Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-08-15
Reunion Of Free Sellers.

actors in the Free Soil movement of 1913.
The day was appropriately chosen, it being
the twenty.ninth anniversary of the Buffalo
national convention, which resulted in the
nomination of Martin Van Buren, for Pres
ident and Charles Francis Adams for Vice
President. As was most fitting, Mr.. Adams
was called TO preside, he having oficiated as
President of the Buffalo convention. Among
those who participated in the proceedings,
and gave thrilling renini 'cences of that
movement which marked the beginning of
the end of proslavery political parties, and of
slavery itself, in this country, were Charles
Francis Adams, +. lockwood, George F.
Ioar, Francis w. Bird, w. p. Phillips and
Amos Tuck-with a poem by Thomas Drew
and a letter from John G. Whittier. Tender
memories were also INDUCED in of those CO.
laborers who have passed away-Sumner,
Wilson, Horace Mann, Stephen c. Phillips
and Charles Allen
The incidents related at this gathering
quickened our memory to paint anew the
scenes of that glorious gathering, to which
we had the honor of being delegate, and
the still higher honor of acting on the com
mittee to prepare platform and resolutions,
with Hons. Asahel Peck and Daniel Roberts
as associates for Vermont. Then in the
flush of early manhood and enthusiastically
devoted to the distinctive ideas which un-
derlaid the new movement, it is no wonder
that the occasion constituted The jubilant
day, politically speaking, of our whole life.
We doubt if such political gathering ever
occurred in this country, either for numbers,
intellect, conscience, or determined will.
There were James W. Nye, Henry b. Stan
ton, Preston King, +. d. Culver and Fred
Douglass, of New York; Joshua Leavitt,
Stephen G. Phillips, Charles Francis Adams
and Horace Mann, of Massachusetts, Salmon
p. Chase, Joshua X. Giddngs and President
Mahan, of Ohio-with scores of Others
equally intelligent and determined in the
one great resolve to save our land from the
insatiate grasp of the slave power 1t was
fitting that such convention as this should
conclude its declaration of principles with
those memorable words, which now seem to
have been prophetic-"Re Resolved, that we in.
scribe on our banner, FREE SOIL FREE
SPEECH, FREE LABOR and FREE
MEN, and under it will fight on and fight
ever, until triumphant victory shall re-
ward our exertions."
But our readers will be more Immediately
interested in the events which marked the
inauguration of the Free Soil movement
in Vermont. 1t should be remembered
that the Liberty party had been organ
three hundred and nineteen votes fol
Birney in 1910, and about four thousand fol
the same candidate in 1914. This party
was already in the field with its candidates,
when the Free Soil movement began, in the
summer of 1913, with John p. Hale fol
President, and Lawrence Brainerd for Gov
ernor. But the alarming Entertainments O
the slave power had so aroused the best ele
ments of both the old parties in the North
that party ties were rapidly yielding to ;
common organization to resist the unconsti
tutional aggressions of the slaveholding oil
garchy. Holding their principles above
price, and ever ready to sacrifice all else fo
their promotion, the Liberty party made
haste to extend the hand of fellowship I,
the new movement, deeming it sound upol
the main question, freely withdrew its can
didates, and merged its organization in tina
of the greatly-extended and more promisin!
new organization.
The formation of the Free Soil party il
Vermont took place at state convention
held ii Middlebury on the LIST day of August
lSiS, which was a large gathering of rep
resentative men from all the old parties
rendering the convention a worthy pledge o.
the great national uprising at Buffalo MIN
days later. We append list of the officer
for the information of those coming late
upon the stage, but more especially to jo
the memory of those still remaining among
us who were actors in that remarkabl
movement. President, General John Ke
ioSS' VI i'NhN'H itc-i iVoidchto iioI az
Everett, Jacob Scott, Asa Reyes, IIorati
Needham Sumner A. Webber, Chaunce
Green, Theron Howard, s. W. Jewet
Pierpont +. Smith, Eleazer Jewett; Secrt
tarieS, Joseph Poland, f. A. Stansbury, "
p. Russell. On the nominating committe
were Jeptha Bradley, j. M. Slade, c. {
Briggs, Hugh II. Henry. On resolutions
L. ID. Barber, f. A. Stansbury, o. l.. Shafte
l.. p. Poland. lIoratio Needham, S. II. Pric,
j. G. Haswell, Ira Button, j. Poland. Stat
Committee +. ID. Barber, w. p. Russell, r
l.. Fuller, j. &. Ilaswell, l.. L, Chittendei
o. w. Butler, Also the following delegate
to the Buffalo convention Addison count,
f. ID. Barber, John Perpoint, Nichols
Guindon Bennington county, Daniel RoI
erts, j. G.. Hasweli Lemuel Grover; Chi
tenden county, Charles ID. Kasson, Willial
ii. French, Joseph Marsh Caledonia count
Theron Howard, NJ. F. Wallace, Charl,
Deming; Essex county, +. ii. Webb Fran
lin county, l.. Brainard, II. +. Hubbell, !
j.. Whttemore Grand Isle county, L.
Clark; Orange county, p. C. Jones, Mart
Flint, A. cleveland, j. w. ID. Parker; O
leans county, i. G. johnson, T. Z. Redfel
b. n. Davis Lamoille county, NJ. II. Cad
Moses Morse, Samuel Merriam; Windha
county, Charles |. Walker, j. II. Campbe
Charles X. Field; Windsor county, IIora'
Everett Hugh II. Henry, S. A. Webbe
Washington county, j. Poland, Mitt
Brown, II. Y. Barnes. The following del
gates were also chosen at large Villa
Miller, A. NJ Dickey, Lyman Raymon
Samuel Barber, William Slade, Sturg
Penfeld, +. II. Wheeler, Guy Catlin, Ia
pan Stevens, Titus Hutchinson, Samuel
Price, Carlos A. Sprague, j. NJ. Flint al
Lyman Burgess.
This convention put in nomination L
following ticket For Governor, Oscar
Shafter, of Townshend Lieutenant Gov,
nor, Luke p. Poland, of Morristown; for Tr,
surer, Edward A, Stansbury, of Burlingt
with Titus Hutchinson and Josiah
Hale (of Brandon) for Presidential electc
at large. At the September election, I
state ticket received fifteen thousand yot
or more than thousand above that Of /
democratic party, and enough Free S
members were elected to the legislature
l.lI haln L RI r