Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-01-26

as the consideration tor the cOantlOn. LII tne
coalition itself was wrong, then the terms OF 1T
could not make it right; and we could not
have accomplished, by any such coalition, what
the fifteen wished to accomplish, without
perfdy" to our party and our creed. The
q" fifteen" must either admit that there was no
derection of principle, in the coalition itself, or
acknowledge that they are as g deep in the mud
as we are in the mire.' If they admit that
there was nothing unprincipled in forming CO.
aliton, then why this " hue and cry F" against
the majority and against " Field & Barber" of
violating q their professed principles" and of
'perfdy Z"
But. MIR. Editor, | hold that there was no
violation of principle, in the free solers uniting
with either of the other parties, under the cir
cumstances in which they were placed; nay, |
90 further, and say that it was the only way, in
which they could make their power felt, and the
only way in which they could u.s. it, to pave the
way for the future success of their party and their
principles hope, Furthermore, that they did
the best they could for the future prosperity of
their party, unless the ungenerous, not to say
factious, course of the ssli-applauding Fifteen"
and their abettors, prevent the good results,
which might otherwise flow from the action of
the majority. will present, in my next com
muncation some considerations on the topic, and
give your readers some account of the proceed
ings at Montpelier, which may tend to show
them and the free democracy generally, that it
is better to hear both sides, before proceeding
to pass sentence of condemnation on men who
have long and faithfully labored in support of
these rinciples-quite as long, as faithfully and
as efficiently as their maligners. 1t may be, that
when all the facts are made known the g I'M
yielding fifteen" may not appear to that at
| tractive form in which they now present them
selves before the public for mutual and general
admiration.
Before closing this already too long and des-
ultory communication, wish to call attention
to the following remarks which appeared as ed
itorial in your paper of the 30th Of December :
" 1t was at first seriously feared that the un-
fortunate turn Of events at Montpelier would in
jurionsly affect the progress of the anti-slavery
cause in the State. Many strong men, at first,
staggered under the unexpected blow, and were,
for the moment, almost ready to abandon all
confidence in man, and betake themselves to
the individual practice of political duties, with
out any care for organizations or concert of ac-
ton. With the eye fixed on the supposed fact,
that the most important acquisition that has
ever rewarded the patient toll and sacrifice of
the Free Democracy Of Vermont was lost by
the perfdy of two Or three individuals, who
had enjoyed largely the confidence of the party,
it is not strange that such disappointment
should temporarily produce such effects. The
public mind was seemingly made up that Mr..
Shafter would be elected to the Senate. The
sentiment, we have reason to believe, was as
generally entertained, and as generally desired
by the wings as by the free soil constituency
a presumptive proof that the whig delegation
were ready to cooperate in good faith with the
free sellers for that object"
One would suppose, from reading the above,
that some great calamity had befallen the free
democracy of Vermont, and would be led to in
quire what affection had visited them. They
would naturally ask, what that " unfortunate
turn of events " was, and how that "unexpect-
cd blow" was given,--that g staggered" so
"many strong men " and made them ready to
give up in despair and when they were told
that the great misfortune which had happened
to the free soil party, was that some t,oenty
five of their representatives in the general as
sembly in a body of tsco hundred and forty one,
had compelled one of the opposing parties, in
the election of officers, to elect free democrats,
to the Office of Speaker, Clerk, Assistant Clerk,
Secretary of State, Auditor of Accounts, Ser
geant at Arms, Bank Commissioner, State
Prison Directors, and Judge Advocate General,
thus enrolling more than one-half of all the pat
ronage of the State, would they not be aston
ished that one of the editors of the party thus
successful, was lamenting over such calamity
and that " many" of its STRONG men " were
staggering" under such "6low7" And
would they not marvel at the strange hallucina-
ton which afflicted that editor, when he solemn
ly proclaimed that this most mournful catastro-
phe to the party had been brought about by the
"perfdy of tpo or three individuals who had
enjoyed largely the confidence Of the party""
That, and 'pcrfdy,'' sir, when applied to such
men as Horatio Necdham, John Mclean, j. M.
Ilotchkiss, Daniel P. Thompson, j. M. Slade,
Patrick Welch, j. f. Butler, and others, to say
nothing of g Field & Barber sounds strange
by coming from you, for you cannot Apply it to
''two or three - without applying it to the
whole. And do you include Judge Pingry in
the list of apostates! He accepted and is en-
joying the fruits of the coalition. Is he perfd-
ious alsol
But in what, after all, does perfdy" con-
sist! Why, the "publc mind u was seem
ingly'' quite made up, that "Mr. Shaftcr would
be elected to the Senate" and this " sentiment
was as generally entertained and as generally
desired by the whig, as by the free soil constitu-
ency and Mr.. Shafter was not elected, and,
therefore, all free soilers in the Legislature with
the exception of ''ffteen " righteous ones, were
SO weak minded or SO unprincipled as to be led
to deal an unexpected blow" upon their
own cause, by the "perfdy'' of d" two or three
nd i1uaIa - oil
Office instead of elccting Mr.. Shafter This is
the extent of their "perfdy," as you make it
out. Amazing "perfdy!" Unparalleled trea-
did not agree with the minority in the Legisla-
ture, as to the best course to be pursued to ad-
vance the interests of their cause, and therefore
the majority are " unprincipled !" or are the
mere dupes of |" two Or three perfidiousscoun-
drels who " had enjoyed "largely the confidence
Of The partyr' had supposed the free demo-
cracy, in the Legislature of Vermont, were more
intelligent than to be led blindfolded to sacri-
flee of their own cause, and were made of too
stern stuff to be used as mere tools in the hands
of " two or three individuals"
But will you tell me, sir, if the Wings g de-
sired " the election of Mr. Shafter, why was he
not elected There were enough of them, with
their allies, the unyielding fifteen " to have
elected him. This Mr. Barton shows by arith-
metical calculation. If you answer, the reason
was that they would not elect him without an
equivalent, then | reply, that the d" fifteen -
could have given them Governor, Lieut., Govern
Or, Treasurer and Clerk in exchange for Sena-
tor, had they been united. But more conclu-
sive fact to show that a majority of the wings in
the Legislature were not 50 inclined, until they
found their g sta" was about to "set" is, that
they at first refused to form any coalition with
the Free Soil party Now, if they generally -
at home or in the Legislature, had desired to
make an arrangement with the Free Sellers, by
which they would elect Mr.. Shafter Senator
why, when we appointed committee of confer
ence to negotiate with both the old parties did
they no meet us and make an offer to effect such
Arrangement This they refused to do until