public questions. This
we may set down as an axiom. The who's
disregardlng it, have attempted to lengthen on,
their life, beyond it appointed time. They have
tried to live after the original source of their life
was Withdrawn. As a party, they are unmistak
ably dead. Horace Greedy afTirms it, and the
%central organ of whiRgery at Washington virtu.
ally occupies the same position. 1t is true there
are persons still surviving who style themselves
wings, and who seem to believe they are such
but their political capital is obviously a mert
party cognomen, which now has no other mean
ing than a certain traditioDary reference which
1t inspires. Orthodox w%higgery, as exponndet
by its great prophets in its better days, is ne
more. 1t belongs to the past, it can only be ex.
amined as the fossil remains Of a vitality tina
has become extinct. If any remnant of it sur
vived ill the last Baltimore wing convention, i
was then and there formally surrendered to the
Democracy, whilst the spolls alone divided those
who were really brethren in principle, and who
longed 10 embrace each other upon the common
altar of slavery. Under these circumstances
the rout of the wing party last year was as nat
ural as had been It's formation. ID lad fulfilled
lis mission, surrendered It's doctrines, %outlivet
its honor, and for these reasons was consigned
by the fates to an ignominious grave.
The National Democrucy-B Scosn Condition
and Impending Death.
We have, | repeat, abundant reason to rejoice
at this, because if it be a fact, the Democratic
party must follow in its footsteps. 1t has beer
held together as | have already shown far less b,
any internal principle of cohesion than by al
I~aa