Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-02-08
THE WASHINGTON CONFERENCE.

Of the Union. The basis" for the settle
ment of the existing troubles is contained in
the following resolution, adopted by the Leg
islature Of Virginia:
Resotrcd, That in the opinion of the General Assem-
by Virginia. the propositions embraced In the esou
tons presented 10 the Senate u the United States BY the
Hon. John j. Critenden, modified that the first
toe proposed as an amendment to the constitution Of
the United States shall apply all the territory Of the
United States, held hereafter acquired. south of
latitude thrtysix degrees and thirty minutes, and pro-
yded that slavery Of The African race shall be eectuay
protected property therein, during the continuance Of
the Territorial government and the fourth article shall
secure TO the u slaves the right Of transit with
their slaves between and through the nouslavcholdng
states and Territories constitute the basis ofsuch an ad
lusiment OF the unhappy controversy which divides
the States of this confederacy would be accepted by
the people " this Commonwealth.
This Convention will have representatives
from the following States Vermont, New
Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indi-
ana, Illinois, Delaware. Maryland, Virginia,
Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina and
Missouri--teu free and seven slave States
Gov Fairbanks appointed as representatives
from Vermont, Hon. Inland Hall Of Benuing-
ton, Hon. Levi Underwood and Hon. l.. L.
Chittenden Of Burlington, Gen. H. H. Baxter
Of Rutland, and Hon b. d. Harris of Brat
tleboro.
OF the propriety Of Vermont's being repre-
scented in a Convention called for an adjust
ment upon such basis" as that proposed
by Virginia, we very much question No such
adjustment ,oiH dHd the least favor IN Termont,
and it would have better suited the majority
Of the Republican party Of Vermont, had Gov.
Fairbanks allowed Vermont to have been UNI
represented in that Convention, rather than
attempt any adjustment on "b basis" which
so openly seeks to nationalize slavery.
We are the more confirmed in this opinion
from the fact that on the very day that the
Washington Convention met, the late dele
gates from Vermont to the Republican Con-
yention at Chicago met in this place, at their
own suggestion, for the purpose of interchang-
ing views on the present state Of the country
Fight of the ten delegates were present, and
after full and free consultation it was decided
to address a letter to each of tho Senators and
Representatives from this State in Congress-
sentiment of the people of the State. They
concurred in the opinion, and believed it to
be the opinion Of almost the entire body Of
the Republicans of the State, that there should
be no compromise made with the slaveholding
States, now or at any time, which shall recog-
nze slavery as a national institu tion, or allow
its extension into any territory Of the United
States. They express it as their deliberate
conviction that the platform adopted at Chi
cago ought not to be departed from in the
slightest particular; and that the adoption
either Of Mr. Crittenden's resolutions or the
Border State compromise, or the proposition
would be an abandonment of that platform,
and a surrender Of principle, which would ef-
lectually demoralize and destroy the Repub-
lican party; that the constitution and laws
necessary to free government, and that the
laws should be enforced at all hazards that
the remedy for the present evil ia not conces-
sion or compromise, but an energetic admins
tration of the powers conferred upon govern
ment for the enforcement Of the laws, the pro-
lection of the public property, and the main
tenance of peace.
This, in brief, is the substance Of the letter
unanimously signed by the delegates present,
on Tuesday, and such we believe to be the
sentiment Of the Republican party of YER
mont. Vermont was among tho first to cast
her vote for Abraham Lincoln as candidate
for the Presidency, and she will be the last
to give her countenance to any legislation or
compromise which does not acknowledge the
principle Of resistance to the extension Of
slavery--one of the fundamental principles
upon which the party was formed and was
successful in the recent election aud she
will never yield to the menaces of Southern
task masters for the sake of the right to inau-
gurate President constitutionally elected
~ The following " General Order No.
10" has been issued to the Uniformed Mill
tia of the State
STATE OF VERMONT