Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-08-06
THE TIME CY.iNGED.

THE TUNE CHANGED.
zone extreme follows another" is an adage
that almost every man has seen verified in the
natural world. Like sudden and radical changes
are not unfrequently observed in the opinions
and practices of portion, at least, Of mankind.
The pendulum when in state of rest is led
by the operation of well-known law of physics
to point directly to the center of the earth but
on being made to vibrate from that perpendc
ular it Immediately swings as far to the oppo-
site side. So when man like lawful Gard
ner," who, through long course of wicked
ness, went to the utmost verge of excess, turns
about and commences q new life he becomes
usually, one of the most uncompromisng enc
mics of all Irregularities In religious point
of view the converse of this change is as often
and as equally true. A northern man by birth,
education, and association sometimes happens
to emigrate to the Southern States and become
a holder; and in nine cases out of ten he
becomes the meanest and most abject apologist
for the seryile institution. To prove his fealty
he is, as it were, compelled to do acts that
man "to the manor born" would turn from with
loathing and disgust.
This tendency of that human mind which is
controlled by expediency rather than principle,
to run from one extreme to another, is very
clearly illustrated in the varying temper and
tone of the Bellows Falls argus during the last
two or three months. For several weeks pre-
vious to the meeting of the Democratic State
Convention the Argus every week contained
long leader, in which the administration of
James Buchanad was lauded ad nauseam and
the duty of every democrat to defend all the
measures of that administration, to swear by
every dogma of the President, and to denounce
every misguided man calling himself democrat
who should dare to question the infallibility
OF the head OF the party, argued, illustrated and
enforced. Those miserable Sinners" (politi-
cal, we mean,) who dared to regard the plat
form of the party as above the President in au-
thority, and who were still willing to recognise
Douglas as democrat, notwithstanding the
author and expounder of "squatter sovereign
ty" was in disgrace at the White House. were
treated to all manner of invectives and denun-
cations Douglas was read out of the party,
so far as the argus can read anybody out of the
party, and his political friends in the State were
Threatened with all sorts Of punishment. The
Argus even went so far as to go to Washington,
Qf rumor for once may be credited) and labor
with the administration for the removal of such
democrats as Cain, the Rutland Postmaster.
and Bowdish, the Collector at Burlington His
mission of course terminated ingloriously and
he returned with a flea in his ear"
Since the meeting of the aforesaid conven-
lion our contemporary has been as dumb as a
"church mouse" on the subjects of his former
Authorizations. The State Convention was by
an overwhelming majority in the hands of the
friends of Douglas, and the Argus and his lit
tie clique did not muster sufficient force to
make respectable faction. Chagrined at the
result of an attempt SO puerile, and doubtless
profting by the advice and admonitons he
there received, he returned home a saddcr and
very likely. a wiser man. The tone of his lead
ers has changed. From laudatons of James
Buchanan and his administration he has turned
to the more harmless amusement of praising
negro slavery, be-spattering SAKE with his COM
pliments and abusing Seward-if anything from
his pen can be construed as abuse The ''pol
icy" OF the President is dropped as boy would
drop hot potato, and ink and paper are no
longer wasted in defending the bred Scott de-
cision, and the duty of the general government
to protect slave property in the territories
This "sudden conversion" which in its celer
ity and thoroughness quite equals any on record,
seems to be shared"by those few democrats in
this part of the State who were wont to follow
the lead of the argus. They all have, doubt
less, good and substantial reasons for the change
they have met with,-reasons that are satisfac
tory to themselves if not susceptible of expla-
nation. AS IN instance of this change we quote
the following resolutions introduced into the
Windsor County democratic convention by Geo.
l.. Fletcher, Esq, of Chester:
Resolved That we will sustain the Administration
OF James Buchanan, both in its foreign and domestic
policy, as heretofore exhibited and further
Resolved That fully endorse the doctrine of Pom
MAR Sovereignty, as embraced in the Cincinnati Plat
form and bred Scott decision believing that il is for
congress TO confer the law making power upon the
Territorial legislature but it is the province of the
Judiciary to limit the extent of that power and re-
strain It's abuses, inasmuch the Constitution pro
vldes that The Judicial power shall extend to all
cases. IN law and equity arising under the Constitn
ton and Laws Of the United States"
Resofred That tho position of Secretary Cass in re-
iation TO the claims of naturalized citizens is in per-
iect accordance with the doctrines of international
law, and Of our own Constitution, and rs Democrats
we will cheerfny sustain it,
These resolutions were laid on the table BY
majority of more than three to one They COW
Or the very ground on which the argus and his
clique stood before the meeting of the State
Convention in June, and for which our cotem-
porary battled so vigorously and so vehemently.