The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-10-17

Proviso. or any opposition by that party {
the extension Of Slavery. And up to the An
nexation of Texas every man of the party wen
straightforward for that annexation, SLAYER.
Extension and all.
But the Wings, and they alone, raised
strong opposition to the measure. 1 say tn
Wings alone-for nobody else, either in tn
East, West, South or North, stirred fingern
the cause-or at least made so small an efior
that it could not be discerned until thu
Wings had reused The people to sentiment o
opposition to the farther spread OF the Slave
power.
Then this portion of the New York Loco
Focos, these Barnburners, seized upon TIM
Wing doctrine, and attached it to their poll
cy merely to give them the performance O.
yer their rivals.
In their origin, therefore, the 5arnburner:
had no more to do with the Free Soil question
than they had with the question OF Masonry
or Anti Masonry. They only adopted 1t tc
secure predominance in the Democratic par
ty of New York. But having adopted this
very Just sentiment-though still retaining all
the rest Of the thirty nine Loco Foco article:
they now expect the Wing party of Massa-
chusetts to enlist under then-I had almost
said to be subsidized by them, only to give
them the ascendency in New York politics
For one, propose to do no such thing. l dc
not like the service. Cheers.
Mr.. WEBSTER then said, that in this Buffa-
10 platform, this Collect of the new school,
there was nothing new. The people of Mas
sachusetts had lately had the pleasure Of read
ing letter from Hon. H. G. Otis, one of our
best and most respected citizens, who had just
tc
shadows far into the past, but it is bright, pla-
cid and grateful: He has written with the
vigor of youth and the wisdom of age. Some
of those who undertake TO instruct the public
mind on questions Of politics, think it dignifed
and courteous to call this letter Humbug. If
20, then humbug signifies great force ofcompo-
stion united with great and comprehensive
knowledge of political truth, and sagacity of
application. wish, said Mr.. WEBSTER, We
had more such humbug. If Mr.. Ots's merits
for valuable public services were not as they
are, his very name should entitle him to re-
spect. lie bears the name of that James Otis
who, according to John Adams, set the ball of
the Revolution in motion. (Applause.) AT
ter reading this letter / referred to Mr.. Ohs's
speech made in the Senate of the United
States, in January, 1920, and undertake to
say, that from this speech there may be made,
without the addition Of a sentence or a phrase
as good an Anti-Slavery Platform as that
which has been constructed by order 81 the
Buffalo Convention.
MIR. WEBSTER then went into the question
Of State politics. He saw with as much grief
as surprise that this new party, not content
with combining their movement TO National
politics, were attempting to revolutionize Mas
sachusetts. The very men who had for years
sat in counsel with Gov. Briggs and Lieut.. Gov.
Reed and who had received office at their
hands, were now joined to crush them. They
would attemp. to defeat Briggs and Reed be-
cause they would not go with them for Van
Buren-and who ever thought they would p
Laughter. These gentlemen talk of put
ting down in this Commonwealth of MaSsachu-
sets the minions of Slavery And pray who
are the minions of Slavery? Reed minion
of Slavery? Is your candidate for Congress
a minion Of Slavery? If elected to Congress
he will give such vote as he should on the
Slavery question, and yet Wings will vote to
defeat him and elect Free Soil Loco Foco.
Things have certainly taken a strange BIZ
as, and | can hardly think that Reason holds
her sway.
There is nothing, said Mr.. WEBSTER, in the
Wing platform which all Wings willnot agree to,
which has not always been Wing principle Sup
pose all the Wings should go over to the Free
Soil party. 1t would only be a change of name,
the principles would still be the same. But there
would be one change which L admit would be
monstrous-it would make Mr.. Van Buren, the
head of the Wing party. Laughter. Children
at school frequently amuse themselves drawing
amusing fantastical pictures-placing the head of
one animal on the body of another If one of
those juvenile limncrs should draw the Wing par
ty with Mr.. Van Burens head upon it, it would
make an image more Imaginable than the celebra-
ted Gerrymander.
Mr.. WEBSTER said that he considered that the
country was in a crisis, and that all Wings should
unite in standing by her. That the Wings had
been successful under moro discouraging state
of things. The Wing party may encounter mis-
fortune and may commit mistakes, but for one,
said Mr.. w, l shall follow its fortunes, being
more willing to trust myself and trust my country
with the principles of the Wing party than with
any other.
Mr. W. concluded by saying: Fellow Wings
of Plymouth Co, l here terminate what have
to say in public on the political questions now be-
fore the country. l deeply regret that anything
should occur 10 weaken the strength of the Wing
party or cloud its prospects, for l sincerely be-
lieve its success is intimately blended with the
preservation of the Constitution and the great in
terests of the country