Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-10-14
Onr Danger and Onr Safety.
By non. ]. R. GIDDINGs.


Our danger of defeat in 1860 arises from the
efforts now making to modify the position as
sumed by the Republicans in 1856. We can
not disguise the fact that some Of our Journal
lists and some candidates for Office are seeking to
gain the support of the timid and weak men,
by denying that the Republican party is pledged
against the extension Of the slave power. They
say distinctly that our Philadelphia Platform
does not pledge the party to oppose the ad%ls
sion of more Slave States. Some say they
would vote to admit new States with slavehold-
ing Constitutions.
We shall not stop to argue the question at
this time. If the fundamental truths put forth
in that instrument do not exclude the extension
of the slave power by the consent or vote OF the
Republican party, its trainers failed to express
what they supposed neither friend nor foe could
doubt. The Democratic party had ayowed this
extension Of slavery as one important item in
their creed. 1t was known that Mr.. Buchanan,
their candidate, had long cherished the inten-
ton of bringing Cuba into the Union, in order
that the %ignoaant Catholics of that island may
give prepondcranice to the slave power, and en-
able them to elect our President and VICE
President, and direct the administration OF our
Government, maintain the bred Scott decision,
extend slavery over all onr territories, and hold
their slaves in, and carry them through our free
States that these objects were te be attained
not only by giving to the slave dealing, and pI-
ratical population Of that island an equal voice
in our Government with our %yirtuous and intel
ligent population, but by adding thereto three
votes for every five slaves which they hold IN
bondage. This plan of transferring our rights,
our interests, and our honor to the keeping OF
such Il population, constitutes the most odlons,
the most hateful policy of that party, and some
of our respectable journals deny that the re-
publican party is opposed to this policy,
These declarations have struck us with sur
prise. Every intelligent man must be aware
that this same w~avering Of our ranks, in lace OF
the enemy defeated the wings In 1874. When
Henry Clay avowed his personal acqusescence
in the plan for a%nnexing Texas in order to ex-
tend the slave power. he signed his own politlt
cal death warrant, and do our friends suppose
that the scenes connected with Kansas, and
the experience Of fourteen years have rendered
the despotism of Slavery more acceptable to our
people? Have our friends forgotten the memo
rable report on this subject made to the House
of Representatives in 1874, by the venerable
John Quincy Adams? That report was signed
by one other member who yet lives, and has
done what he could to awake the Northern mind
to the enormity of this increase of slaveholding
tyranny. Have our friends forgotten the ad-
dress put forth by Mr.. Adams, and twenty other
members of Congress, one half of whom yet
live, and are now laboring for the rights and
honor of our free States? The people have not
forgotten these things, and will not forget them;
and in our opinion the idea that Republicans
will consent to see the people of the free States
thus transferred to the control of a slaveholding
despotism, is now doing a thousand times more
to defeat US in 1860, than all the efforts of Blu
chanan and Douglas put together.
If there were any doubt in regard to the
Philadelphia platform being opposed to this ex-
tention of the slave power, the great body OF
Republican voters would demand its amend
ment, or repudiate the party. We assure these
men who would down our position that the
mass of the republican electors are honest
They mean what they say. They base their ac.
ton on principle. They will discard all wire.
working. They will not be sold nor transferred
to the slave power by their wv votes. 1heg
nil not ie deceived. We understand that som(
candidates and some journals, propose to G
into the contest of 1860 without any expose o
our political faith Let that policy be adopted
and one half of the republican electors ooult
not take the trouble 10 90 to The polls.
We have no hesitation in saying. that if thi
surrender to the slave power must be made i
our rights are to be given up we hope it ma,
be done by the locofocos. We prefer that par
ty should remain in power so long as ne~cessar,
70 consumate their crimes rather than see sucl
disgrace brought upon a party with whom W
have associated and by men for whom we hav
Voted.
We would not deceive others, nor would w
be deceived. We think any attempt of ou
National Convention of 1860 to modify our pc
sition in regard to this extension of the slay
power, or to place in nomination "A man who's
sentiments on that subject are unknown mus
defeat his election. Republican electors hav
been too often and too long deceived on thi
subject to be further trifed with. Should Their
be any doubt in the platform adopted by tina
convention the electors will call on the candi
dates for an ayowal of their own views, and
they remain silent the people will repudiat
them as unworthy of confidence.
Our safely consists in frank and manly SUP
port of the doctrines proclaimed at Philadel
phia, in their letter and spirit. On these on
party was founded aside from those doctrine
there is no Republican party. The man VIII
discards them is not Il republican, Neithe
politicians, nor statesmen, nor human author
ity can change those truths. We may abandon
we may repudiate, but we can neither modif
nor change principles which have existed
throughout the whole eternity of the past
Standing Oh them, our party has extended ant
increased, and acquired influence, and nov
wields the moral power of the nation, 1t
success is as certain as its adherence to trutl
and justice but its overthrow is as sure as it
abandonment of those doctrines on which i
was founded.