Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-10-12
Mr.. Baker,s speech.

The speech OF Senator e C. Baker OF Middle
sex, at the City Hall, on Wednesday
ing last, deserves, from the consequence attached
to it by the adherents of H J. Gardner, some
thing more than passing notice. AS refuta-
ton of any of the positions of Hon. Henry Will
son, it may be put down as a decided failure
As specimen of eloquence and rhetorical dis
play, it was quite creditable performance. AS
to its delineation of principles, or exhibition of
logic or sound argument calculated to convince
reasoning audience, it will have tendency to
diminish, rather than increase, the Know Moth
ing ranks in this city.
At one point of his speech, in his attempt at
criticism of the speech of General Wilson on
Friday evening last, Mr.. Baker involved himself
in an inextricable fix. Taking the paper con
tanning it from his pocket, he went on to say he
was going to prove the treachery of General Viii
son, BY quoting sentence to the effect " that if
he had the power he would SILVER the American
party to a thousand atoms,' and then proceeded
to read the garbled quotation, in the lying col
ums of the Bee. Cries were here made from all
parts of the house, " commence at the beginning
of the sentence "read the connection" &c-
Greatly baked at this he hesitated going on
continuing his charges III the way of comments
and general assertions, until the audience, tired
out compelled him, by their clamors to read
the whole sentence and the connecting sentences
containing the entire idea of General Wilson,
which was very different from what Mr.. Baker
had asserted he was about to show. He then
read the following extract from the Generals
speech:
The demand was made upon me, morning,
noon, and night, to take position in the city
OF Washington that should sacrifice the cause
of human liberty in America, to build up a ma
tional parity in which it was said could be an
influential leader and director. But | resolved
that upon my soul, the damning crime Of being
false to freedom should never be fastened
(Cheers.) | made up my mind that would be
true to that principle l had followed and advo-
Gated for nineteen yeaCs, amid obloquy and re-
proach, and if twas necessary TO do it, for the
preservation of the cause of Freedom, l would
shlFer the American party to atoms if / had
the power"
The universal shout of approval Of these noble
sentiments, which came up simultaneously from
all present, completely discomfitted the orator,
who endeavored to get out of his sad dilemma,
by reading the letter addressed by Cen Wilson
to Hon. Robert B. Hall, last winter, to prove
that the American party and the cause of Free
dom we're identical A thing utterly absurd,
considering the present state of that party, as il
IS now shorn of its Anti Slavery strength by that
portion of its members abandoning it to join the
Republican ranks.
MIR. Baker stated that he was informed, on the
authority of Congressman elect, that erery
member of the delegations from the Free States
who had been elected by the American party or
by its aid, (nstancing, besides the New England
States, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois,
&C. would be firm and true as steel to the great
interests of Freedom. This is, indeed, most
gratifying fact, as these members combined will
comprise majority in the next House. But had
some one interrupted Mr.. Baker by the assertion,
that these Representatives are now, probably,
most Of them identified with the Republican
movement, his argument, intended to make cap
ital for the Know Nothing cause, would have
been converted into solid and convincing rea
son for his hearers to abandon the Know Moth
ing organization, and range themselves, along
side of the Representatives of the Free States
in Congress, in the ranks of the great Republ
can party OF the country.