The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-04-03
HALE ON WEBSTER.

HALE ON WEBSTER.
On the 25th of March printed slip containingan ex-
tract from Mr.. Websters speech in the Senate in 84S
wherein he declares his opposition the increase Of
slavery in this country, and to the increase of slave
presentation in Congress- be general and universal,
was laid upon the desks Of members Mr. Webster said
the extract was made for the purpose of showing dis
crepancy between his language then and now Hesaid
there was no inconsistency between his late speech and
any thing he had ever said in the Senate. He said
he had voted against the war because that to
obtain slave territory, and he had voted against the
treaty. because il made for the purpose Of bringing
slave territory into the Union. He then turned to Mr.
Hale, aud asked how din the member from New Hamp-
shire vote on the ratification Of the treaty. To tdis
query Mr.. Hale made the following gallant reply -
Mr. Hale | want to make one further expIana-
ton, sir, and sorry very sorry, to be driven to
do it. The honorable Senator asks me why l did
not vote to keep it out call upon the Senate TO
mark what | am about to say. motion was made
by the Senator from Connecticut TO insert In the
treaty provision keeping slavery out Of the whole
country that should acquire, and upon that vote
my name stands record In favor of the propositions
and upon that vote the name of the honorable Sena-
tor from Massachusetts does not appear at ALL al
though ii appears that he was in the Senate five
minutes before and FIVE minutes after the vote was
taken. So much for that sir, voted in fact against
the war. | voted against all supplies to the war,
and voted for the treaty. because thought, in the
words think of Benjamin Franklin, that there
could be good war or bad peace; that peace was
better than war; and therefore that would take the
hest peace | could get. tried to make the peace
better, but when found that we had got the best
that we could get, l took it.
1t was, sir, with no purpose OF provoking contro-
versy with the Senator from Massachusetts, or any
one else that alluded to this matter He says and
says with great truth, that if the remark was no
made under the impression that there discre
pancy, he does not know what ii made for.
state distinctly that do believe there difference
and very wide one, between the position assumed
by the honorable Senator in lS4S and the position
sumed by him few days since. i'll am mistakes
in this, | am not alone in it. The whole country 8
understands it. | think there have been the mos
hattering words, and the highest commentator be
slowed upon the honorable Senator for the positio
he has taken in 1850, from sources where, for tn
FIRST time in his life, he has had anything sayoring
commentator. 1t will be found in newspaper pub
shed in this city, the most constant, most uniform
and most INSCRIPTIONS in abusing, without measure
every from the North that has stood up for North
ern rights, and the honorable Senator among th
rest, until the speech made the other day allud
the vocabulary of adulation was exhausted to fin
commentator to bestow upon the honorable Senate
for the which he took in that speech
by paper which, up to that moment, had constant
ly and continually abused him, and not only him blu
every man who stood with him. III am mistaken
this very astute and sagacious editor is mistaken
and the whole country is mistaken, also.
But, sir, have impugned and npeaced no man
motives. would sooner almost lose my life tha
suggest that the honorable Senator, in making tn
change, has been governed by anything but the hig
and patriotic motives which have been imputed /
him and the other honorable Senators who have mad
effort to settle this distactng question which dis
turbs the country but cannot shut my eyes to tn
convictions of my own judgment; and when see
man occupying the position which the honorabl
Senator occupies, whose fame is part of tn
inheritance Of every son Of New Hampshire, at least
if not ofthe whole country; when see him taking
course calculated, in my judgment, to sacrifice in
terests which are dear to every Northern man-whe
see him, in this great contest now in issue, whel
the eyes of Christendoin are fastened upon US. AM
on which the interests Of unborn millions Throughout
the countless generations which the world shall ex
ist are disqualification see man occupying suc
position in contest like this, taking course diff
terent from that which he has hitherto pursued,
cannot shut nay eyes to the fact; and have siinpl
called attention to il, without Suggesting anythin
improper OF discourteous towards him. And, Think
that IL an issue is to be made between my candor am
intelligence and that Of any body else, that the yer
dict of the country must be, that there is marke'
and wide difference between the position occupied b
the honorable Senator now and that which he occu
pied in 1913.