The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-13
COMM UNTO CATIONS.
For the Union.
ELECTION IN MASSACHUSETTS.

| Al convention of the democratic county and
ward committees Of the city Of Boston and county
of Suffolk, held at Hickory Hall, the 18th of No
vember, l6i5, the attention of the convention was
called to communication in the Washington
"Union," Of November l7th, l945, headed ELECTION
| in Massachusetts," and dated "Boston, Nov. Ii,
l645." A committee was thereupon appointed TO
| take this matter into consideration and report at
| future meeting.
Dec. 2. l845.--At an adjourned meeting of the
county and ward committees for the city of Boston
and county of Suffolk, the committee submitted the
following report:
| In the Washington "Union" of the nth of No
vember, writer who signs himself Marker" and
dates his communication at Boston, after stating the
great falling off Of the democratic vote in Massa-
chusets, at the recent election, proceeds to assign
the causes which have led TO this result as follows:
sour party was divided !; cut in pieces by petty
jealousies and disgraceu quarrels about the dispo-
sal of Offices under the general government. por-
ton of the democrats of Boston dsaffect-
ed in this way than all the rest Of the State The
organization of the State and county of Suffolk
in the hands Of men thus affected. The State commt-
tee did little nothing The county committee of Bos-
ton or Suffolk which includes Boston and Chelsea did
nothing. The country democracy look to Boston to
take the lead But public meetings held in the
city Faneuil Hall did not ring as it used to ring,
with the eloquence Of Bancroft, Rantoul, Bolles
Haelt, and others. Not a public meeting was cali
ed; not ward meeting for the discussion of our
principles was held. Boston was to all appearances
dead. The democracy of the country, as l have
Just stated, looked 10 Boston, the centre of intel
gence, to take the lead but Boston did not moves so
the country did not act and the result, shown is
most Notifying and disastrous. 1t shameful that
our party should be broken down, and the great
principles for which we arc conending put in dan
ger, for other reason than because are not in
all respects satisfied with the disposition of the Of
fees under the general administration Democrats
ah hnve n 10 ar pnnr OH otte IN
view, than the mere honors emoluments Of Of
fcc."
Had these imputatons upon the motives and
tons Of the democratic State and county committees
been confined to the limits of our own State where
the truth Of the matter could be appreciated by our
own citizens, il might have been advisable TO have
permitted them to pass without notice; but obtain
ing, as they have, (and we cannot but think mad
vertenty,) the extended circulation of the national
organ OF the democratic party at Washington, self
respect requires of that the false impressions they
are designed to convey should not remain unconra-
dicted.
I The substance of the CHARGE as presented to the
country by the communication in the "Union," is,
that in the recent election, the democratic party in
Massachusetts has fallen off from 547l4 votes in
1884, to about 81 900 in 1645 and that this defcien
cy is owing to the fact that porton" of the DEM
ocrats of Boston more disaffected than all the
rest of the State about the disposal Of Offices in this
State under the general government; that this dsaf
fected portion obtained the organization of the State
and of the county of Suffolk, (Boston that having
done So they used this organization to diminish the
number of votes and thus betrayed their to the
people.
This is the charge against the whole democratic
organization Of the State. The statement refutes
ITSELF and all the facts in the disprove it. 1t
gives to a portion Of the democracy of Boston a
| controlling influence over the rest Of the party
throughout the State, which is derogatory to them
and unjust to us. II assumes that only "portion"
of the democracy of Boston disaffected with
certain appointments; and yet, that this disaffected
portion had the power to obtain the organization of
the State and of the county Of Suffolk, and by their
influence upon the party throughout the State, were
able to induce seventeen thousand democratic voters
to withhold their votes in the recent election! If
this true, it would show that not only "por-
ton" in Boston, but nearly the whole party in the
whole State were disafected at the alleged cause,
and il would preaent the strongest possible reason
for the speedy removal of cause SO injurious in its
influence upon the harmony and success Of the DEM
ocratic party. Thus, this selfconradicton proves
that the cause assigned by the writer in the WASH
ington "Union" is not the true for the falling off
of the party and that other influences, extending all
over the State, and entirely beyond the control of
the Boston democracy or the State organization,
have led TO this result in the recent electon and
such is the fact.
The State organization for the present year was
formed in the usual way, and with entire unanimi-
| Springfield, the 10th of September last That body
was composed Of 513 delegates representing all the
counties in the State. So large number, it is be-
lieved has not for years. assembled for purposes Of
| State election merely. Hon. Henry Croker, of
Barnstable, chosen president Of the convention
by majority Of seventy votes ALL and plural
ity of ninety-nne over his competitor. The votes
indicated majority Of l24, on that side which the
writer in the "Union" falsely desgnates the "ds
affected portion" The delegation from Boston did
not exceed sixty, and were chosen in the several
| wards by the people. If they had been all Of one
mind, (Which not the case it would only prove
that they did not represent any "dsaeced portion"
Of the Boston democracy; and it would be an insult
to the remaining $50 delegates from all the rest of
the State to insnuate that the latter could be con-
troed in the exercise of their judgments by the
former. Well knowing the Boston delegation to
that convention, we know that, as body, they were
incapable of attempting any undue influence over
their fellow delegates; and well-knowlng the de-
mocracy of the country, we know they would have
spurned such attempt, had it been made.
BY this convention, thus composed, the State CEN
| trail committee was chosen, consisting of thirty
seven members, all of whom were unanimously
elected.
This, then, was the act Of the whole democracy
Of the State through its convention; and II, as is
| charged in the communication in the "Union,"
"disaffected portion" secured the State organiza-
ton, it follows that the whole convention were dis
affected
| The same remark applies to the Suffolk and Bos-
ton county and ward committees. These consist of
egh, members for each ward eight for East Bos-
| ton, and two for the town of Chelsea, chosen at
primary meetings oftbe people. This would prove
too much for the object Of the writer in the "Union"
who aims to asperse what he denounces as "dis-
affected portion" of the democratic party; but whose
statements, if true charge this disaAec,ion and al
legged conspiracy to diminish the vote, upon the
great body of the democracy throughout the State
and especially the country democracy, who had the
entire control of the convention.
\ Having thus disposed of the organization, and
shown that it was fairly and honorably made, the
next inquiry is, whether this organization failed in
committee did little or nothing"
That committee is best able to vndicate itself, If
any vindica,ion be needed against this aspersion
But we deem it proper to say, that the committee
did all in their power TO give effect TO the nomi-
nations Of the convention, which were cordially