Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-11-05
! GOV. GARDNER AT PHILADELPHIA.



stratIon of northern backbone ON the slave
ry question at the Philadelphia know nothing
convention. has attracted your attention, and
contributed, perhaps, to your better apprecla
ton of his excellency's claims to your favor
as an anti slavery NAH. 1t has also attracted
the attention of Gov. Gardeners especial par
tizans. Generally, they have deemed il pru-
dent 10 pronounce it "mess of lies" and
sometimes taken revenge BY ordering the stop
ping of their papers for daring to print it,
But today, the expected certificate has APP
peared, just as was foreshadowed in the clos
ing paragraph of my late letter. Several of
the Massachusetts, delegates to Philadelphia.
have signed a general bill Of health Tor the
governor while in attendance upon the con-
vention. But it Is exceedingly lilnping in lam
gnage, and incomplete in statement. l would
almost sign the document myself. 1t does
not directly meet any of The facts presented
in my expose, nor deny, in any but the N ost
general and dubious language, the essential
conclusions to which my history pointed. 1t
is careful, indeed, not to take issue at all with
the Tribune'S correspondent, not even men
tioning his recent history of the convention
and though intended to leave the impression
upon the public of doing so, may yet be held
by its writers 10 apply only to the statements
which other and less informed parties are max
ing upon the subject. l think you will agree
with me that the document fails entirely to
meet the case, as presented by my chapter of
unwritten history.
1t is not denied that Gov. Gardner did not
take public position upon the slavery ques.
ton in the convention, until the body had
been in session six days; until after nearly
every other leading member had defined him.
self; until after the battle had been thorough
III, ......
until silence was no longer possible, consist.
ent with self respect, or hope OF position at
home; until after he had failed of an election
as president Of the council. Nor is it Genied,
that, on the second day, within thirty SIX
hours after making his con(essedy excellent
and influential speech, and before any votes
were recorded, Gov. Gardner left fer home.
on incomplete pretenceS. Nor that he was
willing nay, DESTROYS, to compromise the
question with the South, in u manner un-
worthy a true Northern spirit. Nor that,
when invited to adopt as a protest and ad"
dress, the declaration that he would act with
no body of men, politically, who would not
consent TO the redress of the great wrong per-
petrated in the repeal of the Missouri COM
promise, he declared that che would be id
if he would be abolitionized."
None of these things are deniel by the
gentlemen who certify for Governor Gardner,
nor can they be- Two of the four who sign
the certificate, had little or no knowledge of
the northern movement at Philadelphia, I'M
til it precipitated itself upon the Con, ention.
They knew little or nothing OF the labors of
those who were determined that, for once at
least, there should be North i'll a national
convention. Two of the four are office hold
ers under Cover Tor Gardner. One of the
III ge1,o 4 at ILL., l,1,l
resigning his Office OF chaplain to the council,
alter being elected because the shareholders
made objections to his religion, that of the
Universalsts weakness which has proper
ly called down upon him the rebuke OF the
leading New England journal of that denom-
inatioh. The fourth is so warm a personal
friend of Governor Gardner, and is so compli.
Gated i'll the local politics OF his city, that he
feels forced into an unnatural position IN this
canvass. Gov Gardner is much indebted to
him FOL the credit he did ACHE, for himself
at Philadelphia.
Thus much for the certificate and perhaps
| too much, for that, too, has no back bone in
| papers from the original reports OF the con-
! Yentlon in the TribUae, land Springfield Re.
| Pu5Rcah) to overthrow the recently written
chapter. But an intelligent comparison will
show no contradiction between the two; and
the last chapter expressly declares that moth
ing Is retIacted from the or ginal letters,
These were written, to be sure under The
| conviction that Governor Gardner would be
faithful to the position he was finally made to
assume at Philadelphia, as these late accounts
are only written because he has fallen back.
Indeed, tie original reports furnish the best
of ci1cumstantial evidence that what js now
| written is tue. They prove the historical
| rapO,6 which hos hnau
Gsrdner's course there. They show ext ress
ly that for days there was doubt at Phlladel.
| phia how Governor Gardner would turn. ami
| that the writer, having confidence in the nor
| thern influences which would brought up
on him In the hour of struggle, was able 10
predict and pronounce that he would finally
take his position with the North
| There is still more personal history of af
falrsaa Philadelphia, which would throw fur.
| ther light on the character of the T35bu,e'Sre
! port and fully reconcile any apparent + even
they are such) contradictions in the early and
late accounts; but l shall not be provoked,
even by the personal assaults of the Gardner.
| lies, to write that now.
1t was right, that when Gov. Gardner came
| up handsomely 20 the true northern position.
| that he should have the CT edit of it, and that
nothing should be said of his earlier procliyi :
| tes' Inc North can only be united by for
getting its past divisions, and welcoming all
new corners to the side OF freedom. 30 it is
| right, now that he has abandoned the position
| he assumed with his northern allies at PhiIa.
delphia, and that his partzans are imposing
| upon the anti slavery sentiment of the state.
by dressing him up in garb not rightfuIly his
own, that his true relations to the northern
| movement there should be written. Nv alum.
dant justification is here: freedom and truth
required the expose that has been made.
10 the merely personal assaults that my re.
cent exposure has drawn out, have no reply
to make now. However desperate his cause
Gov Gardner, cannot believe eounsels or
approves of them. For myself have nothing
to conceal, and never had, either of personal
| ity, or the sources of my information at Phil
adelphia, and as neither the gentlemen who
certify for Gov. Gardner, nor himself, have
made any issue on these points, shall not.
am, respectfully,
THE TRIBUNB's CORRESPONDENT
AT THE PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION.
! November 3, 1856.