Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-09-20


great and holy purpose, must require time and per-
severance. In what have said and done on these |
questions, / have but reflected the sentiments and |
feelings of those represent-indeed, among them |
are many, very many I" older and better soldiers "
than myself. That people, SIR, Will stand hrm,
steadfst and immovable upon the doctri0es and the
organization which they have adopted.
am aware of the arguments often used to per.
xuade Freesoilers to for this that man, for
this or that party, in order to gain some supposed
temporary advantage. But, sir, we organized for
the maintenance Of doctrines, important merely
10 the people OF township, copny, or State, but
TO man wherever he is found. Important, not merely
to-day at this election, next year, but all coming
time. Can we leave such position, to unite with
either Of the other parties in order to elect this
that 10 office, while he stands pledged to maine
tain slavery and the slave trade in this district, and
in our territoriesto continue the infamous fugitive
lax--to uphold and support all these measures
final settlement Of the subjects to which they refer,
and to dscountenance all examination, discussion,
or agitation to the proprety of these measures?
Sir were we 10 unite with either party to elect a
President thus pledged, we should lose our own
sef-respec,--we should lose the respect and con.
fdcnce OF the world. Politically, sir we are ssa city
get upon hill, which cannot be hid" Throughout
the country, our influence is felt. In this Hall, we
WELD a moral power far beyond our numbers. Let
no man charge me with indelicacy, when l assert
that the Freesoiers OF this body exert althe infu-
ence 10 which their numbers enttle them. Wings
and democrats have confidence that we shall in all
be guided by Judgment, by reason and justice,
and not by the paltry Considerations Of party.
The effect has been most salutary. Ten years
since no man here dared separate from his party
No matter what was the subject, his own judg-
nlent, every member compelled to fall into line
and vote with his party leaders. Freesoilers have
set an example here of independence The COM
Of our trials on this subject severe.
We were frowued upon, villifed, and denounced;
but thank God we had the trmness TO hide our time,
and now for years many wings and democrats have
followed our example, and dared TO vote as their
judgments and conscences dictate. In short, sir,
here party lines upon most subjects of legislation,
have become obliicrated. This Of itself, constitutes
agreat reform. Party lines also becoming OBJ
liberated throughout the country, in consequence OF
the example and influence Of the free Democracy
This wide and extended influence must be surren-
dered five for either Of the other parties,
their candidates.
At Baltimore portion of the Wing party con-
tended manfully against committing themselves
to the outrages and crimes of the fugitive law and
compromise measures. In that respect they did
more than the Democrats My sympathies and
the sympathies of our party and of all good men
were with them,
And had the anti-slavery Wings in this House
and the Senate promptly and energetically met
the sapercillious pretensions of the slave power
with decision and irmness, have little doubt they
would have inspired feeling at Baltimore which
would have repudiated platform that has stamp
ed indelible disgrace upon their party. In this
Hall the Democrats have sustained the constitu-
tional rights of the free States ably and faith
fully than the Wings have during the present ses-
SION
But am aware that strong effort is making
to induce our free Democracy to sustain the Wing
candidate at the coming election. With the gem
teman nominated / have long been acquainted.
To him nor to theDemocratic nominee, have any
personal objection; but if elected, he is pedgedto
maintain the outrages, the revolving crimes per-
tanning to the compromise measures and fugitive
slave law, to which have called attention, to
render them perpetual, so far as he may be able,
to prevent all discussion relating to them. To
vote for him is to vote for his policy; to identify
ourselves in favor of the avowed doctrines which
he is pledged to support to give proof by votes
that we approve the platform on which he stands.
But, sir why vote for Scott in preference to Pierce?
fthe men | say nothing They merely repre-
sent the doctrines of the parties who nominate
them. If there be difference between those
parties it is the slave question. 1t can be found
in nothing else.
The doctrines of the Wing party, as l have
shown, pledge them and their candidate to main
tain slavery; the breeding ofslaves for markets the
sale of women in this District and in Territories;
to uphold the fugitive law in all coming time; to
admit as many slave States as shall apply from
New Mexico and Utah, and to silence discussion
on all these subjects. This is as far, | think, as
human depravity can go. Ii the Democratic party
has dived deeper into moral and political putridi-
ty, some archangel fallen must have penned their
confession of faith. If their be such distinction
it can only be discovered by refinement of casus-
try too intricate for honest minds to exert. Sir,
suppose there were shade of distinction in the
depths of deprayity to which these parties have
descended, does it become naea--tree men of NOR
al principle, of political integrityto be strainng
their visions and using intellectual microscopes
to discover that shade of moral darkness? No,
sir; let every man who feels that he has coun-
try to save, character to sustain-that he owes
duty to mankind and to God-come forward at
once, and wage bold and exterminating war
against these doctrines, so abhorrent to freedom
and humanity.
But tits said that the Democratic party If defeat.
ed again by the anti-savery sentiment they we're
in 1913, will disband, and the masses will then
unite with US ia support Of justice, truth, and liber-
~. The defeat Of the Democratic party might dis.
band them, and it might not. There is no certainty
on that point. II we were to unite with the Wings,
we might or might not defeat the Democrats
II we were TO try the experiment and fail, Wings
and Democrats would despise US. We should de-
spise ourselves. II we should succeed, we should
become identified with the Wing party, and swal-
lowed up by It. In every aspect in which can
view such policy we must lose the moral power
which we possess. Standing upon elevated princi-
ples-professing, avowing, and procaiming the poe
litical gospel which we present to the pcople---we
cannot descend TO mngle in such contest without
sacrifice ofthat moral and political influence which
now commands the respect Of all honest men, and OF
our own consciences.
Mr. Chairman, know not the course which the
people whom represent will pursue. From the
past only can judge OF their future action res
idence Of half century among them has given me
some knowledge Of their character. Their past ac-
ton is "known and read Of all men," Ia IS40,
when Mr. Van Buren, pledged himself 10 veto any
bill TO abolish slavery in this District the county in
which reside gave the largest majority against
him Of any county in the United States ia proper
ton TO its numbers. In 1913, pledgedt our doc