Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1850-11-07
SPEECH
OF THE
HON. CHARLES ALL E N,
at the City Hall, in Worcester,
Nov. 5, 1850.
PHoNoGRAPHIC REPORT BY DR.. STONE,
For the Worcester Daily Spy.

which Is upperm0St IN the MINDS oil the peOpe-the
Fugitive Slave Bill, to explain in what manner, that
bill was passed, and show the degree of responsible
itv which attaches to the whg party, for its passage
Il is my purpose in speaking of that party dis
turb the feelings Of any member of it, who may be pres
ent; but it important that the truth should be spoken
and spoken with plainness.
We live at a time when great questions agtate the
public mind; when the people looking for light;
when they DESTROYS of understanding the action Of
all parties upon the great subjects before the country
and they have night all the information which eau
be given, tending to satisfy their minds respect to
the way and manner in which the Fugitive Slave Bill
passed. They have right to know by what
means, and by whose agency that measure which is so
abhorrent to the humanity Of the country, and which
makes us doubt, whether in truth live in the 18th
century, to have the form of law of the land
1t Is important that the part of our whig friends
that the which taken by the wing party in
reference to that bill, should be fully understood and
declare to you now my purpose, satisfy your minds
that the log party as party responsible for that
Many Democrats did indeed vote for the measure !:
but how unlike theirs is the position of the wing party
1t commended before the country that the wing party
Is the party opposed to slavery and its leaders and its
orators, in Massachusetts especially call upon the
people, and demand that their party should be sustain
ed, because it is the party Of freedom. They tell YOU
that your organization is superfuous that special
Free Soil party is not needed; that they are the true
Free Soil Fary In the face Of these declarations re-
peat the assertion, that the wing party is responsible
for the passage of the Fugitive Slave Bill and shall
offer you ample evidence in support of the charge
In the first place, the law derives its validity from
the approval of the Wing President, does it notl-
Without his active cooperation it could not have been
enacted. Upon this point, shall have more to say in
the course othe eYening-at present. pass on for the
purpose OF viewing the question in other aspects.
The Wing party tell US that they not responsible
for It's PASSAGE because only three members of the par
y, from the North, voted in favor of the bill on its final
passage. But, while they deny that, more than three
wing members from the North, voted for the passage of
tat Dill, they admit that many members of the party
all the members from the Southern States trhou erce1tton
did giUe Their IOtes taror. And when they come be-
fore you, and claim be 'Nafional' party and call
upon you to disavow what they call sectional issues and
sectional parties, ask you, with what grace they can
clam to be divided into two sections Northern and
Southern! | ask you, why, according to their op-
preence they are not responsible, much for the ac
ton of Southern whgs as they are for the action of
Northern wings! Itseems me- that while they dis
claim all sectional action, and assume to be national
party 1t is enough to show in what manner the ubigs
as party acted, without nqurng whether its members
came from the North or the South. But gentlemen
the wings of the North will not by placing themselves
on that narrow and truly sectional PLATFORM find relief
from the burden that is upon them. For | undertake
10 show, that upon the whg members Of the House Of
Representatives from the free States rests large
share OF the responsibility, which attaches to the enact
ment OF the law under consderaon-and it is for them
to indicate the measures or bear the reproach which
belongs to it.
Three Representatives Of the wing parry from trr
Northern States, it is admitted, voted for the BILL
And, where the other Northern members Of that
party, when the vote taken On the passage Of
that BILL but fortyseyen Northern wings voted against
il. The whole number of wings in the House of Rep
resenatives, exclusive Of any Free Soil men who are
sometimes classed with them, is not less than hun.
bred and six. There seventy-four wing men,
bers from the Free States but only forty-seven came
forward and gave their votes against this bill.
Let us 90 back little, and see what took place be-
fore the final passage Of the bill. The moment the bill
was presented for considerations the floor given to
of its friends. He addressed the House in a briet
speech in support of the BILL and closed by moving the
Previous Question. And that question, if sustained by
the House, closes every mans lips and prevents, also,
all opportunity TO offer any amendment.
In passing, allow me to say word for myself. 1t
has been charged over and over again by the A5gs,
well known newspaper, published in this city, that
Free Soil members of Congress- and your Representa-
tive in particular, before the people and de-
claim against the Fugitive Slave Bill, and the bill for
the settlement of the boundaries of Texas and the
Enlistment of a government for New Mexico-tha
gentlemen come here before the people, and point Out
the enormties of those measures, when they were ST.
lent in Congress during their passage.
The editor of the National ZEgis knows perfectly
well how it happened, well as every of you viii
know when shall inform YOU. He reads the papers
the journals of the day, and knows perfectly vel
in what way and manner these bills were passed in thu
House Of Representatives. He knows very WE'LL witt
respect to the Fugitive Suye Bill and also with regard
to the other, that no man allowed TO address thu
House upon the subject He knows very WELL that tn,
floor taken by friend Of the bill, and that befor,
he closed, he moved the Previous Question, in othe
words applied the gag-that it was sustained by tn
House, and that it closed the lips of every member op
posed to the Bill.
Why, my friends there were present. wings whig
not only in lS47, but wings who remained true to thei
principles. They allowed to address the Hous
upon the subject, to offer amendment or make sug
geson, it allowed by that house, that the hi
should be printed in order that members might examin
its provisions. And the editor Of the Hgis knows yer
well, that Thaddeus Stevens, among other wings wht
retain rprotessed principles the present day oug
for the floor, demanded it, but without SUCCESS. ii
knows too, for the journals of the day informed him. tina
many members sought to discuss the merits Of thi
bill Yes, tits certainly true and the fact has long sine
been given to the public, that many more were upo
their feet, both OF the wings who were honestly oppose
to the bill and of the Free Soil pary seeking an op
porunity to oppose II, TO address the house, to ofe
amendments of material character: and among tbos
who had amendments prepared, who desired and soug
to address the House upon the subject, was your ow
Representative. prolonged appause.] Twenty mem
bers OF that house were their feet Simultaneous
seeking an opportunity to discuss the merits of that b
but they were refused the opportunity and any one
who wishes to ascertain the fact may turn to the pub
lie Journals II he has them not at hand LET him COM
to NE, and win show him the papers of that date
which fully subsantiate my assertion.
Now my friends, it is not necessary TO inform the ed
ior Of the Egis, nor those who carefully consult In
papers of the day, that this was pursued. The
hnowa. But the attempt has been made to deceive
such Of the people, had fewer opportunities to lear
the facts, and give them the impression that the mel
who now oppose the bill, voluntarily silent during
It's passage.
now return % the subject from which have for q
moment depressed.
have informed you that the previous question was
moved I'd sustained. The house afterwards rejected
amoon to lay the bill upon the table, in other words,
10 reject it. This motion made and acted upon,
after the house had cut of all opportunity for amend
menf. By sustaining the nreYinIs 1nesiinn Il hnd