Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-03-31


ness seems to quit them when they themselves
a;.,,,se II Since the Nebraska bill was brought
before the country, the wings have been fever
;sblv anxious that the Free Sellers should not
make any capital out of the discussion of it.
Their own opposition to the bill has been
considerably regulated by their anxious efforts
to prevent the possibility of such thing
They have always looked round with cautious
care lest they should, by any possibility,
strengthen "Freesoilism."
They have affected to see ambushes of Free
soilers, in Anti Nebraska petitions, and re-
monstrances to Congress, and they have been
careful where they signed their names. They
have suspected Free-soil plots and dangerous
inductions, in calls and acquisitions forpub-
lie meetings to oppose the Nebraska bill, and
thew have. with several honorable exceptions,
carefully kept away from such meetings. In
short. tbeyIhave seemed to betormented between
a strong desire to stand up manfully against
Douglass contemplated act of Congressional
robbery, and partizan dread, that they, as
marty. would not receive full, oyerfowing
measure of political power, in return for their
doing SO. They have seemed to be afraid that
the country would not recognize them as ex-
clusively, the true Free Nebraska men; and for
this reason they have been rigidly critical of the
words and acts of the Freesoilersin relation to
Douglass bill. The safety of Nebraska has
appeared to be of secondary consequence to
the aggrandizement of their party.
An article in the Egis of March, 29th,
entitled /" The Bereavement Realized exhib-
its this spirit, and seems to us, to be demon
strative of the desire Of the editor of that pa
per to make capital for his party, and to make
it too, out of bogus material That article,
we think, is in singularly bad taste, and its
propositions are singularly destitute of logical
consistency.
The Egis says, that if Daniel Webster had
lived, and "if one of the two chairs to which
Massachusetts is entitled in the Senate
Chamber of the United States-io matter
snhich of them-were now filed by her great
departed statesman, Nebraska would have
been known to the country, for the present at
least, only in geography, and not at all as the
battle field Of freedom for the attempt to alb
rogate, upon its soil, the Compact Of 1920
Would not have been so much as heard Of"
Now, we never desire to say anything about
Daniel Webster. He is gone to his grave, and
we have no wish to disturb his repose; but so
long as his friends persist in clarifying him,
and that SO Extensively as in the present in
stance, we feel compelled as an act of duty, to
speak the truth of him. This present Nebras-
ka agitation is the natural consequence of
Daniel Webster's treason to liberty. He, the
strong mantle Titan of the North-peryer-
ted his mighty powers to the breaking down
of the mountains which surrounded the sacred
soil of liberty. He made pathway through
the proud domain of freedom, which pigmiet
and dwarfs ike Douglas and Petit might
tread. He did more to debauch and demora-
lie the public mind in relation to slavery,
than any other man in the country, or all other
men put together; and he did more to encour-
age such men as Douglas, in their present at
tempt to nationalize slavery, than ever was
done beside, during the whole history of our
country. If Daniel Webster had lived, we
have no reason to believe that he would have
opposed the Nebraska bill. He declared that
it was Of no use to apply the Wilmot Proyiso,
to Utah and New Mexico, because the law of
nature excluded slavery from those territories.
This is precisely the nothern argument of the
friends of the Nebraska bill. They argue that
the abrogation of the Missouri Compact is on
ly carrying out the principle of the Comprom-
Uses, which Daniel Webster did so much to
establish. But, if he had lived and opposed
the Nebrask a bill, the absurdity and incon-
sistency Of his position would have neutralized
his opposition, and deprived it of all moral
force
We think our neghbor would employ his
talents and influence to better purpose than
he does, if he would resist the Nebraska bill,
simply because of its dement's, and not because
he supposes Daniel Webster would have OPP
posed it. We think too, that his inuendo
about the tsoo chairs to which Massachusetts,
is entitled was not a fair or honorable one
There is at least one Massachusetts, chair in
the Senate Of the United States, of whose oc-
cupant no Massachusetts, man may not b
proud. He who fills it has done SO with nobl
integrity and transcendant ability with fear
less courage and with eloquent tongue. II
does not fill the chair of the Daniel Webste
Of 1850; but he does, of that nobler, better
drawer Daniel Webster, who stood up in hi
manhood and might, against the encroachment
Of the slave power, and who was not afraid t.
claim the Wilmot Proyiso as his thunder. lie
our neighbor and the wing party fearlessly &C
out their convictions in relation to the Nebras
ka bill, and throw aside all sinister ideas il
relation to it. If they act so as to deserve tn
confidence Of the people, they will receive
and not otherwise
II The Free Democracy of the First Dis
trict have not seen fit to make any nomination
to fill the vacancy in the Congressional deli
CATION. We hope that no man amongst ther
viii vote for the candidate Of any other party
who is otopenly and unequiyocally commit
ted against the Nebraska iniquity and in fave
of the principles Of freedom generally. 1t
far better to scatter their votes. But if eithe
r. 81 -. 4.