Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-08-17
BURLINGTON, FRIDAY. AUG. Il. 1865.
The coming Election.

Last year was remarkable one in the his
tory OF this country. For the first time
since the independent existence Of the nation
began, it was put beyond doubt that there is
a fixed purpose in the savcholding portion of
the nation to increase at any ha,drd their po
litical power in the Union till all branches of
the government shall be under their absolute
control. That they had such aims before was
known well enough to observant men
throughout the free states but relying upon
the strength which rapidly increasing free
population was sure to give them, and pro-
lection against the spread Of slavery north Of
the Missouri Compromise line, which was
secured (as they vainly thought) by solemn
guarantees which no one had been 50 hardy
as to hint at violating, they had very gcncr-
ally kept their minds free from great solicit
tute on the matter. Rather than contend
violently, they had yielded to southern De-
mnnds more than once, where in justice there
was no call for it Not few in SO doing did
violence to their own sense Of right and at
tachment to freedom, in the belief that by
an extreme conciliatory course on the part Of
the north, the minds of their southern neigh
hors would be quieted and results in favor of
the free institutions which the nation is ever
proud to boast of,would be left to come along
quietly in natural. progressive and healthy
way.
The last year scattered all such peaceful
visions as those. The power Of al Executive
whose weakness and vacillation have made
him an object Of open contempt to those who
were most active in giving him his place,
vas at once laid hold of by the chief slavery
rropagandists, and the nation was soon taught
that the influence of the Administration and
the public treasure were to be used without
stunt to accomplish all the wishes Of the
slave power in the nation. From that mo-
mont it was plain that new political diyis-
ion of the people Of the nation was inevitable
Other differences faded rapidly out Of sight
The question for each one was simply this
can you be relied upon to uphold that guilty
deed, the violation of the Missouri ComIro-
mise, or at least to help the slave power hold
fast ali the advantage which they have Sc
cured by it If you can be. then YOU belong
to one party no matter what you call YOUR
self now, or have called yourself before If
you say you will resist it by all the influence,
IN your power, and plant your foot firmly on
the ground that freedom only is national and
slavery is sectional, and that you will do all
you can to right the great wrong which the
passage of the kanzas-Ncbraska bill inflicted
on the nation, and to protect the free States
from being deprived Of their natural and lust
influence and power, then you belong to
another party, no matter what you cal! your
sell now or have called yourself before. Other
questions Of more or less moment will of
course come up and must be attended to az
they best can but this is the guc5fion ON
which the nation divides itself-and there it
will stay divided, till the question is dis
posed Of
On that question the people Of Vermont
divided last year BY an uncxamIled major
lty, they placed in Office, ROYCE, FLETCHER and
BATES, as representatives Of their love for
freedom and justice. They lave worthily
filled their Office for one year, Nothing las
occurred to alter that issue, nothing has oc-
CURED to call for any change in that ticket, as
the representative of that great sentiment
and though in Vermont as elsewhere there are
uneasy spirits who can never be satisfied un-
less their own special desires are met in every
particular, everything indicates that as they
produced little effect last year SO they viii
produce but little this year By il great
majority this year too Gt ought to be L,rser
than it was last year, that ticket will be
elected