Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-10-06
VOLUME II--SUMBER 81

at us last mectugl Who IL there hero who |
fails to remember the resolutions Introduced into
that meeting, the angry conlro yersy il excited, |
aud the summary manner n which the resolu. |
tion was rejected by the Convention. which was. |
! in substance, that The Wings of Massachusetts
would. under no circumstances, vote for any
man who was not specially committed in favor
Of the WilmoI Proviso. That resolution was
deliberately prepared in my judgment, to antici-
pate the nomination which has now been made |
and which was even then believed to be almost
cerlain, although il is now stated to have taken
every body by surprise. That resolution was
framed TO commit The Wings OF Massachusetts
against the support Of General Taylor for the
Presidency Of the United States, n case he should
be nominated, as he has been nominated.
But the intelligent and patriotic Wings refused
to be so commited. They were opposed 10 the
extension Of slavery, earnestly ,ardently. uncom.
promisingy, and they declared themselves so
They had been Stree soil" men from the first;
they were "free soil" men while Mr.. Van Buren,
and his friends were admitting Texas into the
Union, and covering lour.fiihs of it with slave.
ry. They have always been "free soil" men,.
They had no preconceived prejudces, either for
General Taylor or any other candidate for the
Presidency.
They believed the time had come for the
North to take its turn in the honor and respon.
sbilty Of Chief Magistrate, and they believ.
ed, moreover, that they had among themselves
man eminent, pre- eminent, in ability, true 10 the
constitution, sound in principle, q man whose
whole public character and conduct would bear
the test Of any touchstone of Northern fidelity
which could be applied 10 it. They believed
that it was fit and seasonable that Daniel Web.
ster should be nominated. They believed that
; was the time when his name should 90 forth with
the endorsement Of Massachusetts as their pecu.
liar candidate. But, gentlemen, while they
were true 10 their own distinguished statesman
: at homo, they resolved not 10 be false TO their
fellow Wings throughout The United States.-
r They made the nomination, but at the same time
they explicitly declared that it should be subject
to the decision Of the National Conventon.-
! They rejected that test, which would forever
have forbidden them 10 unite with their brethren
Of the South in the choice of candidate.-
They appealed to that Convention, and they
> were the very frst TO appeal to that Convention
this is a fact which | think the public records
will sustuin-Massochus was the first to de-.
mand National Convention of The local friends
of General Taylor.
r That Convention, gentlemen, has been held
. "a more honorable and hgh-mnded assembly
! was never seen beneath the sun. Our own Mas
:, sachuseus delegates were there. We know in
= what force they were there; we know with what
q ability to sustain their opinions, feeble though
they were in numbers; we know that whatever
. power of intellect, brlliancy of Imagination
and force of character could carry with it, the
! Massachusetts delegation carried with it. They
! presented the name of Daniel Webster 10 the
" Convention: they sustained it from the first to
. the last--cerIany as long as there was anything
i like hope left thai under any circumstances il
!, could be successful. All our hearts were with
" them in their course. They represented truly
/ the feelings and views Of every Massachusetts
- Wing, whether he were at home or abroad.
> But, gentlemen, a majority Of the people oI
! the free States of The nation were differently in
= clined. and, after three or four ballots, vote
: which exhibited this remarkable character, that
it contained representation of every State ir
: this Union, fell upon General Taylor. There
=, was in every free Stale in the Union, and in the
- whole thirty of our glorious Conlederacy, a
- least one vote in favor Of the nomination o
;, General Taylor.
,r And now, gentlemen, what remains for us tC
10 do but to support that nomination? What re
r mains for us but to abide by the decision Of I
N tribunal TO which we were the very first TO up
ID peal! Why, gentlemen, rs matter Of person
>. al honor and of party obligation, cannot 70
;, one endure the idea that there should be any
:. ninching from decision thus made. 1t woult
,e be an example of reputation such as Massa
In chuselts has never yet given in her own con
N duct, such as she has never yet forgiven in th'
SO conduct of any body else.
m Imagine, for instance, that the case had beef
ct reversed. Suppose, for single moment, tha
Id the result Of that Convention had been different
ID that Daniel Webster had finally come out, upol
the fifth or sixth ballot, the candidate Of tha
Id Convention, that all our long cherished hope
S, and wishes had been crowned with Success
Is But the moment the announcement is made
r. delegate from the South, with a ready.wrtte
" speech in his hand, rises and renounces tn
Id nomination, declares thatlhe South would "spurl
N the bribe Of Vice President" and declare tha
ID the Wing party is formally "dissolvedP' | asI
Y. you what would have been the measure Of ou
70 denuncaton under circumstances like that!--
G, How would the charges Of treachery and fou
IS play have sounded and resounded Throughout
if Massachusetts and throughout New England
2 Why, friends, it would have been regarded, an
le justly regarded, as breach, not merely of al
n party faith, but as something approaching mos
so nearly to an actual violation of personal honor
s. Look to it, you whom it concerns, that languag
to like this shall not be applied to the old State
le Massachusetts, or TO those who have any shar
e. in maintaining its character.
IN But, Mr.. President, have dwelt too long upo
as this point. Allow me to present briefly, in fey
o. words, that, not merely as a matter of party,
= personal, or of political obligation, for one ar
ed ready 10 sustain this Philadelphia nomination
es go for Gen. Zachary Taylor for the next Pre-
l. dent of the United States, and believe that a
es honest, virluous, and patriotic Wings will SUI
is tain him. | 60 for him because believe hil
- to ha friend of neace. hecalIsa | believe hiI