Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-06-15
THE WING STATE CONVENTION.

ings of the Wing State Convention, which was
held last week, at Rutland, both because we be-
licve it will crafty the public curiosity to know
precisely what was done, and because the char
acter of those proceedings constitute striking
index of the great reaction now taking place in
che minds of the hitherto sleeping masses of the
North, in regard to the Entertainments Of Slave
vy, now admitted, by the untramelled of all
parties, to have become SO bold, exacting and
audacious, as most seriously to jeopardize the
common liberties of the country.
As will be seen by the resolutions, &C., which,
though mainly occupied with expressions against
che Nebraska outrage, and the further extern
sion of Slavery, commence with rc-affrming of
the old principles of the party, the Convention
begun and ended, as it was called, a regular
Wing Convention. And the proposition, which
to some extent had been advocated, of throwing
up their organization, and meeting all the OPP
ponents of the late Slavery agsressions, in what
ever party found, on common and equal
ground, under such new name and organization
az theunited mass should agree on-this propo-
sition, though introduced received as we are
told, 80 meagre support that its friends readily
yielded the point, and acquiesced INTERESTINGLY
In the quietus given it by the majority in laying
10 on the table The nomination of Mr. Shafter
for 1t. Governor, was simply made, doubtless,
for the purpose of gaining accessions from the
ranks of the Free Democracy. Had the Con-
vention been as much in earnest in meeting the
Free Democracy on fair and equal terms, as they
appear to have been in appropriating the polit-
scal part of their anti-slavery thunder for the
purposes of the campaign, they would have
nominated for Governor the everywhere respect
ed old Free Democratic candidate, Lawrence
Brainerd, whos, prirssteaqfs that Known to the
whole State to be what they have protested now
to lay down, and who is quite as well calculated
for popular and efficient Chief Magistrate as
Judge Royce, who received the nomination, and
whose principles are not known to the people,
except as a Webster Wing.
In regard to the resolutions, which, in addi-
ton to the just denunciations of the Nebraska
Bill and the varions measures proposed to be
pursued against its enactors, North and South,
for passing it, and especially the Adminstra-
ton 80 recklessly and corruptingly lending its
whole power to ensure its passage-go, if we
understand them, against the Compromise Of
1850 and for the repeal of the Fugitive Slave
LAWN regard to these resolutions, we of the free
Democracy Of course can,ot but be gratifed by
the new stand taken by the Convention not
only because it is our stand substantially on
these issues but because it directly involves the
condemnation of their own guilty course ii
sustaining those Compromises and the approba
tlon of our course in resisting them-directly
admits, in short, that the Free Democratic party
have all along been right, and the Wing party
wrong.
Thus far it should be regarded as triumph
Of the cause of Freedom. But the Platform
constituted by these resolutions is not the Pitts
burgh Platform. Not one word is said abou
the great sin and wrong of Slavery-the cor
Supting influence it is everywhere extending
like some baleful cloud, over the whole land
end its deeply menacing dangers to our common
ibertes-and not one word about the inhuman
unchristian and unconstitutional Fugitive Say,
Law, which they would have repealed, it woulc
seem, rather out Of retaliation to the South
chan for anything particularly wrong in the ac
Itself.
The doings Of the Convention, nevertheless
should be regarded as an suspicious advance il
the right direction and above all, signifcan
and important step towards an entire separation
from the Slaveholding wing of their party, anc
the fastening of the day, not, we fondly trust
row far distant, when the old parties shall yield
up their organization and party names, ties and
prejudlces, and make common cause with the
Free and only true Democracy of the countl,
against, not only the present audacous demand.
OF the Slave Power, but against the institution
Itself, which, if not exterminated, must soon
become the funeral pyrs, on which the long
eaunted Goddess Of American Liberty will h,
consumed to ashes,