The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-08-30

of my friends, have been assigned position
in the National Councils saw unsolicited
kindness, for whatever might have been my de-
slres or hopes, never asked single human
being to vote for me, l never travelled single
mile or expended single dollar to secure a
vote. l see an eloquent gentleman present,
who called upon me, while nv election was
pending, to request me to write something to
modify my opinions upon Slavery. he will re-
member, that stated fully my views upon that
question-that told him my opinions were the
matured convictions Of years-that would not
qualify them to win the Hottest position on
earth-that l should carry them with me, if
elected, into the Senate; and that if the party
with which acted proved recreant to Freedom,
would shlver 1t to atoms, if / had the power
to DO It, Chosen to represent Massachusetts in
the National Councils without the sacrifice of
my Anti-Slavery opinions, l have acted and l
shall continue to act up to these opinions. On
my arrival at Washington, saw at a glance
that the politicians of the South-men who had
deserted their Northern associates upon the
Nebraska issue-were resolved to impose upon
the American party, by the aid of doughfaces
from New York and Pennsylvania as the test
OF nationality, fidelity to the Slave Power.
Flattering words from veteran statesmen were
poured into my ears-fattering appeals were
made to me to aid in the work of Matchmaking
the party whose victories in the South were to
be as brilliant as they had been in the North.
But L resolved that, upon my soul the sin and
shame OF silence or submission should never
rest. L returned home, determined to battle if
L could the meditated treason to Freedom and
to the North. Since my return from Washing
ton, L have visited thirteen States travelled
more than nine thousand miles, addressed
6c Of Ill l,,,,l L.
of true men, and written hundreds of letters.
Southern politicians whose defeats are now
flashing over the wires, Northern men by whose
treachery the American party was laid at the
feet of the saveholding propagandists at Phil
adelphia, have their sympathizers even here in
Old Massachusetts; but their misrepresentation
have not deferred me in the past from giving
my humble support to the holy cause of Free
dom, and their misrepresentation will not pre-
vent my opposition in the future to every kind
of oppression over the minds and bodies OF
men,"
1 am not, Mr.. President, insensible to the
fact that many of my personal friends, friends
whose generous manifestations of confidence
and regard 1 shall ever gratefully remember,
do not at this time approve of the policy l feel
1t my duty to support. So anxious am / to
PROSTATE forever the iron rule of the slavehold-
ing aristocracy, to rebuke a faith breaking AID.
ministration, to Danish from the National Coun-
ellis the voice of servile doughfaces, and to in
augurate an era of Freedom, and so confident
am that the union of the people will achieve
these desired results, that am willing to incur
even the censure of such friends, if by so doing
| am fastening the accomplishment of objects
dear to them and to me. They will do me the
justice, am sure, to believe that am not in
iuenced in my course by personal interest for
friend and foe cannot fail to see that can have
no other interest in this great question than
what belongs to every patriotic and iberty-lov-
ing citizen of Massachusetts,