New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-15
massachusetts Politics-The Whig Defeat and
It's Causes.

Correspondence Of The Tribune.
BosroN. "Wednesday, Nov. IS.
The Conquest Of Prejudice is never very
easy matter And when an onslaught is made
upon a conviction of conscience under the misap-
prehension that it is a prejudice the knight
who touches his lance for such combat is very
likely to be endorsed. Our late political canvass,
l am sorry to say, affords very fair specimen of
that sort of attempt.
The bulletin OF proceedings for the campaign
was published in the early part of last March
and in accordance Herewith, certain organs in
this goodly city Immediately set about the work
OF carving out the details of the arrangements.
To be sure past professions OF principle and poll.
cy did seem at first to offer something of an ob
sacle, and had rather an ugly look to those who
had enlisted for the conquest but they soon
screwed their courage to the sticking point, and
braDdished their weapons in a way that, no doubt,
seemed to themselves perfectly terrifc-but to
others, something else.
When the ANaS-the leading Wing organ of
New England-hesitated to Join the crusade, its
Editors were denounced When they pointed to
the Past, and spoke of consistency, they were
"preiudiced !" when they denied that two and
two make five, and insisted that crooked line
did not lead straight forward, they were stupid
when they wrote paragraph about the Southern
violation of Northern rights, they were nulliiers
and when they respectfully suggested that one
mans hat did not cover all the Sagaclty IN the
world, man vest enfold all the conscience
they were set down as lrreclalmby heretcal and
rebellious.
And so matters went Oh. Like all who are
gagged in bad cause, those who enlisted for the
conquest were, generally IN q state OF greater
or less irritation. And it was very excusable.
1t was uphill business, and their harness chated
them They felt sore. They must have been
much chagrined to see the tenacity OF preju-
dice displayed all over the State and especially
in the rural districts. But disappointment is
not always inactive. And whenit bestirs ITSELF it
is very apt to be stimulated and directedby person
al antipathy, Principle is subordinate. Hence the
form and direction OF certain movements made by
those who were bent on conquest And chiefly,
the attempted ostracsm of Horace Mann They
showed, certainly, much shrewdness in the nomi-
nation of Mr.. w alley, after concluding to throw
Mr. Mann overheard for Mr. " alley is man of
the finest make, OF true political integrity, and
would never be Congressional "dough.face.
But he was in the false position OF appearing to
be a standard bearer of the conquerng" egions.
That enough The coalition well knew it
was enough. They used the fact with acknow.
lodged effect all the State over. And the nOmi-
nation of Appleton in the city quite
too satisfactory to our opponents out OF the
city. The organization of our forces, in
some Of ts most important points, had a
bad look The coalition made fine capital
out fit. The had show of reason for asserting
that the Wing party, generally, was fully armed
and equipped for the conquest and had put
themselves under the leaders of the great expe-
dition. 1t was not difficult to make the assertion
believed. Hesitancy became Opposition. The
%
were FASTENED in their approach to each other by
the conduct of the Wings They thought they
saw the bow OF promise already spanning their
political heavens They thought too, they had a
sufficient precedent for their incestuous embrace
and for any amount of hugging and kissing, in
certain late proceedings at estiyal in New
Hampshire, and the famous Union meeting in
New York
The whole story, then of our defeat in Massa
chusetts seems to be simply this. Certain men
mstook the sober convictions of duty for hasty
and unreasonable "preudices." They demanded
that those prejudces" should be surrendered
and they attempted to break down and ride over
those who asked a reason for such demand As
consequence, dissatisfaction among their
own friends sprung up spontaneously on all sides.
and the seeds OF mischief were sowed broad
cast Free enthusiastically had a
vast accession of material for it's Summers work;
and all shades Of opposition have found constantly
recurring occasions for renewed labor, and con
tinuaI Vaccinations Theyhave plotted shrewdly,
beaten. We have met the enemy, and we
are his
Those who attempted to make the Wing party
swallow all their old professions, and surrender
convictions, under pretense Of conquerln8 their
prejudices have much to answer for already,
and the end is not yet P
Attenpt 10 u idnau. or Otherwise.