Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-03-24

simply negatiye. While it requires Of us to Prs
ven, the enemy from any unjust advantage, it also
requires Of us equally to prevent, II we can, our
party friends from doing wrong Thdt ishe high
cot and purest prudence rhich Keeps he party
diioays right and alioays strong To fail in either
point would be imprudent.
Has our neghbor no idea of such a thing as
christian or religious prudence, inculcated in the
canons of the Church, and embracing the public
preaching Of the Word The private councils of the
Church, and the still more private dealings with
offending members We make no distinction in
principle between that and political prudence
no difference but in the objects Political pru-
dence may be exercised publicly, in the advocacy
OF correct principles, or sound public or party pol
icy; but in respectto matters Of mere party policy
on which there are honest differences of opinion,
and especially in respect to ones friends in public
Office it is usually best to use it privately. By
friendly intercourse or correspondence, by friend
ly discussion and mutual explanations, honest men
will almost always come together; and thus that
which threatened to become breach will in fact
become a bond Of strength Silence itself is some
times the best prudence There are occasions,
however, both in Church and State, when priest
and layman, partizan and press, must speak out
in bold remonstrancc and appeal to the pubhcs
and that time is when leaders are recreant to their
trust. We have tried all these ways, as our judg-
ment indicated, and with success enough to war
rant US in persisting in the old and well-tred way
We do most heartily thank the Freeman for
bringing to recollection an instance Of political
prudence Of the latter kind, which will certainly IL
lustrate our idea to the entire satisfaction Of all
OF the old readers Of the Waterman. We quote
It the history OF the parties which have existed in the
United States since the Organization of the government
could be truihfuly written IL would show unmisakAby
the fatal result TO the party itself Of The attempt
make party action and the conduct Of officials the rule BY
which those who have acted with the party must be
eTned and IN which they are 10 acquiesee IN silence.
1.-The old Why party attem pied IN this way 20 cram
me lesuFs save la~ ~n ths ilu9ats Or the m1Nnuh
members Of the party found mulutudes Of editors
and 0fiiCia whose "potical prudence" MADE them
dumb under the outrage 80 though they had been men
Of dough add putty, But the people, with indignant
violence tst the wihes Of party and Daniel Webster
and the Whlg dynasty were buried IN the same g ave"
Freeman.
Can the Freeman tell-will it ?--what Wing pa
per in Vermont was prompt, Jealous, persistent,
and VIGOROUSLY so, in denouncing Webster's " 9TH
of March speech" and the whole horde Of so-caled
conservative doctrines, together with the fugitive
slave law, with which the attempt was made to
overwhelm the Wing party of Vermont, We
then held a commission from the hand Of Daniel
Webster, but We parted with both him and it. 1t
was no more act Of principle, however, than it
was Of pure political prudence Through long
and hard fight the integrity OF the Wing party Of
Vermont to free principles was preserved, though
by sheer chicanery the State was cheated out Of
her full proportioned and honest vote in the Con-
vention which nominated Scott over Webster
The people Of Vermont speedily corrected that
mistake and ultimately three ycnmon,ers. who
were perhaps the most jealous at tina, Convention
against Mr.. Webster because Of his inhdelty to
his old principles and his consequent unpopularity
In the anti-slavery States. sat side by side in
Congress as representatives OF the Republican
party. All Of the three are men whose political
prudence will stand the Freemsn's present Test
irAea storn Of its manifest imprudence.