Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-07-07
Great Free Soil Celebration at Worcester
JuIv 4, 1851.

July Is A-1A'
The Free Soil celebration in this city on the FOURTH
was all that the friends Of freedom could reasonably
hone or wish for. Although the weather IN the early
part Of the day was unpropitious, and gave prom
Use of shade and storm throughout, host OF good and
true men, from various quarters, came up to bear en-
phatic witness against the aggressons Of the slave
power and to take renewed courage for the future strug
giles Of freedom, against its insidious and unhalowed
assumptions The great tent which was erected the
common, was filed to its capacity; and when
the awning at the sides and ends were raised s'ser
Isd phalanx tight of intelligent and sympathetic
friends of liberty closed three rods deep around
it, in order catch the inspiration Of those words,
which dscoursed again the eternal principles which
fathers loved.
The tables for th9usand persons, and, sol
great had been the demand for tickets that the sale was
stopped some time before the dinner hour. Ia the
mean time however, two tables arranged, Of
one hundred plates each which were Immediately filed
On the platform many eminent friends Of liberty
from other States and from other parts of our own
State Hon. J. P. Hale, of New Hampshire, Mr..
Sansbury, of Burlington, VI, Hon. ]. G. Palfey and
Arson BurIingame, OF Cambridge, Hon. Amasa Walker,
Secretary of State, Hon. Henry Wilson, President Of
the Senate and other distinguished friends of freedom,
supported Judge Aen who presided the great and
intelligent meeting
After the divine blessing had been invoked by Rev.
George Allen, Chaplain Of the day, Judge Allen
and said that had been question of considerable in
terest during the last twelve months, for what purpose
our government was established,-some asserting that
ii solely for the protection of commerce, and others
that it was for higher purpose There gentle
in the meeting, who had in his possession a
what ancient document, which would throw light
on the subject; and he called upon that gentleman
Hartley Williams, Esq, to read that document, the
Declaration of American Independence.
The reading of the Declaration seemed to be listened
to with the same breathless anxiety that it would be by
to whom ii revelations; and when the
last word of spoken proud cheer bore witnes;
the fact that the OF to-day found it be still
true to their highest ideal of liberty
Hon. ]. p Hale was then introduced to the audience
and was received with enthusiastic demonstrations Of
applause. He began his mastery Grafton by say.
ing that the revolutions Of time had again brought
together, to great national anniversary
and became u.s. intelligent and responsible freemen
10 understand the character and spirit Of that anniver
from the days Of our fathers triumph 10 the fountain
bead Of that revolution Of ages Of which the establish
ment OF this republic only grand crisis and shove,
how the spirit Of liberty, born Of religions had, from TN
days OF Wcklfe protested against tyranny and suffer
ed for its adhesion principles until it placed its wear
pilgrim feet upon the rock of Plymouth and esabshe
berty of conscience and the supremacy of the high
er law. Civil liberty, said the orator, is only coro
larry; religious iberty-Gberty Of conscience being til
premises. Our ancestors, through the sufferngs an
struggles of ages, perfected the st we are only tryn
the grand experiment Of the second; and upon us an
descendants depends the solution Of the question
vital to the interests and happiness of humanit,
whether perfect civil liberty can be established and PEI
manenty maintained.
MIR. Hale demonstrated from the declarations of ST
or seven State conventions, which were held after tn
battle OF Bunker Hill fought, that sindependenc
per not included in the objects for which our father
struggled with Great Britain. 1t was for liberty
civil liberty,-lhat they commended; the primary an
principle idea Of the contest was embodied in thes
words: ''We shall rather die reemen, than live to b
slaves!" The orator then asked if we had improve
upon the religious liberty of the fathers of the Revolu
toni We had not. 1t was perfected by them
Was their idea of cl liberty likewise to be wrought GU
aud established in this land! Futulty alone could an
that question. Mr. Hale closed his lucid and Ell
oquent address with peroraton OF great rhetorical
power and brilliance, which brought down thunders
applause
Judge Allen then rose and said: s'There are times
when all men can meet upon such occasions as this
and rejoice together, independent of any particular
opinion which they may hold; but there are certain
periods in the HISTORY of nations when it necessa-
ry that such meetings should be composed of men Of
kindred sentiments and ideas; and such is this period
in our countrys history, and such is our reason for
making this day the occasion Of free coil celebra
ton. When the social fabric itself menaced, il il
time for every man to know on what side his neghbo,
Is The Judge, in his own clear, terse, and for.
chile style, reviewed the history of the 'scompro.
mise" measures; he showed what igais fatuus il
was that had seduced Daniel Webster into the arms
Of the slave power, and what Authorizations now in.
duced that ''lustrious Massachusetts Pilgrim "a
roam the Union in the vain search for a nomination
to the Presidency.
John G.. Pafrey being next introduced by the
Chairman, said: "Ladies and Gentlemen on the
29th day of May, received your letter of invitation
to ths-ceebration, and on the same day, read in
Boston wing paper, one or two periods which cut
from that journal, and which, with your permission,
will now read" Mr.. Palfrey then read several
structures upon the defeat of his own election in May
last, which concluded with Recommendation to the
free soil party TO dsband. He commented in strain