Worcester daily spy., 1851-04-07
Fec Soil Meeting.


people of the city, Albert Tolman Esq. presided
the occasion, and Mr., Caleb Wall was appointe'
Secretary. The meeting having been organised, til
President said that it gave him much pleasure to an
nounce that the gentleman whom they expected L
meet, had arrived, and would address them. II
had been professionally engaged during the day, 70
the past week, his evenings having been occupied il
making speeches in Mr.. Palfrey's District. Theii
candidate, for whom they would vote on Monday
and whom they intended also to elect, had desired
to address them, but his health was such as to pre-
vent it. Thus much in explanation, he would say,
as to the causes that had brought them together.-
He would devote the few moments that remained 10
him, to view of the changes that had transpred.
| They would remember thatit was about II months
since the great Expounder of the Constitution, the
great Compromiser, had sad that if certain things
could be done, agitation would cease. These things
had been done, so far as The making of laws
ce.ned, the great 'compromise'' measures had been
passed, and yet every knew that agitation had
not yet ceased He did not believe that there ever
was time when the country had been SO generally
'agated' at the present; and agitation would not,
could not, and should not cease till some of these
"great compromise measures had been repealed
Loud applause.l
BUTT was needful in these days, to speak cautious
y and carefully, they ould be accused of treason.
OF the wicked laws that had been enacted within
the past year or so, they must speak cautiously;
nothing severe must be uttered. But at the same
time, for himself, he (hr To- would not say that he
would resist the laws but he would say that he would
not obey them. loud cheering.1 He had already
been put, in three or four cases, in such position,
that he must either obey this fugitive slave law, or
refuse to perform the simplest offices of christian
charity He had not obeyed that law, nor would he
ever do so, should Imprisonment be his lot for
such refusal. He felt convinced that similar refu-
sal to obey this iniquitous law, would be made by
many electors of the 9TH district. AT the conclusion
of the Presidents address, he invited any gentleman
having any action business to propose, to do so
previous to Mr. Dana's arrival.
On motion of Mr. Caleb Wall, rallying committees
appointed for the respective wards in this city,
| The President then introduced Mr.. Dana TO the
meeting, who, on coming forward, was greeted with
loud and continued appause which having partially
subsidized, Mr. Dana said,-
Mr.. President and Fellow Citizens-I am sorry
that find 1t is expected that should deliver lee
ture on this occasion. did not come here with such
an expectation intention; on the contrary, | was
asked by friend who came down to Boston to see
me, to come up and fill up short space Of your
evening on this occasion, hopes that might assist
to encourage you for the contest on Monday next
But apart from this, may honestly say to you that
for the last few days, the aspect of affairs in Boston
has been such as to have entirely absorbed the
minds and hearts of men, so that it has been almost
impossible to think OF anything else; and under these
circumstances, | candidy tell you, that have no.
thing to utter to night but what from the funes of
the heart, the mouth must speak" A passage Of
40 miles from Boston, and the lapse of two or three
hours, cannot shut out from view the spectacle that
have but just witnessed. / should like to take
every man, woman, and child of you, and show YOU
the spectacle that the capital Of your old Com
monwealth presents this moment. You will there
see, if you have not already seen, the great Temple
of Justice for this Commonwealth, actually chained
around, so that not Judge, juror, counsellor, or
witness, can enter into this temple of justice, except
by bowng their heads under this chain Gsensation
stretched there by the slave power, ferries of
Shame to ensure the capture and return to slavery
of man alleged TO be fugitive [Renewed cries of
'shame."] This, fellow citizens, is no exaggera-
ton; the reports you may have heard, and the pic
lures you may have seen, represent the truth, to
which every man who has witnessed will testify
Had you been IN Boston, you would have seen the
venerable Chief Justice of your Commonwealth,
bowling his headto the ground under that chain YOU
would have seen the Chief Justice of the Court of
Common Pleas, walk up to that chain, with his free
soil heart Cor that's in him, and demand that that
chain should be removed, and the officers in charge
refused He has since issued order for lis removal
and that order-Q loud cheers) stop,-dont give your
applause too on,-that order has been dlso5eyed!
(Sensation, and cries Of sshame'') And it will be
disobeyed! tell you that there isnot moral force
enough in the city of Boston, to execute the laws of
the Commonwealth!
A voice. Let them come to the country,
Mr.. Dana. Yes we will. | say it deliberately
that there is not in the city of Boston, moral power
enough to execute the laws of this Commonwealth
when they may come in conflict with the interests o
: the slave power We have cast about US and triet
men, and we find that we cannot get such men a!
we want, to act in this crisis. l do believe that i
you were to put precept into the hands of any off
Ger Of the Commonwealth in Boston, to be served OF
the U. S. Marshall the chances are ten to one wheth
er he would ever serve it. The whole moral powe
of Boston at this moment is at the foot of the slave
+ power. There can be no question about il: Tho
worst cannot be told, though will endeavor 10 Eel
you few things, before | conclude this evening.
myself, being younger than the Chief Justice. hav,
c managed to get Ouer that chain, whenever hav,
# gone into the Court House; and if cannot 20 in SO
Il | shall not go in at ALL Loud applause A few
It hours ago, took with me- the noble candidate 70
the 4th District, DIR. Palfrey, whose almost beedin
heart afresh wounded to see that chain. an'
= such spectacle around the Court House of Boston
J | said to him, scan you get over the chan3" HI
I >,