The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-03-17

Dixon's line. The politics of New England
became his theme: and it was in this part OF
his speech, | think, that he menaced me with
such sore discontinue. Discontinue! why,
sir, when he attacks any thing which | main
tain, and overthrows it when he turns the
right or left of any position which take up !;
when he drives me from any ground l choose
to occupy, he may then talk of discontinue,
but not till that distant day.
What has he done 7 Has he maintained his
own charges7 Has he proved what he alleg-
ed! Has no sustained HIMSELF in his attack
on the Government, and the history of the
North in the matter Of the public lands : Has
be disproved fact, refuted proposition, weak
ened an argument, maintained by me 2 Has
he come within beat of drum of any position of
mine Oh, no, but he has "carried the war
into the enemys country" Carried the war
into the enemy's country? Yes, sir, and what
sort Of a war has he made of it ? Why, sir, he
has stretched drag net over the whole surface
OF persisted pamphlets, indiscreet sermons,
frothy paragraphs, and tuning popular address.
es; over whatever the pulpit, in its moments
of alarm, the press in its heats, and parties in
their extravaganza, have severally thrown of,
in times of general excitement and violence.
He has thus swept together a mass of such
things, as but that they are now old, the public
hSoith WuuiO uoFC IcQuI6u EdIll0L W lco W
in their state of dispersion. For a good long
hour or two, we bad the unbroken pleasure of
listening to the honorable member, while he
recited, with his usual grace and spirit, and
with evident high gusto, speeches, pamphlets,
addresses, and all the ct ceteras of the political
press, such as warm heads produce in warm
times and such as it would be " discontinue"
indeed, for any one, whose taste did not delight
in that sort of reading, to be obliged to peruse.
This is his war. This it is to carry the war
into the enemys country 1t is in an invasion
Of this sort, that he fatters himself with the
expectation of gaining laurels, fit to adorn
Senator's brow.
General Washington's administration was
steadily and zealously maintained, as we all
know, by New England. 1t was violently OPP
posed elsewhere. We know in what quarter
he had the most earnest, constant, and perse-
vering support, in all his great and leading
measures. We know where his private and
personal character were held in the highest de-
gree of attachment and veneration; and we
know, too, where his measures were opposed,
his services sighted, and his character vilified.
We know, or we might know, if we turned to
the Journals, who expressed respect, gratitude,
and regret, when he retired from the Chief
Magistracy; and who refused to express either
respect, gratitude, or regret IL shall not open
those Journals. Publications more abusive or
scurrilous never saw the light, than were sent
forth against Washington, and all his leading
measures, from presses south of New England
But | shall not look them up. | employ nc
scavengers#-no one is in attendance on me
rendering such means of retaliation; and il
there were, with an ass's load of them, with a
bulk as huge as that which the gentleman him.
| self has produced, / would not touch one oil
them. / see enough of the violence of our own
times, to be no way anxious to rescue from for
getfulness the extravagances of times past
Besides, what is all this to the present purpose
1t has nothing to do with the public lands, in
regard to which the attack was begun; and il
has nothing 10 do with those sentiments anC
opinions which have thought tend to disunion
and all of which the honorable member seem.
to have adopted himself, and undertaken to de-
fend.
New England has, at times, SO argues the
| gentleman, held opinions as dangerous as those
therefore, does he abuse New England? If he
finds himself countenanced by acts of hers, how
is it that, while he relies on these acts, he GOV
ers, or seeks to cover, their authors with re
proach But, sir, if in the course Of forty years
there have been undue effervescences of part,
in New England, has the same thing happened
no where else Party luminosity and party out
rage, not in New England, but elsewhere, de
nounced President Washington, not only as
Federalist, but as Tory, a British agent,
man who, in his high Office, sanctioned corrup
ton. But does the honorable member suppose
that if | had a tender here, who should put sucl
; an effusion of wickedness and folly in my hand
that would stand up and read it against tht
South? Parties ran into great heats, again, il
1893 and 1900. What was said, sir, or rathe
| hat ~ III,
Adams, one Of the signers of the Declaration o
Independence, and its admitted ablest defende
on the feor of Congress If the gentleman
wishes TO increase his store of party abuse an,
frothy violence; if he has determined pro
clivity to such pursuits, there are treasures O
that sort south of the Potomac, much to hi
taste, yet untouched-I shall not touch them.
The parties which divided the country at TIL
commencement of the late war, were violent
But then, there was violence both sides, an,
violence in every State. Minorities and ma
iorities were equally violent. There was NJ
!, move ~iofonUe against the war in New Enplan,
than IN other States; nor any more appearance,
OF violence, exceptthat, owing to dense popu
latlon, greater facility Of assembling, and NOR,
presses, there may have been more in ouantt,
spoken and printed there, than in some othe
places In the article of sermons, too, New
England is somewhat moro abundant tina,
South Carolina and for that reason the chanc,
OF finding here and there an exceptionable one
may be greater hope, too, there arc more
good ones Opposition may have been more
formidable in New England, as it embraced /
larger portion of the whole population but j,
was no more unrestrained in its principles, OF
violent in manner. The minorities dealt quite
as harshly with their own state Governments
as the majorities dealt with the administration
here. There we're presses on both sides, popu.
lar meetings on both sides; ay, and pulpits on
both sides also. The gentleman's purveyors
have only catered for him among the produc-
lions OF one side. | certainly shall not supply
the deficiency, by furnishing samples of the
concern.
II Is enough for me to say, that it. in any part
ol ul,s, tneir grateful occupation, it, in all their
Massachusetts,, or New England, or in the BRO.
ceedIngs OF any legislative, or other public
body, disloyal to the union, speaking slightly Of
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