Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-04-29
a1olitical.


For the watchman.
RETROSPECTIVE AND PROSPECTIVE.
The general result of the elections of the
last six months is cheering to the patriot and
lover Of freedom. 1t proves the steady ad-
vance of the public sentiment in the right di-
rection. 1t shows that in the great contest
now waging between the aristocracy of slave
labor and the democracy of free labor, while
the latter is subject to occasional reverses,
and its star is sometimes obscured, yet its
progress is ever onward-its ultimate success
certain. Revolutions are said never to go
backward. The Democracy, so called, is just
beginning 20 learn the truth of this. "The
magic of a name," once so potent has lost
something of its "charm" For once, the
"unterrifed' has blanched its checks and
"paled its Intellectual fires The prestige of
the party is gone.
The causes of this result are not difficult
to perceive. When the ukqse went forth that
Kansas should be added to the dark domin-
ions Of the slave power, the stampede from
the ranks Of the Pierce democracy was so
great as to seriously damage their prospects
for the succession so much So that they
felt the pressing need Of candidate whose
hands were clean of the Nebraska iniquity.-
Mr.. Buchanan having been in England at the
time Of the passage Of the bill, was thus able
to prove an albi, and present, in his person,
an available standard-bearer Hence he was
selected, and by raising the cry of "Buchan-
an and free Kansas" and in no other 1cay, were
they enabled to succeed 1t was hoped and
believed by thousands in the free States, who
cast their votes for Buchanan, that he would
deal fairly by the struggling pioneers of Kan
sas-that be would not add the weight of the
executive arm to that of their border-rutfian
oppressors. How vain and delusive was that
hope, how groundless that belief time has
fully proved
1t is seen that the Administration is en-
tirely and completely, body and soul, in the
hands of the slave aristocracy that the man
dates Of the latter are to be enforced at what
ever cost; that its behests are law-and gos-
pei too--to the democratic party. 1t is seen
that the cry Of Popular Sovereignty, so vocif-
erously screeched into our ears, has become
an igbis fah3is. Turing its followers on to sink
at last in the quagmire Of despotsm Dem
ocrats were led toask themselves "Can this
Buchanan who is striving with ali the means
at his command to force on the people Of Kan
sas constitution repudiated by them, can
this be the President who in his Inaugural
proclaimed it "the imperative and indispens-
able duty Of the Government of the United
States to secure to every resident inhabitant
Of Kansas the free and Independent express
sion Of his opinion By his vote y who in his
instructions to Gov. Walker, said When such
a constitution shall be submitted TO the people Of
the Territory, they must be protected in the
exercise of their right of Uoting for or against
that instrument - can this be oar James Bu-
chanan; They asked themselves this ques-
ton, and they have answered it at the polls.
This glorious uprising of the people is no
ftful meteor CLEAN, shooting athwart the dark
ness Of the political armament, to leave i;
anon in deeper gloom than ever but its
I light is full, strong and brilliant, as that OF
the unclouded sun at noon-day, reyiyifying
the hopes of the patriot, and warming the
hearts Of all who respect the inalienable rights
Of man. II is the verdict Of the people who
believe that democracy meets something be-
sides the imprescriptible right Of a paltry
handful of Shareholders to override and crush
the country at pleasure of men who have
faith in the "glittering generalities' put forth
/ by the fathers Of the republic as self-evideni
truths, but which have come in this age o
wonders to be considered. in certain quarters
as Of no consequence. 1t is the deliberate
Judgment Of reused and indignant nation
upon a faithless Government.
The signs are auspicous for glorious re-
publican triumph in 1860. The enemy is
scattered, dispirited, broken, Distraction in
his ranks, division among his leaders, con-
fusion in his counsels. he "drags his slow
length along fostering in his gangrenous
corruption, towards the time when his last
breath shall be drawn by constitutional limit
alton, and be be cast of by disgusted peo-
! pie, like a noisome thing, ito waste his sweet
ness on the desert air.
On our side all is confidence, hope. The
consciousness of just cause inspires us with
courage. On every hand, our serrod ranks
are ma.shalling in solid phalanx for the final
struggle. Let wisdom guide our counsels
and vigilance animate our hearts, and victory
is certain IA.
Nonhfeld, Ap,Il, 1859.