Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-05-25
INDEPENDENT AND BALTIMORE
DEMOCRACY,

INDEPENDENT AND BALTIMORE
DEMOCRACY.
You regard the Independent Democracy as
Ia Faction, and profess great horror of such
ian organization. You represent the INDIE
pendent Democrats, whom you designate as
e Ffeesoilerssas mere seekers for office, mot
half so honorable in their course as the real
political abolitionist who attacks the Consti-
tuition and favors dissolution Of the Uhion."
You must be strangely ignorant Of the mat
tiers you undertake to discuss, for your state
ments of fact are exceedingly. wide from the
truth, and | do not believe you capable of
Misrepresentation There is no such person
as political aboitionist, who attacks the
Constitution and favors dissolution Of the
Union; at least, have never met with such
person. There is class Of abolitionists, of
whom Mr.. Garrison is the recognized leader,
who denounce the Constitution and advocate
disunion; but they are not political abolition
lists; they refuse to vote or take part in any
political action. Political abolitionists are
found in all parties He who believes slav-
cry to be great wrong and desires to pro-
mote its abolition by political action is po-
litcal abolitionist. If he thinks his end can
be best secured through Wing party, he will
unite with the Wing party; if through the
Old Line Democracy, with the Old Line DEM
ocrats; if through the independent Democra-
cy with the Independent Democrats.
But in your esteem, the Independent De-
mocracy is Faction; and you quote MIR.
Madison's description Of a faction, and apply
it to that organization. Mr.. Madson's idea
of o faction is number of citizens, whether
amounting to majority Or minority OF the
whole, who are united and actuated by some
common i'm; u 8, of passion, or of interest ad-
verse to the rights of other citizens, Or to the
permanent and aggregate good of the commu-
nifty" To me, this description seems to APP
i ply much more exactly to the National De-
mocracy, SO called organized upon the Balti-
more Platform, than to the Independent De-
mocyacy. What interest binds the Indepen-
dent Democrats together, it is hard TO sec.
You say, indeed, it is desire for Office. But
surely, you know better. Very few have
found while many have lost, office by adher-
ing to their organization. 1t Office be the
great object Of desire, the Baltimore Democ-
racy, at present, offers the nearest and surest
path. Indeed, some are so fortunate in that
organization as to secure two offices at once.
1t is very obvious, then, that SO far as "the
common impulse Of interest" is to be taken
as the characteristic of faction, the Balti-
more Democracy is indicated rather than the
Independent Democracy.
Again, the Baltimore Democracy is organ
lied, not merely for the purpose of securing
Offices to its adherents, but with special refer
encc to a single class interest. 10 protect
the interest and satisfy the demands Of the
slaveholding class, every public, every private
consideration is made to bend. No matter
how adverse these interests, and these de-
mands may be to ''thc rights of other citi-
zens," or to 1.-The permanent and aggregate
good OF the community they must be salts
fed as every hazard. Therefore it is that all
the energies Of the administration are put in
action to give effect to the slavery Reso,ut ont
OF the Baltimore Platform. No man can be
appointed to any national office who will not
promise implicit submission. The Washing.
ton Uaion, the organ OF the administration
declares expressly, that emo man has beer
appointed to Office by the President who does
not stand upon the PLEDGE Of a faithful ad.
herence to the Compromise Measures as f.
nal adjustment Of the slavery issues" And
no man can stay in Office who deres to utter a
ward of opposition to these Compromise
Measures; for the same Washington Union
declares that "the Presidcut has had no hest.
tati6n in avowing his policy on all occasions
and in declaring with rmpaafic distinrtness,
that he would unhestatingy remove any man
from Office who should dsny the fnoiity oil
the Compromise Measures" Even you, Mr.
Edgerton, would come within the sweep of
this declaration, if You held Office under
Presidential appointments; for you, almost
tremble when | write-you, rash man, "voted
against the fnality of the Compromise Acts
believing there could be no such thing as final.
ity" In the very letter | am commenting
on, you have venturel to put this in print:
1t these declarations of the Washington
Union were unsupported, they might be dis
regarded. Bat the Attorney General sustains
the Union with the whole wei, hit Of Prcsi
dental authority. In his recent letter tc
Mr.. Rockingham, of Boston, he makes this
solemn announcement. If there be any pur.
pose MORE FINED than another in the minds
Of the President and those with whom he is
accustomed to consult, it is, that the danger.
Gus element Of abolitionism, under whatever
guise Or form it may present itself, shall bt
'crushed mt, so far as this administration is
concerned" BY abolition the Attorney
General means just such opposition to slavery
as the State platform Of Ohio Democracy
declares it is the duty of the people to make
1t is living, earnest, practical, working De
mocracy, applying within the limits of the
Constitution, its grand and benefcient doc
trines Of Equal Rights and Exact Justice tc
the practice and system of s!aveholding, az
boldly and as directly as to any other subject
it is this Democracy that is to be crushed
out" Let Democrats who are Democrats
and mean to stand by the Ohio Platform, look
to it.
have shown that, tried by the test which
MIR. Madison suggests, it is the Baltimore
Democracy, and not the Independent Denloc
racy,that turns out to be Faction.-Chase'
Litter to Edgtrtoa.
PROplrs Of A SUGAR Plantation ---Spoa