The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-03-01
FREE SOIL CONVENTION AT FANEUIL
HALL


A mass meeting of the friends of the Union, OPP
posed to the extension of slavery met at Faneuil
the 9th The meeting was called to order by Gen.
Wilson, of Natck. Hon. Erastus Hopkins call
ed to the Chair; and on taking it, thanked the meet
ing for giving him this opportunity of expressing his
interest in the cause for which they were assembled
1t was not the cause of fanaticsm of aggression
but the cause of liberty
He stood here for the first time to echo those SEN
timents which had filed with enthusiasm the hearts
Of those who had assembled in this place. in former
times, and was proper to invoke the spirits fthose
men; and not only to invoke their spirits, but the
Spirit of our Heavenly Father, aid in the deliber-
atoms of the meeting, and in directing this cause to
good result and accordingly he ealIod the Rev.
Ut. Hague, to invoke the Divine blessing
A committee of ten was appointed. to renort .
plan for the organization of the Convention.
This committee reported that, in testimony of
their gratitude to of the early martyrs TO free
soil, they presented to this meeting,
President-John G. Pafey.
Vice Presidents-S. C. Phillips, John Mills,
Samuel Hoar, Benz V. French, Alex. De Witt.
Charles Choate, ]. w. Graves, VIM Jackson. Am
asa Walker, and VIM. H. Wood.
Secretaries-Wm. S. Robinson Thos Russell
and DR.. J. w. Stone.
Mr.. Palfrey, taking the chair thanked the
meeting for the honor conferred on him, by making
him President of the Convention. They might fine
persons more able, but none more devoted to the
cause than himself. We had come to q critical 90.
sitlon in the history of this nation.
We often heard of crises but who could doubt thai
there was real crisis now in the cause of liberty
On the 22d day of February, 1s45, the final lnea.
sure was adopted for the crushing of human freedom.
the same day that the martyrs of liberty landed at
Plymouth
Not quite four years had passed since the wal
with Mexico, and he was panied TO say that Massa-
cnusetts was not unanimous in opposing that war
That war had brought one of the successful generals
to the Presidential chair Early in the present session
Mr Root of Ohio had offered resolution for giving
atenltorlal government for the vast territories which
this war had brought US. motion was made 10
nay 1t on the table, which was refused by majority
OF twenty-five; but few weeks after, by another
VOTE 1t was laid on the table by majority of TWEEN
ty-six.
After this Mr.. Gddings offered resolution affirm
ing the principles of the Declaration ofIndcDendence
and proposing to apply them practically was laid
on the table. Mr. Doty, of illinois, had offered a
resolution presenting the bare question of the adms
sion OF California; Oh which the taking Of th, 1ues
tion had been put off by the efforts of minority ill
past midnight, when the speaker declared that reso
luton day had passed. That resolution would come
up again next Monday but Mr.. Foote of Mississippi.
had declared that iii brought up again it would
lead to serious consequences
But that was not the latest news. The telegram
of yesterday had brought the report that the dstin
gulshed Senator from Massachusetts, had proposed a
compromise that was to satisfy the South lie
would not believe it. But if it was true there was
no man, however, distinguished, who would not
wither under it like Jonahs gourd
What had wrought all this change? What had
converted majority of rs on one side into major
ity of rs the other side' Perhaps it might be at
tributed to Executive influence. That was all-pow-
erfuL He was not disposed to Judge harshly Of the
motives of men, but where there was one man that
would be directly influenced by the hope of office,
there were ten that would be swayed in judgment by
this influence.
To the first Of these classes, no reprobation could
be too severe; but if there were those to whom their
daily bread, and the position they had hitherto occu-
pied, they were subjects not so much for our anger
as for our profound compassion. But he supposed
the chief cause was the alarm that had been felt for
the Union.
lie apprehended that the threats Of dissolution
came from two classes, one Of which he believed had
no more idea Of such an event than we. Why then
did they make the ihreai Because they believed