The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-08
The Logic Of Events.

A little more than twelve months ago =
great party that had, for nearly thirty years,
almost unintcrruptedly possessed the Federal
Government, managed its resources, controlled
its immense patronage, and fed upon its usu-
fruct, held a National Convention in the city
OF Charleston, South Carolina, for the purpose
of selecting some champion from the host of
great names on its muster roll to lead it once
more in presidential campaign to victory,
the fruits of which might quietly be gathered
during the four years of consequent power
The great men of the party, its Captains, it's
Generals. it's Sachems, lis Senators, gathered
at the call from every State that had star in
our Flag. The Chivalry of the South and
the colder blooded but fully as determined sons
of the North met III Council. An almost hope
less division soon rent the Convention. 1t
could not agree upon what rights Slavery had
in this Free Government. The Convention ad
journed ,-met again in Baltimore, renewed the
contest, again divided, and each portion at last,
hurting defiance at the other, selected ts lead
ers and began the BATTLE
In the interval, another great party, having
hardly a representative in the Slave States, met
at Chicago, and with wonderful unanimity and
enthusiasm selected its standard bearer for the
same campaign, and agreed upon the princl
pies which their struggle should support and
among these prnci plies, ~ whatever else may
have been obscurely or doubtfully expressed -
the doctrine that Slavery was to 60 no farther
under our National Flag was distinctly an
nounced Through one of the most animated
and botly contested campaigns known to our
political history, this issue was presented to the
people from the Press, the rostrum, the stump !:
and, although the doctrine, and the candi-
date who held it as his political faith, were
ri umphantly approved by the Constitutional
majority of the electors Of the Nation, they
yet obtained the endorsement of only bare
majority of the voters of the Free States
Throughout the whole of the North there was
strong party who sincerely desired to drop
the niger question altog ether,-leave
Slavery out of the account, to take care of it.
self-and have the Government give its atten-
tion to the rights of white men, and not the
wrongs of black slaves.
And when later the treason of South Carroll
ma began to exhibit itself IN defiance Of the
authority Of the Government, when the rattle
snake was first raised and II secession ordinance
adopted by that disloya State, there yet re-
manned all through the North great party in
favor of buying peace on any tcrms-of yield
ing to the impudent demands for concessions
to Slavery-and by the cement of such COM
promise, again joining TO the Union the Rebel
State When the new President asked 70
power to enable him to put down treason, then
blossoming all over the Gulf States, the Con-
gress refused it,-and even the House of Repre-
sentatives, in which a large majority called
themselves Republicans, by subterfuge and de-
lay, refused to put into Mr.. Lincoln 8 hand the
military strength of the Nation to suppress the
hideous rebellion that was undermining the au-
shortly of the Constitution and the Laws
The Congress expired, and the President was
left to struggle as best he might, with the fierce
onset Of treason, and maintain, with the limited
resources at his command, the honor of the
Old Flag.
But when the Northern air was startled by
the booming OF the first gun fired at Fort Sum
ter, how was this all changed The supporters
Of Douglas, of Bell, of Breckenridge, of LIN
coin, formed at once solid column. The few
that for a moment hesitated were driven by
tress OF weather " to seek the shelter of the
starry ensign Partizan banners were at once
hauled down, and in their place was run up the
good old Union Flag. What thirty years of
plotting treason had failed to do, one day of ac-
tual treason instantly accomplished it made a
united North
And we believe wo are simply stating fact,
which the progress of this war will develop,
and which it is idle to attempt to overlook in
the present rapid march of events, when we
say that along with this hatred of treason and
traitors which is now giving such wonderful
strength 10 the Government there runs the cur
rent of an accum uating wrath, waiting only an
opportunity to exhibit itself in fearful reck
oning with Slavery itself. And this hatred of
Slavery is no longer any party shbboleth, any
campaign watchword, but it is the settled con-
viction that the Institution of American Slavery
+, IN lts essential features, hostile and danger