Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-05-31
OF POLITICAL DESPERATION.


ing since, that new editor had taken the
lace of the old one,-a man knowing nothing
the politics or interests of this State, igno-
ant of the duties and responsibilities resting
pom the conductor of such paper as the Pat
lot, whose whole life had been passed amid the
langor of trumpots and the neighing of horses.
However, it is generally known that this change
5 only ostensible, made only to keep up the
Patriots waning political influence, and that
he Major directs the puppet from behind the
Green, Tne pugnacious character with which
his change has endowed the Patriot is really
amusing none the less SO that the fiery bolts
IF its SATIRE its lies and its logic, are directed
against the Freeman. For the amusement Of
our readers we propose to remark little upon
the last gun which the Aid and the Major
have fired at us.
The true way, the Patriot thinks, to avoid
which in this case is sure defeat is
to exclude all possibility of it by torrents of
abuse and detraction. The principle of this is
correctly illustrated in the leading paragraph
of an article in the last number, entitled The
Christian Messenger in Trouble, in which ref
erence is made to the inky cloud thrown out by
the affrighted cuttle-fsh. With this view the
Editor of the Patriot charges us with multi
tude of political sins, and some moral ones
which we have often denied both in public and
in private. lie accuses us, in the first place, Of
being member of the Scarlet Degree of the
Know Nothings, without stint Or reservation
We have said and now say, that we do not be-
long to that order, or any other secret political
one, whatsoever We never did belong to Sc
cret society, except one for the promotion Of
Temperance, to which, if we remember rightly
Eastman was, from principle, a leading oppo
nent AS for the "Scarlct Degree" which the
Major thinks will establish Slavery, if not sup
pressed, in Vermont even, we do not know that
such degree of the Order exists, save from the
mouths of its opponents, nor do we believe thai
were the Northern Know Nothings members O.
a body for the extension of Slavery their actions
would SO belle their obligations. The Patrio
then proceeds to tell ridiculous story abou
President Fillmore, and relates many culogisti'
remarks which it says we made concerning him
how we were heard to say we should support
him for the Presidency We're he put in nomina
ton. Unlike the Major, we did not see Fill
more while here, we never made any such asser
walton, and never shall either support, Or prom
Use to support the signer of the Fugitive Slav'
Law. So the Major and his Aid are either re
markably gullible, Or they were guilty of {
most unqualified falsehood. Our readers would
not be surprised to hear that the Editors of tn
Patriot had gone down on their knees before tn
Signer Of their idolized Fugitive Slave Law, blu
we are prepared to say that we have never beef
in their company in such alterations. The re
naming part Of this article is compound 0
opprobricus epithets, reminding us of the fer
eifusion of some school-boy, fresh from the read
ing Of Junius, who has dipped his pen in gall
and is about to annihilate his adversary wit
the scathing thunderbolts of his rhetoric.
The reasons for these ferocious attacks an
num6eress misrepresentation may be unknow
to many, but they are not to Us. The Editc
Of the Patriot has been envious, mad and tcrr
bly, pcrplexed ever since the Post Office cause
him to cspouso the cause of Slavery,
that those who have advocated the doctrines
human liberty have obtained more listeners tina
he who desires to aid the Vaccinations of II
enemies Of Freedom, mad, that he has bee
obliged to resort to so many low-lived tricks
secure adhcrents, while others have been, in
measure, sustained and applauded, and pc
picked, because he has sense enough to see th
in the end he must embrace the Strngfelow
Atchinsons and Legrees of the South, and b
come their pimp and tool. He has resorted
every means to sustain himself and his pape
traitorous AS it is, in prosperity; and detractic
of the meanest kind has been his chief weapo
In the last issue of that paper there are not lt
than .jfce ungcnilemanly and abusive articl
against papers extensively circulating in tt
State. He has been heard to say that no won
take away II thousand subscribers from the Ii
Of the Freeman in less than two months, OIL
in his last paper he calls upon our patrons
leave US, to escape from the sinking ship -.
to embrace the Patriot and Slavery. Howev
much wisdom there would be in deserving sin
ing ship, it would be very foolish to dive for o
already sunk.
In conclusion, VIC desire, as we have said /
fore, no better than that the Major should Ike
his L'ttIcton Reporter going and whenever he
short of writing matter, the Freeman is alwa
here he can lie, misreprescnt, and fire
guns, without the least injury to our paper
our feelings.