The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-09-04
LETTER FROM BOSTON.
To the Editor OftLe National Era !:


somewhat neglected. of late, | am induced to send
you few lines, not with the idea of supplying his
place, but to keep your numerous readers appriz-
ed Of the popular feeling with regard to Cuban
news, Massachusetts politics, and other matters.
First, with respect to the Cuban invasion, it is
evident that at least nine tenths of the people in
this city are entirely and strongly opposed to any
such scheme Of wholesale piracy. II is almost uni
versally denounced as piratie0l marQu9iag expe-
diton, and the invaders correctly styled Buccaneers
But little sympathy even is manifested for the
fifty Americans who were summarily executed.
Ii is readily seen, that if they have brought about
such a state of things in the island Of Cuba as to
render martial law necessary they have no one but
themselues to blame if they fall victims to that
verify Of discipline they have Occasioned. do
not think that meeting like-those which have
been held in New York and cities south, could be
got up here that would be decently respectable
even in point of numbers certainly NOT in character
and influence Our papers, Hunker as well as
Liberal, are almost without exception deciied in
their condemnation Of the movement; looking upon
it as the result Of that restless spirit Of conquest
and extension, occasioned in great measure by
the Mexican war, and as the development of
feeling, which unless speedily oh ,cked by the
FEDERAL Government thr' atens q Y no GlscantNuay
to undermine and COMPLETELY jorthrow our republi-
can institutions The oilon Of the President is
anxiOusly awaited he Nm be Iuiy supported
10 maintaining the policy previously marked out
We are panied to hear of the riotous demonstra-
tons manifested iu New Orleans, and still more
80, that the municipal authorities make no effort
to interfere. little of that energy and spirit of
determination TO preserve the laws so hdicrously
displayed by the President and his Cabinet with
regard to the recent {" servile destruction in Bos-
ton, would in this case be well applied
Massachusetts, politics is peculiar but hopeful
There is to be an union this year as last between
the Free-Soilers and Democrats. Agreeing as they
do on matters of State policy it must certainly be
allowed to be nothing more than practical common
sense, to unite for the adoption and carrying out
of their views in the laws Of the Commonwe alth
The homestead exemption and secret ballot laws
of the last Legislature have made the coalition
popular and it is hoped at the next session to
complete those reforms so nobly begun. The de-
mand Of the people for revision of the Constitu-
tion and the passage of laws for the better secur
ity of our citizens, is becoming and more gen.
eral OF the result Of the election there can be
no doubt The Wings will be defeated by nearly
double the majority Of last year.
With the result of the Democratic State Con-
vention held at Worcester the Goth inst. you are
already acquainted. Resolutions were adopted
approving Of the State policy as carried out last
year, and the following resolution with regard to
the Compromise measures was passed. Resoiosd
that the Baltimore Platform covers, and was in
tended to embrace the whole question of Slave
agitation in Congress, and therefore we 20 for
faithful execution Of and acquiescence in all the
Compromise measures settled by the last Congress-
The above expression of sentiment you will see
allows considerable latitude Of opinion as to what
| measures were settled by the last Congress :;
| and when we consider that il was presented by
| the Committee on Resolutions as q compromise or
| mode Of Cancellation between the bunker and pro-
gressve portion Of the party represented in the
| Convention, and that it was finally passed, only
after protracted opposition and by doubtful ma
jority, we are justified in the conclusion-that
the Democracy of Massachusetts, can neuer be
brought to the active support Of those odous mea-
sures. Robert Rantocl jun is undoubtedly the
best exponent Of the feeling of Democrats that the
State affords.
The Wing Convention is to be held at Spring
field, September 10th, and is looked forward 10
with great interest. The two factions of the par
ty, the Webster Wings and the Atlas Wings, or
the VALLEY Wings, and the Winthrop Wings
will there come in contact, and good many an
ticipate a serious division. My own opinion is
that they will agree upon compromise that
Mr.. Winthrop will be selected as the candidate
for Governor, and that resolutions will be passed
by the Convention in favor Of MIR Webster. The
Wings in this city have instructed their delegates
las expressed by one of their speakers) to favor
Mr.. Webster's praensions to the Presidency"
The Webster leaders and papers are very inso-
lent and dictatoria in their bearing and il is not
impossible that they will compel their more
scientious and more tiaiid opponents TO succomb.
The Free Soil State Convention il to be held
at Worcester, Tuesday, September 10th, and will
be one Of the largest and most interesting conven
tions the party has ever held. They will meet
together free from those peculiar endorsements
which annoy the other parties who have double
face to maintain, and they will send forth voice
whose reverberations will do something towards
clearing the political atmosphere of the country.
The Free-Soilers are In good heart for the coming
campaign. With good central organ, as is the
Commonvsahh-edted by Joseph Lyman, and
with far more ability than any Other paper in Bos-
ton-we shall work TO greater advantage than
heretofore. awe shall keep all that We have got,
and will get moren
Our meeting for the choice Of delegates was
held last Thursday evening at Chapman Hall,
which was crowded to its utmost capacity. Flo
quent addresses we're made by Hon Henry Will
| son, President of the Senate, Hon John c. Park,
and David l.. Elder, Esq., of Kentucky The
greatest enthusiasm prevailed, and everything in
dicates an increased vote even here in Boston.
The recent tornado continues TO be q topic Of
| conversation. The loss IL estimated 10 be over
| one hundred thousand dollars. II commenced In
| Wayland, Middlesex county, and passed in a
northeasterly direction through Weston, Wal
tham West Cambridge, Medford, Lynn, and out
to sea q distance Of thirty miles II varied in
width at different places from FIVE 10 fifty rods.
| At its beginning it was weak but gradually in.
creased in strength until by the time il reached
Wsltham IL tore up large trees by the roots, and
| blew down fences and stone walls When II
| reached West Cambridge il was terrific Those
valuable orchards the best in the State) were in
some instances, taken up bodily and strown in
every Objectionable earth being ploughed and
| furrowed as in a battlefield by cannon balls
| Every house and other building that II passed
over was wofully injured or completely destroyed
some being blown PROSTATE on the ground mass
| Of ruins others with their roofs blown of and
out of sight; others keeled over or twisted round
on their foundation barns stored with hay, their
contents as widely scattered as before the farmer
made use of his scythe and rake; chmneys no
wh,rej windows ditto; beds and bedsteads hun
dreds Of feet high in the air, q quarter Of q mile
from the place where they belonged &c, &c
The whirlwind was ct it's height at Medford and
caused greater destruction of property than at
West Cambridge. Ia some cases men and women
were caught up and carried great distances 1t
seems almost miraculous that no one was killed
outright and Immediately. As 1t was, a good
many were seriously injured, and were carried to
the hospital. Two Of them have since died. At