Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-07-21
THE CONVENTION,

The convention was then called to order by
P. w. Taft, Esq, of Worcester, after which,
the venerable Asaph Rice. one of the few
men left among us of the old Revolutionary
stock, briefly addressed the Convention. His
remarks were listened to with undivided at
tention, and were frequently interrupted by
bursts of applause.
Brief, but eloquent addresses were then
made, by Dea. Samuel Morse, of Holliston;
Judge Morris, of Springfield; Rev. Mr.. Brews-
ter, of Lowell, and Nj. Hinsdale, of Pitts
field.
On motion of Mr.. George F. Williams, Of
Boston, Committee of nine was appointed,
by nomination at large, to report list of
permanent officers of the Convention.
The Committee consisted of Messrs. Will
liams, of Boston, Earle, of Worcester, Latin,
of Pittsfeld, Morse, of Leominster, Wright,
of Hinsdale, Aldrich, of Worcester, Fay, OF
Chelsea, and Lathrop, of South Hadley.
While the Committee was out, the Conven-
ton was addressed, in an eloquent manner,
by Rev. Mr.. Bingham, of Leominster.
AT this stage of the proceedings, it was an
nounced that eight car loads of delegates had
arrived from the eastern section of the State,
none of whom could enter, and it was voted,
on motion of Judge Morris, of Springfield,
that when the Convention adjourns, it shall
be to meet upon the common, at one o'clock.
On motion, voted to adjourn.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At half-past one, the Convention again
ass embed in the grove upon the Common,
and was called to order by the President,
Judge Morris. After an address from Rev.
John Pierpont, the Committee on permanent
organization reported the following list of
| officers:
President.
OLIVER D. MoRR1s, of Springfield.
Tice Presidents.
Dist. No. l.-Joseph Brownell, New Bedford.
I" 2.-Alpheus NJ. Wilmington, Bridge
water.
3.-Stephen NJ. Allen, W. Roxbury.
4.-Wm. Brigham, Boston.
5.-Wm. 0. Haskell, Chelsea.
6.-Robert Rantoul, Beverly.
7.-E. P. Mcintyre, Charlestown.
I" S.--Wm. Fiske, Lowell.
" adam Harrington, Shrewsbury.
d" 1O.-Wm. Clark, Northampton.
i" 1l.-Increase Sumner, Great Bar
rington.
Secretaries.-J. q. Fuller, Charlestown; J.
I. Baker, Beverly; T. H. Underwood, Cam
bridge; Augustus Morse, Leominster.
The Committee also reported the names of
the following gentlemen:
Committee on Resotutions.- Walter Latin,
Pittsfeld; P. E. Aldrich, Worcester; Seth
Webb, Jr., Dedham; P. W. Taft, Worcester;
Mitchell Hooper, Bridgewater; Linus B. Com
ms, Roxbury Robert Carter, Cambridge
The report of the Committee was unani-
mously adopted, and the officers took their
places upon the platform.
While the committee on resolutions were
preparing their report,
Mr.. Boutelle, of Westboro', being loudly
called for, came forward and said, Mr. Chair
man and Gentlemen ; the occasion which has
called us together to-day, is one of no ordina-
ry Importance. 1t is the cause of liberty ;
and whenever blow is struck at liberty,
whether in our own State, or under the shad-
ows of the Rocky mountains of the West, we
should be recreant to our sacred duty, and to
the principles bequeathed to us by our fathers,
| if we did not raise our voices, and bare our
arms in its defence.
There are ordinary occasions, when we can
afford to leave the affairs of government to the
care of those who make it their especial bust
ness to manage those things, but there are
times, and this is one of those times, when
the people cannot remain quiescent, but are
imperatively called upon to take the manage
ment of their political affairs into their own
hands, and to tell the politicians who trade
and traffic away our liberties, that their occu-
patton is gone.
We used to hear, years ago, Of a party for
extending the area of freedom; where that
party is now, know not; but almost the on
ly party that we hear anything of, in these
soul, for the extending of the area of slavery.
For the last twenty years this party has been
increasing in strength and influence, until at
last, it has had the audacty and efirontery to
perpetrate an act which has outraged every
principle of equity and honor, and has robbed
freedom of the heritage which was guaran-
tied to her by the most solemn pledges of the
nation. But while we feel our hearts swell
with indignation, in contemplation Of this act
of base perfdy; and while we deplore the iu-
juries which have been inflicted on freedom
by this act, we have reason to rejoice that the
eyes of the northern people have been opened
by it, to the true spirit of slavery; and woe
betide us, if we do not now plant our heels
upon its neck, and crush out its base life. In
vaiu the moderate men of the South implore
us to forbear. the age of compromises is past,
and, unless we unite to maintain liberty and