The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-07-11
State Convention.

We copy from the Free Press the reported
proceedings of the State Convention which
met at Burlington on Wednesday, the 1st
inst, to nominate State officers for the ensu-
ing year.
The general understanding that the pres
ent incumbcnts of the offices to be filled should
be nominated for reelection prevented the
usual attendance from the remoter parts of
the State.
The nominations made, and the resolutions
adopted, will, no doubt, prove acceptable to
the Freemen of Vermont, excepting, perhaps
We should say, the more immediate and sur
viying friends of the late Democratic party
of the State We are sorry that their feel
ings are likely to be injured by the illusions
in these resolutions of the Convention to the
causes of their bereavement, and for the flu
ture We hope our brethren of the Republican
press will abstain from all unnecessary re-
currence to the repeal of the Missouri Com
promise, the wrongs of Kansas, the late de-
cision of the Supreme Court in the case of
bred Scott, and kindred topics, so full of pain
full "reminiscences and fearful forebodings to
these afflicted individuals. Let their frcquen,
and pathetic appeals for silence upon these
unpleasant subjects be respectfully regarded
For our part, we shall say no more about them
in future than seems to be absolutely neces-
sary to keep the public mind, so far as we
are permitted to address it, awake to care
full observation Of the important questions at
issue and the policy pursued in the conduct
of our national affairs.
We regret as much as any one the exist
cncc of sectional issues in either state or ma
tional affairs Nor do we consider the great
question now at issue between the Free and
Slave States properly such. Whether free
labor shall constitute the future and irc@om-
inant characteristic of the social economy o.
'ui SVNti VI IOt. IL Htt IL Sttttlltl Dut
a national question: AS such it was discuss
ed and settled. as they supposed. by the fra
mcrS of the Constitution As such it was
treated by every administration until the
wanin. influence of the old slavcholding
States and the extensive acquisition of new
and fertile territory suggested to them a pos
sblc and profitable extension of their section
al institution. This they obtained. More
recently the Democratic party having. for a
consideration. volunteered to be the patron
of Slavery. has procured the ahroyation of
the Missouri Compromise. and now boldly
claims for its protc-c. 4 constitutional right
to be 4 national institution To Withstand
this claim. to resist by all observation-disclosures
its recognition and allowance. in opposition
to the spirit and letter Of the Constitution as
understood and asserted hv our national Com
crosses and Courts for more than seventy
years from its adoption. has for Obvious rca-
Sors been dcvolvcd chiefly upon the people
of the free States Tn" principles involved
in the basis Of the Republican organization
are of vital consequence to the pcrmancncy
of our free institutions, and should. on their
account re made III, sole issue at our State
election. The frccmrn of Vermont should
on the first Tuesday of Sept. adopt them
again. and emphasize that adoption. as they
did at the late Presidential election. We
trust ,hcy vii do SO.