Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-10-05
LETTER FROM GNERAL WILSON.
NICK. Sept. %. 1866.

Sir:-Last night returned home from
pennsylvania, and glancing over the
Boston papers, whic had not seen for sew
eral days, find repo of the proceedings of
meeting in Chelsetin which resolutions
were adopted declarinhat "great efforts have
been made, and are N making, to betray the
American party of thState by political trait
ors and disunionistsin which my name
and the names of sevl gentlemen were sung
In witless verses-antn which you, sir, are
reported to have dela1 that the sixty thou
sand American votewhich you claim this
autumn for Govern Gardner, are worth
"eighty millions OF ison and Burlingame
votes" Of misrepresentation or
abuse, have no corlaints to make; but l
am amazed that you, r, knowing as you do
the history ofthe Fun movement consum-
mated at Worcester ethe goth inst, should
countenance by wordr act, or even by ST.
lence, false and unit aspersions upon the
conduct and charactef men. with whom you
have acted in the inaulration of the Repub-
ican party. Truth ID justice, frank and
manly dealing amongnen, demand that the
history OF the "Fusioi movement, in which
you and | and other gdlemen of the Ameri-
can party have particited, SHOULD be laid be-
fore the honest, interviewing members of the
American Organizath, and the people of
Massachusetts. To ", sir, the Secretary of
The State Council, alress this truthful re-
cord OF the acts which to the organization
of the Republican par.
You, sir, were an acve member of the Leg
islature of 1866, whic wrote with the iron
| pen of history upon threcords of Massachu-
sets, acts and resoivegoing to the extreme
verge Of constitutionalpower against slavery,
acts and resolves goingar beyond the Repub-
| lican platform adoptedt Worcester, which is
now pronounced sectoal, ultra and extreme;
and the friends of With are denounced as
''traitors'' and "disunioists.'
decent sense of se-respect will suggest
to you, sir, and to othe members of the last
Legislature and their riends, prudent 81
lence concerning the etreme ultra and fana-
teal views of the memhrs of the Republican
Party. The sincerity the words and acts of
yourself and some of yor associates, will not
be lessened by any reasonable efforts you may
now make to restrain tn senseless folly which
feebly mutters into them willing ear of the
people the words "traitc, fanatic" "disun-
ionist." You, sir, wertalso member of the
State Council which mt at Boston in Nav
last, and which unanimusly adopted resolu.
tons in favor of severins "the National Gov
eminent from all connection with and respon-
sibility for the sectional Institution ofslavery."
Further than this the Republican platform
does not go.
The Massachusetts, delegates to the National
Council at Philadelphia, n June last, in ODE
dience to the recorded opinions of the Amer
lean Party, firmly resisted the demands of the
slave power, and returned home without hav-
ing sacrificed the principles of Massachusetts.
or furnished their names by subseryiency.-
Having witnessed the immolation of the
American party, at the shrine of the Black
Power, they returned home, like their asso-
ciates from eleven other States, in the conf
dent hope that the union of the people, to re-
sist the aggressive policy of the slave propa-
gandists, would be speedily effected.
You, sir, summoned the State Council to
meet in Boston on the 2Sth of June, to hear
the report of their delegates, and to take such
action as the crisis demanded. Gov. Gard
ner, at the request of the President of the
State Council, the Hon. John w. Foster,
drew up an address, closing with call to
the people 10 meet in Convention to form an
AMERICAN REPUBLICAN PARTY
hif RT9Raqpssti0n Penned By G 9 gardner
lean organization, and the formation of new
party.
On the evening preceding the meeting of
the State Council, several members of the
American party met in the parlo1s of the
United States Hotel for consultation. By re-
quest, Governor Gardner read to the meeting
the address ne had drawn up, closing with
the proposition for a Popular Convention to
form an American Republican party. Men,
who had not then begun to realize the condi-
ton in which they had been placed by the
action OF the National Council and their own
delegates, doubted the expediency of the
proposition. Officeholders under the State
Government timidly shrank from any change,
and sternly opposed the proposition. Hunk
ers who were awed into prudent reserve by
the public voice, but who sympathized with
the National Council, and in their hearts CEN
sured the action of their delegates, bitterly
denounced the proposition and the men who
advocated it. Timid men quailed before these
denunciations, and brave men, with sad
hearts, saw a critical opportunity to unite the
people flung away. Gov. Gardner's PROPOSE
ton to form new party was rejected. None
expressed more regret than Governor Gard
ner al the failure of the State Council to re-
spond to the public expectation. So anxious
was he to inaugurate the " fusion move
ment, that he declared to Hon. James Baiin-
ton, Hon. John w. Foster, Col. Conkey, my
self and several others at the United States
Hotel, that he was not only willing to 20 into
the Convention of the people as a candidate,
but that he would withdraw from the can
vass, if the people could unite better upon
Julius Rockwell or any other man.
A few days before the meeting of the State
Council at Springfield, on the 9TH of August,
l received from you, sir, and also from COL
Brewster, pressing invitation to meet several
gentlemen of the American party at the Sem
ate Chamber. Gov. Gardner Lieut.. Gov,
Brown, most of the Councillors, several of the
State officials and influential members of the
party were there; among the number, your
self, Colonel Brewster, aud Mr.. Marsh, Of the
Bee.
You, sir, and your energetic friend Colonel
| Brewster, took the lead. Gentlemen were
individually called upon to give their views
| upon the question of the "fnsion" of par
ties. You, sir. and Colonel Brewster, had
called the meeting. You were the leaders,.
When Col. Brewster called upon me for my
opinion, 1 gave it in favor of the i" fusion
movement. Several gentlemen expressed
their opinions, and nearly all, if not all,
| agreed that duty required that the American
| party should declare its readiness to unite
with the friends of freedom upon common
| platform, and that committee should be APP
pointed at the State Council meeting to con-
fer with the committee appointed by the
Know Something's, or any other committees
that might be raised for that purpose
1 Sir, if that meeting was a conclaye of ',po-
Iaicat traitors and disunionists," engaged in
"great efforts to betray the american party,
l hope Col. Brewster, yourself, and others
who called it, will not shrink from sharing in
the responsibility of its acts. At this meet.
ing, Gov. Gardner said to me, with grea
! nh hat h, had 4, - L