Worcester daily spy., 1850-10-07
SPEECH
- - - - IL
OF THE
Hon. Charles Allen,
At the CITY Hall. in Worrester. Oct s 1850
OF THE
PnoNoaRApHIc REPoRr BY DR sToNE.

As the Hon. gentleman approached the platform
ne was greeted with three rapturous rounds of ap.
pause.]
My friends, as entered this hall, | could not but
congratulate mysefthat was once more upon free
soil; CCheersl that multtudes of freemen were
around me; that there was no STAKEHOLDER here. and
that the word slavery is never mentioned but to ex
press detestation ofthat relation of man to man.
will not say that it with SURPRISE and vet it
u remarkable feature of the times that [ should
perceive, on returning to this district and to this
county, that the state of mems minds was hi yhy ex-
cited. What meant the expressions Of anxiety and
OF determination upon the countenances of men p
Why were these indignant denunciatons uttered at
the corners fthe Streets against the laws which are
supposed to be In force, and the men who enacted
tbem' Why these great gatherings of the people
In nightly assemblies? Do you not know that your
wise men at Washington, without distinction of par
ty, your Websters and your Casses, your Claws
and your Dckinsons, forgot old distinctions, Joined
hands, and united counses to restore the peace of the
country' And do you not know that what their
Iont wisdom conceived executed, that not sin
Gle measure fell to the ground? What means then
this state of dissatisfaction among the people?
Why, for nine long months, you have been accus-
toned to look through the papers for intelligence
from Washington, and to learn the deep sensation
which was manifested there; the earnest discussions
the angry contentious on the subject of slavery.-
While you were at peace at home, fearing nothing
lor the safety of the government the preservation
OF the Union, tor nine long months you looked tow
ard the government at Washington and what did
you see there but state of turmoil and confusion
And how is it that the scene should all at once be
changed-that measures of pacfcation should be
adopted at ashingon, which certainly had the effect
OF quietlng the people there, and yet after the sue
cessu result of all these efforts after the feast had
been enjoyed, and the song sung, and the hymn of
Thanksgiving had gone up from drunken lips laugh-
teri how is it that instead of Washington it is the
country, every free state in this Union, that is not
only deeply excited, but indignant at the existing
state Of thingsat the laws which have been enact
ed, and at the rulers who have enacted them!
Surely there must have been some mistake
Surely there must have been some miscalculation
For when before did party leaders, forgetting all
their tends, unite to bring peace, and instead of
peace bring sword? repeat, there must have
been some great error in the calculations of your
wise men. Or it be, that higher power has
10 nansls, O. = L 4il eHGi "sIoll
in their cratness and that .'the counses Of the
froward have been carried headlong?" ['That is
it'] Are you In this way to account for The peace
and profound quiet which reigned atWashingon, for
the feast and song, for the harmony offeeing and the
mutual flow of soul, and for the fact that throughout
the length and breadth of the country, all is uneas
ness all is dissatisfaction?
My friends it must be that this state of things has
been created by the doings of the Congress, which
has recently been in session. 1t must be, that
enormous wrong has been done at Washington, or
this tremendous jury would not unite IN one verdict
ofdisapprobation Surely it could not otherwise be,
that the freemen of the country, those who deserve
the name, should be thus discontended and dssat-
slied with the condition of affairs.
With your leave, will briefly take notice OF some
of the doings of the Congress, whose session has just
closed, In connection with that subject which at the
present time most deeply interests your hearts The
legislature of the country met under circumstances of
unusual interest. The nation had been engaged in
war with foreign power. Of the character of
that and of its causes, will not now speak.
But we have something to do with the results. AS
the fruit of that warfare, the nation acquired by
conquest, as you well know, immense territories,
California, New Mexico Utah, each sufficient to be
the seat of mighty empire. 1t became the imper-
alive duty of Congress to legsate for the territories
which had been thus acquired. They were to be
admitted states, territorial governments were
to be imposed upon them, as Congress in its wisdom
should deem to be most proper. This state of things
would present no difficulty under ordinary circum-
stances Congress has many a time, as you all
know, established territorial governments for Fri
tories which had been acquired by the country; and
states had been admitted into the Union, without
attracting much general observation, or producing
division In the counsels Of the country.
There was then no difficulty growing out Of the
fact that the nation had acquired immense territories
for which it was necessary to legislate But yet in
the present instance there immense diversity OF
opinion. A state of hostile feeling sprung up between
one portion of the country and another in relation
to the proper disposition of the subject and fears
entertained by some, of confusion at the seat
of government. and possibly of rebellion elsewhere.
Whence did this diversity arise Solely from the
fact that the people of this great country diyi-
ded upon the subject Of domestic slavery. A large
majority fthe inhabitants ofthe United States desired
that there shoud be no extension of slavery beyond
its present limits; and they desired that so far was
practicable the general government should be absol-
we'd from all responsibility IN relation to it They
lived under constitutional government intended to
protect freedom. 1t was formed with the express
acknowledgment the part Of its authors, aud Of
the people who sanctioned it, that all men were
born free and equal. And in the preamble to the
constitution, it expressly declared, that one
Of the great ends for which it was made was to
secure the blessings Of liberty for its founders and
their posterty. With the people Of the free states
the love of liberty is nborn and hereditary sent-
ment; slavery they detest and they demand of their
government that it restrain it within the nanowest
limits of constitutional right.
There was, in another part ofthc country, class
Of persons numbering some 100000 voters who
were shareholders. They had obtained control over
fifteen states Of this Union, control the white
Inhabitants through the ignorance of the latter, and
through the wealth, power, and influence of the
STAKEHOLDER. And in addition to all this power they
held in bondage 5000 900 Of men, women and chill
dren, They demanded not only that they should be