The daily union., 1846-09-30
WING ABOLITION IN MASSACHUSETTS.

| uon in Massachusetts, from the stigma Of that abo
Iiron spirit which breathes through all its proceed
ings only serves to bring out clearly the true
7 slate OF the case, and to show to every careful
reader that the abolition movement is very rapidly
becoming in that State the primary impulse Of the
whig leaders.
Be il remembered, that the convention assembled
simply az the regular representatives OF the wing
party, charged with single duty-the nomination
Of State officers As there is no slavery in Massa-
ehusets, and as the puryieW Of this convention was
strictly confined to State purposes and politics,
there was not the slightest necessity, even ocea-
sion. to refer to slavery at ALL unless the wings
really intended " rally on an snti-slayery and abo
| hron platform. Yet We find that the president Of
/ the convention himself, when he took the chair,
seized the occasion to lug the subject Of slavery into
J. the meeting, in the following terms:
y "The wings, said Mr. r., are a conservative
party They can and will Join in no Wild scheme,
or engage n anything that does violence u the con
sturon WiLh slavery ia hs States Ws can do nothing
bui Ow efitm al test say 10 that institution, a.
hOpeh n li Sad 10 The troiSrs thus far shall oU g.
and no further andhas shall thy proud Vaps BE- Saysd
And no lover of the consIiluion north south,
easi or west, can ohsei TO this course"
Here vas hopeful beginning, and we shall
sss, il was well followed up.
The business next proceeded with the nomination
ofths candidates for governor and lieutenant govern
or, AMI then forthwith in obedience to the loud and
general call Of the meeting, Mr. Charles Sumner,
"a gentleman lin the silken phrase Of the Inte
gsneer) entertaining very extreme notions in regard
TO the existence OF slavery in the Union"-sppesr-
ed on the platform, and delivered the very
and emphatic abolition speech, portion OF which
we have already laid before our readers. Now, il
the whig party in Massachusetts do not mean To
fratsrzs with the aholitionsIs, this, 10 say the
least Of was a strange order Of business in their
State convention! Then, by way Of mild and par
usl sntidots to anything excessive or Perlous in
Mr.. Summers eloquence, the Hon. r. c. Winthrop
was called to the platform. He represented the
snti-aboition element In the assemblage, If there
was such an element there. Yet the following pas
sases from his oraIion show, that though his lead,
ing purpose was to ssssil the measures of the ad
ministration and Of the last session Of Congress,
even he could not keep clear of the ruling topic Of
the hour. Ia diseoursing upon the war with Mexi-
co, Mr.. Winthrop sayG
1--WE have come here to reconcile our differences
and do what TO sustain and advance our COM
mon principles and our common objects Let me only
say that, II the differences among wings here be
no wider than those among wings at Washington
on this subject, reconciliation will require but liz
lie expenditure eithrr Of time or words You and
], sir, certainly, when we came TO different conclu-
slons to our duty, a memorable occasion,
never imagined that we were parting company, for
an instant, either true wings, true friends
IL. H. ~. -
country on the other. Much less did we dream
that we were forfeitng anything Of our mutual re-
spect and confidence. y or have we done so.
"Slr, upon all the great points Of this question,
there is no difference of opinion whatever. All
agree that this war ought never to have commenced
All agree that II ought to be brought TO close at
the earliest practicable moment. No man present |
denies that il originated, primarily, in the annexa-
ton OF Texas; and, secondarlly, in the marching Of
the American army into the disputed territory be-
yond the Nueces And no man present fails to de.
pore, and TO condemn both OF these measures. Nor
is there a whig in this assembly, nor, in my
opinion, whig throughout the Union who does OF |
deprecate, from the bottom of his heart, any prose-
cation Of this war for the purposes Of aggression,
Invasion, or conquest.
This is the matter, gentlemen, in which we take
the deepest concern this day. Where, ,chen is this
Tar 10 end, and iohai are TO be lis truits''
"Now, sir, it was no part of our existing dis |
Pu'es at that time, whether we should have pos
session. Of California, or of any other territory be- |
yond the Rio Grandc. And the President in pros
ecuing plans Of invasion and conquest which look to
the permanent acquisition Of any such territories, will
be as false to his own pledges he is to the honor
and interests of his country.
Il believe that | speak the sentiments of the |
whole people of Massachusetts-I know speak |
my own, in saying that we want more territorial
possessions, to become the nurseries Of new slave
States. 1t goes hard enough with us that the men |
and money of the nation should be emp oyed for the
defence of such acquisitions already made but to |
originate new enterprises for extending the area Of
slavery by force Of arms, is revolving to the moral
sense OF every American freeman"
"Nor am l ready for any political organizations
or Platforms less broad and comprehensive than |
those which may include and uphold the whole |
wbig party of the United States. But all this s |
consistent, and shall in my case, practically |
consist, with Just sense Of the evils Of slavery;
with an earnest opposition to everything designed to
prolong sustain il; with firm resistance TO all
cncroachments on northern rights; and, above all,
with an incorporating hostility to all measures
for introducing new slave States or new slave Ter
rories into our Union" ...
Thus far Mr.. Winthrop saw fit to 90, in speak
ing for that portion Of his whig brethren in the con
vention, who might not yet be quite willing to be
known as abolitionsts. After Mr.. Winthrop took
his seat, there some agitation on the part OF
those who had found his remarks about slavery no
stringent enough, which was quieted for the time,
by an adjournment for dinner. In the afternoon
came up the address and the resolutions which
were adopted by the meeting, From these we make
the following extracts:
"This invasion of the territory Of a foreign and
friendly State by the sole authority of the President
we cannot but regard act Of direct and enor- |
nous usurpatioN setting at naught the principal re-
strc,ions of the constitution, and tending to esah-
sh in the hands Of the Executive an absolute pow.
er oi war;
"h becomes, therefore, matter Of the deepest ma
tonal concern TO inquire and tn know for what pnr
pose this invasion IN prosecuted ls II TO arqunt |
more territory lf II he is that territory, when n
quired, to be in which slavery is to he establish
edS And is it then, with slavery existing in it, am
ns its characteristic, 10 form another annexation t.
this Unonl 1t seems impossible that all men of
sense and patriotism, Of whatever party, especially
IN the free STATES, should press this nquiry thai
they should not he startled and alarmed at the pros
pect before US; and that they should not, with loud