The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-08-21
From .he Green Mountain Freeman.
T. P. Redf1eld as He Is and as he
Was.

n me Olut lght convention here last Sat-
urday but the speech of I. p. Redfeld, ESQ
tie candidate of that party for governor; aud
We would spend no ink upon that, were i,
10, that the speaker once held different views
from those he expresses now, and may posi-
by be reasoned with from the position he
occupied little more than ten vars ago, if
lie cannot be convinced that the ground he
,a.n stood upon was infinitely stronger more
humane, more IN accordance with the spirit
and teachings of the fathers, than that lie
.,w occupies Mr.. Redfeld used to write
tr the Freeman, when the paper was, as it
j. now, the uncomprOmising foe of slavery
ne outspoken advocate Of freedom and We
Eesret that man of his ability, wac has
once been right, should now, when, if ever
the nation needs the aid of its strong men,
make his bed with the enemies Of his coun-
t7y, and give aid arI comfort to those who
with Infinitely less brains than he possesses,
are doing what mHIignant spirit of disloy-
atty can inspire and give them wit to perform
70 weaken the government ald help the enc
mes Of the republic. We thought Mr.. Red
field not only had intellect enough, but was
warmly enough attached to his country. nor
to lend himself to the base uses of party
which has no word of cheer for victories over
treason, and offers no thanksgiving for the
successes that have restored the old hag to
many thousands OF miles of territory from
which rebellion had driven it.
But We were disappointed. Mr. Redfeld,
though choosing most of his words with
care, and dealing in con, enien, generalities
IN his s'eech Saturday, did yet lend lis in
tlence 20 the men who are doing all their
little might is capable of, to weaken the arm
Of the nation, and prevent its success in the
conflict with traitors. He dscoursed learn
rdly Of the constitution and its sacred char
acter; Of the wise and sainted mer who
framed it; Of the great and good men who
administered it in its early history and of
the men who we're now overriding its linn
tauons, and disresarding its guarantees. He
-,u not, however,-as one might reasonably
in:er,-mean southern rebels, by the bad men
VINO were endeavoring to break up the Union
anI destroy the constitution, but with an
etrontery of statement which ought to be
veeG by an ignorance to which he can lay
no claim, boldly charged this crime upon the
administration and the only party in the
country that mas with any earnestness with
stood the assaults of armed traitors upon
rae government 1t was not the avlessness
Of treason which he rebuked, but the law
ysSness of those who are standing by the
s7Vefnnent and upholding the the old flag.
He had not one word of condemnation of jeff
DAVIS and his confederate traitors out his
,a.cest rhetoric was turned upon Abraham
-..4colu and those who with him a. sustain
~ he republic and he was cheered to the
--,o bT those who denounce the war, oppose
re conscrpt!on, snecr at thanhs5ivings for
.e Victories Of Federal armies, and declare
lat the war ought 10 stop, leaving treason to
actate terms TO US with the bayonet wh,r
" are poweyless to resist. And the best
r.1soa he could give for thus organizing re-
.,,auce to The administration in its prose
alton Of the war, was that it was anti-Slav-
ey-.n his Judgment unconstitutonally SO.
As We have already said, Mr.. Redield did
not always utter sentiments so delightful tC
pro,aycry auditors. He was once an anti
sNe:y man Of the advanced type. In 1871
II will be remembered that Hon. L. B. Peck
declined to accept the nomination of the
Free Democracy of Vermont, for governor
because he could not subscribe to THEN plat
!orm. In that pl"tform, we find, among
other things, the following declaration O.
principles:
That it is the duty of TIE Federal govern
E,ent to relieve itself from I'll responsibility
Tor the existence or continuance Of slavery
n the District Of Columbia, and ere,y pher
t'Se that Congress possesses constitutional
power to legislate, and is thus responsi blt
Tor It's existence so that freedom instead
Of slavery shall become national, and sIaver,
instead of freedom shall become sectional.
That the only safe means of preventing
tie extension of slavery, into territory nov
tee, is to prohibit its extension into all sucl
territory by act of congress.
That no more slave states ought to be ad
n!ttea into the Union.
That the fugitive slave law enacted by tn
Congress late y expired is unjust, unconsti
'ut!onal, in derogation Of the Fundamental
naxims Of free government, and ought to b
\ speedily and forever repealed.
That we oppose the base and unwarranta
be accusation that in opposing the slsv
power We are wanting in loyalty to the con
sutution and the Union and that We insis
that tdethy to the tnion is best manifesto
4 jy mrelenttng Efforts to restore tie g0rern
naent to the old democratic policHof limtina
d,scoWaging and l0calizing the Institution 0
Slaroy
That the. law passed by our late legislator
n regard 10 the habeas corpus is a prope
safeguard for the Liberties OF our citizens, an
aust exercise of the power Of the state t
protect all within its limits from summar
and tyrannical proceedings.
After Mr.. Peck had declined, another col
7ention was called, and Mr. Redfeld was ps
a, the head Of the ticket In the Freema
4 which contained the proceedings of this col
4 Venuon, was reprint of an article write
| tor this paper by Mr.. Redfeld, from whie
4 m a ha foll