Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1850-11-07

debate aad amendment. Nine Northern wings came
Forward TO and that bill on its progress and defeat by
their votes the motion TO lay it the table. Others re-
sc TO at ALL And out Of a house to be exact of ms
VIM members, "A of whom were from the Free States
but AZ could be found vote in favor of LAYING thar bi
upon the table, or against sustaining the previous ques-
to' Not han OF the wing party, and but little more
than halt OF the Northern wings voted with us IN de-
ded.. u ''iie'i'-
Now my friends, with party of I06 strong. if but
iory-two could be found to oppose it, when it might
nave Deen successfully opposed, to destroy it when it
might nave been eectuay destroyed or to open it to
examination, that il might be discussed ask Won
whether 1t does no: triumphanty maintain the asser
[Cheers.1
But let me present this in a still more striking
point OF view. A few days after the disposition Of
the slave Bill, another question came up which in
terested the feelings of the Wing party A measure
Tor the revision of the tariff was introduced into the
House, and ninety-fve votes were found in favor of
II, eighty OF which were fiom the Wing partv
present this matter to you that you NAV know how
:" hgs act In Congress when they have measure
before them which they heartily desire TO promote
Eighty were found to vote in favor of a modification
OF the tariff, while but fortytwo could be found in
opposition to measure, which will be memorable
ior It's lntamy while this nation shall endure And.
OF these eighty Wing members sixty-six were from
the Free States. Now, my friends, why were thew
present, In the House, sustaining the Tariff? And
why were they absent when the cause of Liberty
was IN danger? Why could eighty Wings be found
for the one, and but forty-two for the other? WHY
could sixty-six Northern wings be found, to stand
there and sustain the Tariff and but fortytw from
me aohole party, could be found when the cause of
Freedom was IN most imminent jeopardy, and the
honor of the county was at stake Where were
they' Turn TO the record and you will learn Sew
erai were undoubtedly, absent on business, and not
deslgnedly away from their posts. But, where were
the rest Turn to the record, and learn, from the
motion OF Ihaddeus Stevens, noble whig the true
cause of the difference. When the vote had been
taken, on the passage of The Slave BILL he moved the
Speaker that messenger be sent to hsWhig friends
informing them that the danger all over, that the
slavery business was disposed Of and that thew MIGHT
safely return 10 their seats When that subject
winch affected their pockets, came up then there
was no lodging and, if any happened to be abroad
III Inc most distant part Of the land the telegram
was called INTO requsition to bring them back to their
places. This was all right. But, what WING caused
the telegraph wires to be used, to inform wings that
freedom was IN danger, and to tell them that thew
must be back TO their posts When the Tariff was
under discussion, was there man behind the cur
tam, to avoid answering TO his name? But when
that other subject was acted upon there were MANY
who stood back from their seats, avoiding the re-
sponsbllty and the duty of vote, in opposition TO
that measure
My friends, do you believe, that, ifthe Wing Ad-
mlnls'ratlon had been seriously bent upon the pur-
pose OF defeating that bill, you would have seen such
action, among Northern Representatives, in the
House '
deem the votes to which have referred imnor.
tant to be remembered. The papers generally have
given you the final result only But take the whole
process, and see by whose aid and by whose neglect
ea measure was carried through is various stages
Of the wing party. 1t is strikingly characteristic Of
the general action of that party measure obnoxious
TO liberty Is on the carpet. Many wings, home are
opposed to it, and revolt at the injustice of It, What
do their representatives do? A few of the boder sort
go forward, particularly those who are strongly en-
enched IN prosavery districts, that they can do it
with mpunity, and support the measure, while others
of their party who dare take the same ground re-
tire from the conflict, and allow the bad work to be ac-
compished And, gentlemen, if you will mark the
conduct Of the wing party, for past years. you
will find that such has been the COURSE substantially on
all occasions where the great interests of Freedom
were at stake. They have shown by the action of
some, and the inacon of others, their approval Of
measures hostile to liberty, their indifference to them
as party. And, now, let me ask you whether there
Is, or is not, the need of party for Freedom ? Is
there, is there not the need of party of Freedom
other than the wing partyl [Yes Yes!] Did they
assert III former years, that they would merely not o-
pose favorable freedom and be alike indf
erent to those Of opposite characterl Was that the
counenance and support, which the wing party was to
give to the cause? By MEANS 1t assumed and il
still assumes, that it is the passive but the active
friend of freedom; that it does not y at the approach
of danger that it does not content ITSELF simply,
with not warning either side; but it has pretended
before you, and it is the only claim to your confidence
It can make, that it is actively the side of Free
dom. But, if it can find any consolation in its passive
condition. let it be Called hereafter the passive friend
OF Freedom, and be you its active friends advocates
and supporters. Immense enthusiasm.]
So much for the responsibility of Congress And,
then, you come to the act of the President himself APP
proving the Bill. That act alone it seems to me
would make the wing party responsible for the measure
if the party sustains the President. If it denounces
the Act if trepudates the man, then, to be sure it
washes itself free of the offence But if il owes and
pays allegiance to that head STILL then the act of th
President is the act of the party. But what is its ex-
cuse, here! You see upon the Bill itself, the name
"MILLARD FILLMORE" and the word GAP.
PROYED". But, the wings say it has no peaaing.-
The Wings say that inasmuch the two Houses OF
Congress had passed the bill, it was the duty of Mil
lard Fillmore to sign it, that it is whg doctrine that
the President should not veto laws which have been
passed by the two Houses of Congress.
{ Gentlemen, what does the constitution say? The
Constitution made by the people themselves Ii
was made to be understood by the people, and be.
leye the people understand its important provisions
like to put questions to hem growing of that in.
strument And now ask their consideration of this
doctrine The wings say that the President must moi
10 or was passed
with haste Do you find anything of the kind in the
Constitution? The Constitution says, if he ''approue
OF 1t, he shall sign it, and if he does not he shall return
to the House in which it originated with his oblec
tons. This is what it says. And, now, / ask where
you find anything in the Constitution which will shelter
Mr.. Fillmore from that responsibilities There arc
many matters of legislation, admit, which present
questions OF eXpediency merely in reference 10 which
great Difference may properly be shown by the Execu
tive, to the judgment Of the legislative body and the il
action might be sufficient in many such cases. to in
duce the President to sanction the measure Of theil
adoption But not So in regard to measures which in.