Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-01-31

Defore he House Of Representatives, an Com
snittes Of the Whole, Jan, "a. 1852, on the
Mericaa Indemnify Bill.
Mr.. Rantoul on obtaining the floor, add do
not propose to enter at all into the general merits
OF the question before the Committee; indeed
would not have troubled the Committees am
always very unwilling to do t--with any remarks
OF mine, 1t there had not been cast upon my ma
tive State an inputation serious to demand
an immediate notice from me. A majority of the
people of Massachusetts are involved together in
an iinpuaton which, it seems to me, the honor of
the people Of that great State, without distinction
of party, requires should not when il is thus cast
upon her by representative Of one Of her Con.
gressiOna districts, this floor, himself native
son of hers, be suffered to pass unrepclled. The
lmbutation is one of corruption-nol, as under
stand 1t, upon few leaders OF single political
party, but upon vast majority Of the voters Of
the Commonwealth of Observation-Disclosures State
which has stood SO high in the history of this
country from the time when this country began TO
have history, and which am proud 10 believe
has never forfeited her pristine rank in the gIori-
Gus ssterhood Of conlederated States. That such
an imputatien upon the people Of such State
should be noticed upon this 6oor as soon as it is
made, seems TO me plain that | should think
myself without excuse C | kept my seat under
such call to speak here. Sir, Massachusetts
bears name too Respondent with the gores of
her colonial and revolutionary history to be ques-
tened by her childrca. She has maintained her
high standard of patriotism, and virtue, and hon.
or, too long, too uniformly, too brilliantly, to have
supposed for moment, that true son Of hers
would endure to see her fair fame sullied without
rushing to her defence.
Sir the imputation Of corruption is made here,
upon two political parties, which the gentleman
estimates to contain iorty-three thousand in the
one party, and twenty -eight thousand in the 9TH
era majority, according 10 his own calculation,
of the voters who take sufficient interest in politi-
cal matters 10 present themselves at the polls
That Is the charge land IL is to that, that address
myself And hrst, let me answer as TO that portion
of those veters with whom am directly and po-
litically ideutiied and have been for more than a
score of years, through SERIES scarcely para-
lelled, Of kard-fought battles-I mean the Demo-
cratic party of Massachusetts.
Before going into the character of the alleged
coalltloa, let me ask, are coalitions in themselves
wrong Is It wrong that those who seek COM
mon ohsect, should cooperate to effect that object?
Am to stop to inquire whether my neighbor
thinks as do upon all questions-all important
questions, if you please-before | act with him
upon any one Importent question? If the Capitol
Is on FIRE, and the engines in the Rotunda and not
men enough to man the brakes, must refuse to
tall IN and help TO work for the salvation of the
common interest, and TO extinguish the confagra-
ton, because there happens to be man at work
there Tor The same object, who entertains differ
ent sentiments from me, religion, for instance,
the most important concern of mamie being a
Catholic, and Protestant? Every man will say
hat fhn h,,,
suffer his energies to be paralys by scruples
against the coalition in such cnse, though it
might be a coalition with atheists and drunkards,
polygamsts and monarchists. | hold that, as a
general thing, Tor those TO act together who desire
-s'.s'''e t'Ivrr aIic'f, IUey are men
OF sense, and understand how to effect their oh.
Ject. What do all these men who cry out against
the alleged coalition in Massachusetts do in re-
spect 10 coalitions among themselves Do they
lsoiate themselves! Does each man stand apart
from his neighbors with whom he differs on any
important question: If they did, there would be
no parties In this country, from one end of TO
the other, and no government, for without COM
bnatlons OF men differing widely from each other,
constitutions could never be adopted, nor govern
hehts carried on, nor even established and free
oom would ex pire IN universal anarchy.
10 come now TO the precise question raised by
me charge OF my colleague against Massachusetts,
is coalition between men who do not oppose the
compromise measures, and the fugitive slave law
particularly, with men who do oppose them, an
unholy coalition?
Ii 1t be, where, and since when was that dis
covery made! Was it by the Wing party in the
State of Missouri Has the State of Missouri
been denounced again and again upon this floor.
by wing gentlemen, because the gentleman who
hods his seat IN the other branch of Of this Con-
gress, (Mr. Geyer,) was elected bya coalition, as
understand 1t, OF those who favored and those
who were opposed to the fugitive slave law, and
the compromise measures, in the State of Mis-
souri,? Is it in the State of Wisconsin, where the
gentleman nominated by Free Soil Convention.
and known to concur in their views, was elected.
and the Wing papers, from one end Of the coun.
Try TO the other, set up shout of triumph at the
wing victory In the State of Wisconsin The
Free Soil candidate of the Free Soil party was
erected, ana hence 1t was, as one would suppose
a rree Soi victory. But is Wing victory a Free
Soil victory? Are they one and the same thing?
The gentleman says they are not the same, but
very different things; but yet there is no outcry Of
Indignation against Missouri, or against Wiscon-
SIN, Tor these enormities, but much applause, be-
cause coalition has given to Wings share in
the distribution of office and power There is but
little to urge against Ohio, or New York. or
l6ia' put a ~ cut uedI against massachusetts.
And why: | do not know, unless it is because
her own sons contribute to heap imputations of
dtshonor on Massachusetts, on this floor. because
the stab from the parricida hand rankles most
sorely, and stimulates the malgnancy of strangers
to follow up the blow, and add fresh venom 10 the
wound.
do not know why else she is made TO bear the
sins OF all the other States-why else she is to be
the Escape goat for all Inc other coalitions in
the United States. Are not we in Massachusetts
at liberty TO Judge of our own political position,
and political course, as well as getemen in Mis-
souri,, or Wisconsin, or Ohio, or in New York. or
anywhere else in the United States-ln Missis-