Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-01-24
Correspondence of the Newburypnrt Herald.

thing, since one hour will give the guage of
that body. At the first view Of the House,
one is surprised to find so few young men,
Before visiting the State House on Tuesday,
the day assigned for the choice of U. S. Sena-
tor, had thought the Know Nothing coun-
ellis to be composed in great measure, of very
| young persons, and expected that they would
be represented by men of the same age. My
| previous idea had been confirmed, too, by
their previous action, for never could have
believed that mature minds would have con-
ceived and proposed what has been before
them. But l was disappointed. There are
many grey heads in the House, and but few
young persons, while the greater portion are
| of middle life-as a whole they average much
older, should Judge, than the coalition legis.
lures did The Speaker is in the youngest
class, and appears to make good presiding
offcer-he is prompt, active, and decided
and should he not adhere so strictly to the let
ter Of parliamentary law he will probably be
! as just and as impartial as any that have pre-
coded him. The clerk is also young, and
| poor clerk he is. too. He lacks the important
requisite of coed voice; and in calling the
roll the first name was repeated three times be-
fore it was responded to, probably because the
! member did not know his own name when so
squeaked out for certainly l could not tell
what it was.
| Among the members there is a great lack of
| practical talents. The men look well enough,
tho some of them show that they are not ac-
| customed to wear their Saba day clothes all
the week land feel uneasy with them on. There
must be great degree of what the world calls
| morality, for one-sey enth of the whole are
clergymen; and the deacons are in good pro-
| portion, say two to each preacher. There is
also fair degree of intelligence; the men are
~, IL
are ignorant of political tactics. Very many of
them are one idea men, aud have been elected
on that ground-some for nothing but TEN
| perance, who believe that all evils, miseres,
and crimes, arc ii. the rum.cup, and run into
| the mouths and heads OF those who PIT the
| cup to their lips, and otherwise The world were
a garden OF Eden; some who cannot look at
any question without having dark shadow
| the image of an African, fall upon it and
some who are followed constantly bv the
ghosts of Irishmeu, and the shades of those
who died by the Inquisition, SO that they con-
stantly hear the jabbering of the former, and
the groans of the latter. As whole, there
fore, they are not men suited to the sphere of
Legislative action.
1t is well enough to talk, as we often hear
clergymen preach, of taking our best men
intelligent and moral mentor offices of trust;
places-practical, active men, who can accom-
plsh something. A helpless man, though he
were endowed with all the negative virtues of
the Immaculate virgin Mary, might be as use
less as wooden one, and so are one half the
present Legislature. Many of them have an
eye to the main chance and think of the
three dollars day, not caring ii the session
should see the year die and others are inaa-
ted by their sudden elevation to positions thew
never had dreamed of reaching, and are stiff
with the belief of the importance, dignity and
glory OF representatives in the Massachusetts
Legislature but among them there is no very
great man-not one leading mind. 1t is said
that revolutions produce great men but if
this revolution has, he has not been found.
and there is, unfortunately for the party in
power, no leader.
Tuesday was a great day with them, and
their great guas-not emitting Gen. Dever-
eaux of Salem, were brought out, if posi-
bic, to throw Gen. Wilson from the saddle of
the Senatorial horse.-Messrs Devereaux,
King of Roxbury, Davis of Fall River, Swift
and Slack of Boston, ard Prince of Essex,
were among the speakers, and they were the
speakers of the House. We were disappointed
III all these men, except Mr.. Prince who
made very eloquent and beautiful speech,
whlch mas been much misrepresented i'll all
the reports l have seen. His points were
against postponement, that the subject had
been considered ON all hands from the day of
election, that delay would increase divisions,
leading to alienation of feelings, lengthen the
session, as nothing would be done till an cleo
ton was had, and if we wanted to be respect
ed by other States, we must first respect our
selves-that we did not ask nor expect Vir-
gina or South Carolina to elect an anti-sla.
TGTyS rhD
feelings and interests of Southern State, nor
should they ask US to choose a pro slavery
Senator to misrepresent Massachusetts, md if
they did, no member should be governed by
such outside influence.
Mr.. Prince spoke in reply to Messrs. Deyer-
eaux and King, and did not first allude to the
subject of slavery. Ofthe other speeches there
was not one worthy of the subject or the
place-not one of them that did not belong
to the caucus instead of the Legislature, Gen
DeyereauX, who appears not to have recovered
from the gun and saddle battle with Wilson,
and the others that followed in his lead, look
ed only to making the American party a ma.
tional party, and talked of dividing their ranks,
and their prospects in Virginia, while the re-
plies were abolition harangues that would
have pleased Nabby Fulsom, and been ap-
plauded by Garrison. On the whole. both
sldes were demeanlng to the State of MasSa-
chusetts, in their subject matter and in ability
were not above common town meeting speech
es, nor up to those of our surplus revenue
times. One could not but feel ashamed that
such men were the flower of House that had
upon its lists the names of the Winthrops,
Choates, Adamses, Steyensons, and Lords-of
the Cashings Rantouls, Boutwels, Buffers,
and Griswods-of the Phillipses, Wilson's,
Whttiers, and their party ssociates.
Two things are most evident. First, that
this session of the Legislature will be remark
able for its weakness and length. 1t is said
that the Know-Nothings have Grand Coun-
Gil. Ii they have. they had better call it to-
gether and mend matters; and the quicker
they do it the better. Second, that whoever
Is elected Senator, from that day there7are two
parties Of Know othings in the State. Gen.
Deyereaux told them, if Wilson was CHOSEN,
the minority would appeal to the people of
the State and nation; if he is not chosen, there
will be secession of more than 40 600, and
the State passes from their hands. The thing
is fixed-it is as clear as though it were writ.
ten in letters of gilt upon the heavens.
BLOODY FIGHT BETWEEN CALIFORNIA;
A (InIZyTY