The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-15
FREE SOIL STATE CONVENTION.
WORCESTER, TUESDAY Juiy 6, IS

WORCESTER, TUESDAY, JUiy q, 1852
One Of the greatest Auti-Slayery meeting,
ever held in Massachusetts. or in any other
part of the United States was the Free Soil
Convention held this day in Worcester Il
took everybody by surprise, so multitudnou
was it so powertul---so strong in men and il
determination The most distinguished and tn,
abest men Of the State were there. and III,
meeting, when It met in the afternoon in tn
tent, numbered fully five thousand persons
The unanimlty Of the meeting was in keepin.
with It's vigorous spirit How unlike the Dem
Ocratic and Wing Convention. at Baltimore
instead Of spending two or three days in
squabblng and doing nothing, and ut last be
ing compelled TO do something very different
from what they intended, they got through the
whole OF their business IN one day and with
the most perfect harmony There was a unity
of purpose and a hrmncss that made this Con
yention really formidable and well calculated
TO make both the Democratic and Wing parties
trembe for their fate ut the coming Presidcl-
tial electou--tUr both of them are in danger
Of beng uIpped up by the third party which
will assurcdly construct platform and nomi-
nate candidates at the National Convention at
Pittsburgh.
Gen WILSON then. on behalf of the State
Central Committee, called the Convention reg
ulary to order Mark Doottle, ESQ, of
BelchertOWn was chosen Chairman pro tenn .
and Robert Carter, Of Cambridge Secretary A
Committee was then appointed consisting of
one from each District to report list Of Off
GERS for the regular organization of the meet
lng
PyeNdent-STEPHEN C. Phillips, of Salem.
Vice Preadea&--lVm Davis. of Plymouth
g. d. Weston, Of Uxbridge; Hon. f. l. Reyes,
of Dedham VIM b. Spooner, of Boston John
y.PaltreE of Cambridge John b Alley. S. f..
q, -."teRf Stoneham j w Graves of Lowell
SewalL "EWorcester VIM jackson of
} NeWton T B Re u5G Of Spa5r %B5 Caeb
Swain of Easton Joel Hayden, of Williams
burgh and VIM. NJ. Walker, of PhiIlipston
Secreturies-Robert Carter, Of Cambridge
Geo. G. Hoar of Worcester; S. B. Howe of
Cambridge A. J. Aikens, of North Adams ;
and s. l.. Gere OF Northampton
The Divine blessing was then invoked upon
the Convention, by the Rev. MIR. Higgins
Mr.. Phillips then addressed the Convention
saying that u favorable crisis had now arrived
Neither the Wings nor Democrats could draw
attention to themselves ~ the Anti-Saycry
party and, beside, there was no point Of differ
ence between them. The division wall has
broken and both parties stand upon the same
platform. The tariff, bank, and ALL were for
gotten The Free Soil party was in opposition
70 these two parties, thus united in sentiment,
and Is now one Of the two great parties Of the
country The great issue was to be- whether
or not there was one subject ON which Ameri-
can ifcemen might neither speak nor think
lie asserted that the candidates of both parties
had given their adhesion to the Compromise
measures and voluntarily forfeited the support
Of the Free Soil party There could be only
one inality-truth, victorious or vanquishcd
Throughout the world was going on that CON
test between liberty and despotism in which
the Free Soil party was engaged.
On motion of Gen. Wilson u Committee of
one from each Congressional District was APP
pointed to prepare an address and resolutions.
and the following gentlemen, nominated by the
Chair, were then chosen that Committee: Hon
Henry Wilson, Rodney French, Caleb W
Prouty. f. w Bird, Seth Webb, jr, J. w
Stone, A. G.. Brown, Edward Kimbal Amasa
Walker, Edward Hopkins and d. w Alma
MIR VIM A White, Of Watertown, stated
that one of two things were evident either that
the Convention was too large or the Hall too
small that hundreds were unable to obtain
admission, and hc moved that when the Con.
vcntion adjourned it be to the spacious tent
WAS carried by unanimous vote
Letters were then read from the following
gentlemen, who were necessarily absent from
the Convention Hon +. l.. kcycs, Hon
Horace Mann Hon Charles Allen, Hon
iohua r. Giddjngs, Hon Charles summer
lion Salmon =. Chase
The letter Of MIR Chase is regarded as OF
great Importance
k''cr the rcnding If the letters had been
concluded the Convention adjourned till the
afternoon
During the progress Of tho forenoon meeting
IN the City Hall, the crowd became ~ great
outside that It was addressed from the steps
by Hon. John G. Pallrey Amasa Walker.
Secretary dfNntc fAlass Rev Edwin Thomp-
son and DR. " Stone
idGH0", Session
The Convention was called 10 order at ?
o'clock IA the afternoon, under spacious tent
ga Az open lot adjoining the City Hall This
tont, which WAS oi the most magnificent de
scupuon, WAS capable of accommodating 5000
pcrsous wl lt Was quite filled convenient
platform wa. erected for the speakers and re-
porter al one SIDE
Shortly after the CONVENTION had reassem-
blSi there we're loud calls for John = Hale. of
n r. from all parts Of the audience MIR
Hale then addressed the Convention in a DOW.
criul -l@'cb, Of AN luur r. duration. of which
che following !, an oJtliuc
Today new chapter IN the history of the
country Wa, about tu hJ written II they had
-tri,en to hong ior the SLAVES uf the South
should the, not now show sympathy for ia,
elng-enrhainel ,la,r, OF party. whose lead, rs
hesa proved rccreaut 10 onre-cheri,hcd prnci-
ll,~ They luok &C. you &, give utterance Ia an.
other siuriuu, time which shall hr heard over
ths land Agitation - not dead aud "a. prnci
vle- Il liberty are not stificd The friends II
liberty Will continue their agitation, despite II
ihe iuluilnation- against a. Human nature
BIWHy. ss-.rta hyr dignity What Nas agita.
tDu 10 was thr element Uf life which God
hut rwyad throughout mural and physical
uaturr-- ~ element "i regeneration Even the
wat.r- CO., ths In,l Il SLOAN were not beneficial
tli th, suga lS,.r down a. agilale them and
then &c va, thnt hr 4hp stepped ia was made
Nh"." FH1r yrar, ago ~ had acquired by
conquest ADD treaty a IrruGsy which WIS
witltut su organized Government the 4ue~-
tiuu VA. what Government 4 should havs
Thi. Territory wl- ~is TIMES the ,izr uf the
thtrts,u Cplouir. that struggled iu ndcprnd.
.nes and tNo hundred times the ,ils uf the
state at Mas.achuss'tt---irrt,ir aud rch IA
mncrl resource. % vast extent The AZ,
prai Wa made h. the oltll"us ~h-iher this
Inmru-, tract should have the institutions 1T
hlrrt,--ire-. ,hngshs- iTes sohool- aud is-.
a1rn-.ir whether il si.1uld b. cursed with the
iilghtHg influence, oi AaseTy ihis was the
great gu.-tinn Of vast magnituds and import
auc--nut merely question II to-day. but Of
al. uui, li. consequences would extend viii.
tl. iutir. - Tar a. ths eye Il faith oOuld reach
I4r Vs ssrr tid was al s.ttisd hy the Conn
psnul-- a.. q IA. called bm thr Com.
pnlm u.aut o. give n little aud take =