Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-09-28


their rights let us think, and speak, and act
as becomes men and Democrats. Applause.
Now, sir, that is one of the acts recognized
in this resolution, which l, as free and indie
nendent Democrat of Massachusetts, Will
never. never, submit to. Were | craven
enough to submit to that, | should say that
the Democrats in this hall whose hands are
Clean and whose hearts are pure, ought, by
unanimous vote, to eject me from this hall,
as unworthy the name of free and indepen-
dent Democrat g Bravo--good." Cheers.
Better be slaves at once, sir, and have no con-
ventions, but receive direct from Gen. Gushing
our orders, and like slaves bow down and ex-
ecute his mean will. Applause and Misses
So much for that, and with that leave this
part Of the resolution with the Democrats who
are here, and with the democrats OF Massa-
chuselts; and gentlemen, call upon you, as
you value your own independence, to set your
faces like a flint, at once against any inter
ference with your personal rights, come from
what quarter it may even though it come
from Cabinet Officer in the person of Gen.
Caleb Gushing. There were other points to
which l proposed to refer, but have already
exceeded the time to which ! had proposed to
limit myself. TGreat confusion, with cries of
Go OH time enough-Free Soil man - sit
down." sc. 1t was some time before order
was restored the great majority of the Con-
vention seeming DESTROYS that he should pro-
coed. Mr.. President one OF your resolutions
l think it is the eighth, declares, most en-
phatically in favor OF freedom of speech.
Great uproar.
A DELEGATE Mr.. President, do not de-
sire to interrupt Mr.. Usher, L simply wish,
although l differ from him i'll every word and
sentence he has uttered, that if this is a Demo-
fot1a eho, fr5xn faI,
candid hearing; and if there is no man here
that can meet his arguments, then let the
Democrats admit that the Free SoIlers have
the best of it. Applause, and cries of "go
on.')
Mr.. USHER. Well, Mr.. President, if can
be heard 1 will go on. say upon my sacred
honor, that it is my sincere belief that that
document the crushing out letter is exactly
in opposition to the spirit of the two first
resolutions of the Baltimore platform. A
delegate said to be from Chelsea, here at
tempted to take from Mr.. Usher the docu-
ments he held in his hand, and remove him
from the platform. The attempt failed amid
the groans, Kisses and cheers of the audience,
and the delegate sat down apparently in a
high state of excitement. l was about to
say, gentlemen, that [ have examined that
document carefully, honestly, and frankly,
ciples of the Baltimore platform. If stand
upon the Baltimore platform, have got to
spit upon that and if l accept that, l must
reject the Baltimore platform. Which shall 1
do? [ choose to stand upon the Baltimore
platform. Then it is in opposition with the
resolutions of our last State convention. 1t
interferes with personal liberty; the Demo-
cratic party of Massachusetts, goes for the
secret ballot, and that no man shall know
even how another votes, yet Gushing says,
we shall not vote as we choose, upon penalty
of communication therefore l say the
principle is false; the administration in at
tempting in any way to NEEDLE with State
politics either in New Y ork or Massachusetts,
lets itself down from the high dignity to
which the people have elevated it. l say it
not because l desire it, but because the time
has come for the people in their majesty to
send back at once to its source, any and every
attempt to abridge the free and independent
action of each free and Independent man.
Says a resolution passed at our last State Con-
vention:
Resolred That while we hold sacred the powers ex-
pressy delegated the General Government in the Ian
guage of the bond of union made by fathers, at
the time hold no less sacred the right of each nd
vdual State, and its unquesonable power to model its
institutions and conduct its internal Affairs in conformity
with those rights, in its oUH tOay.
Now Massachusetts was doing things "5n
ats oaon aCay," for the prosperity Of the State,
and when we are prohibited from doing THAT
by the General Government, 1 hold it is a
wrong and shame.
Then there is one other point, and prom
Use not to detain you more than five minutes
upon it. l know there is in this Convention
a strong and earnest feeling upon this subject
and while L shall accord to every man the
right of private judgment, l ask that he shall
do the same thing for me. L will impugn no
mans motives, for although differing from
me, l presume they act honestly as l act
honestly. Now, at the Baltimore Convention
there was resolution adopted like this
Resofved, That the Democratic party will resist all
attempts at renewing in Congress- out Of it, the agita
ton of the Slavery question: under whatever shape
color the attempt may be made
Now, Mr.. President, I know there is
strength of feeling here upon this subject, and
| confess to you that feel embarrassed in
standing before you and this assembly, to
speak in opposition to your sentiments but
have weighed the matter carefully, and as a
Democrat desiring the prosperity Of the Dem
ocratic party, i'll town, county, State, and
nation, l should not leave this Convention,
and feel that had discharged my duty, with
out referring to this subject President Pierce
| pledge. He said in effect that he could set his
face as flint against any renewal of slavery
| agitation. Now. Mr.. President, it is not i'm
| proper for me to say, that we have not had in
the last ten years, SO violent, impetuous, earn-
| est and determined an agitation Of the slavery
| question, as has taken place under the present
| administration. Cheers, Kisses, and great ex-
cltement and confusion l will shortly re-
heve your Impotence, gentlemen. I have said
we have not had in the last ten years, so earnest
and determined an agitation of the slavery
| question, as we have had under this admins
tration. Kisses. You talk in your own Ian
| guage, gentlemen l in mine. Laughter
and confusion. Now, sir, whenever the
| President departs from these sentiments In any
| particular, there is no power on earth that can
| rightfully brand any man as being uniathful
| to Democracy, for boldly, yet honestly, raising
an objection to such departure. say, then
these resolutions, under which we elected
| President Pierce, have been violated IA
| voice." Tell us something about the Fugitive
Slave law, and the Wing military hunting
Burns. And inasmuch as nobody asked for
| it-inasmuch as it was a violation of a con-
tract we entered into when we elected Gen.
Pierce, say the administration has violated
its faith IN acting upon that question as it has.
1t has placed its foot upon one of the resolu-
tons of the Convention which nominated
| Gen. Pierce, and trod it out of sight. l am
not disposed to pass over such a matter, even
in friend.
There are acts of the administration which
| glory in. Among them, will refer to the
| treaty = Voices, "What are they name
them. " Gentlemen, came here not to be
| questioned, but to express an opinion, [ be /.