Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-06-22

PHLAnSLPHIA, Tuesday, June ~
SPEECH OF MR.. FOSTER OF MASSA-

Correspondence Of The Springfield Republican.
PHiLAnSIPHIA, Tuesday, June ~
SPEECH OF MR.. FOSTER OF MASSA-
CHUSETTS.
Mr.. Foster said that he was aware that Mas
sachusetts appeared here under uniayorable
circumstances Systematic attempts had
been made, and particularly by the delegates
from New York, to exclude the utterance OF
her voice in this National Council. A mem
Der Of that delegation Ind attempted to iclter
the free conscience Of the North by saying
that 1t must be bound by the iron role Of the
majority. For his part he repudiated all
such attempts by any system Of oaths or
any dogmas of this Convention. lie would
Withdraw, but he would violate none Of their
secrets he would betTay none Of their pro-
ceedings. He then went on to say that the
platform under consideration had been for
ced upon this Convention by New York men
who did not represent the wishes of their
constituents. Ii tins Convention imagined
that New York was so intensely notunal
that the proposition TO restore the Missouri
Compromise would produce distraction IN
their ranks, as had been represented, they
were mistaken. Pass that platform, and
William H. Seward and Preston King were
triumphant there. Their eyes ranged over
the whole political chess board. You make
a move by which you are at once check
mated. The eyes of the whole North are
fixed on their representatives here, and who
ever falters in the cause of Freedom will be
held to strict account The hand Of the peO-
pie Is on their throats and will straugle them
as the Spartan mother destroyed her deform-
ed Offspring. Such plattudrs as "no North,
no South, no East ard no Vest might sa-
tlsiy some sections, but they would not u.s.
Our complaint was that there had been no
North, OF rather that 1t was so far removed
that it could be seen only through the most
powerful telescope. lie then proceeded to
say that all of the troubles between the
two sections had proceeded from men who
were unwilling to speak out boldly and man
fully the sentiments of their constituents
Massachusetts had been affected with a race
of doughfaces, bu, they had been nearly cx-
terminated. W have had men on the floor
OF the House of Representatives who told
YOU of the South that the word servant
should be translated siaue but you will
hear no such sentiments from representative
Mr. Burlington Of Fall River who occupies
a seat on this floor. We have had a gov
ernor of Massachusetts, who deprecated the
discussion Of slavery, and minated that
thereby the people rendered themselves la
BILE to an indictment at common law. We
have a Massachusetts governor here present.
who would suffer his right hand to become
withercd before he would attach il to such a
document. We have had Massarh"~..'is
senator. who proposed to trust to re OF
dmances OF God' instead OF the ordinances
of men to keep ont slavery from tie terrIto-
ries. and who blsely apoogized When as
sailed for having presented petition cnho-
dying the manly and liberty having sentl-
ments OF the ciergymen Of New England a.
galnst the Missouri outrage, but from the
senator from Massachusetts. nov on this
floor, you viii hear no such doctines, nor
see such weakness. lie then proceeded TO
n discussion of the minority report Al the
North asks is the restoration Of the Missou-
ri Compromise. That report IS signed by
/ fourteen States, representing l26 electoral
votes, which have been carried by tbs orga-
nization and can be carried again. This is,
also, the real sentimeut Of New York,
! misrepreseutcd as she is here this day. On
/ The other hand, we have here a platform i'm
posed on Us by the Delegates from SAtes
where we are not sure Of an electonl vote,
and by Delegates from the Terri or2s and
( District Of Columbia, whose votes haze been
as potential as those of Ohio and psnnsyl-
vania. The basis Of representation was all
wrong this Convention WAS deiltei Ately
packed to sthe the voices Of the FreeStaies.
/ He next proceeded TO argue that therepeal
of the Missouri Compromise was imquitous
/ in its inception, as it disturbed a time honor
ed compact unjust in It's passage, wrested
as it was from a reluctent Congress by
/ President with all the spuils and appliances
of the nation at his command and disastrous
in lis results, as il renewed all the agitating
questions and led TO scenes Of lawless vio.
lcnce. He then went on to say, give rs THIS
sentiment TO inscrlbe on our banner " The
Restoration of the Missouri Compromise,
and we could carry every Free State iron
the Atlantic to the Mississippi. We car
elect presiden, by Northern votes, and to
show the South that we are not influenced
by narrow or sectional feelings we stand
ready to make a Southern man our standard
bearer, II, on the other hand, you deny us
this the strength and energy of this organiza-
ton is gone at once and forever. We can
not MAINTAIN ourselves at home for an hour.
If Mr.. Webster failed to bring Massachu-
sets, to whom he was linked by hooks of
steel, cordially to support the Fugitive Act,
much less can we reconcile her to this plat
form. You call upon us to sacrifice our
selves when il can do you no good. for
one, sir, am not ambitious of such a crown
of martyrdom. He proceeded to say that
Massachusetts had been tainted with dis
union she was misunderstood She was
loyal to the Constitution and the laws
Within her borders. fast by the Atlantic and
within the SOUND Of its mighty dashings,
slept one who prominently and by unlver-
sal consent was denominated The Defend.
err of the Constitution" We had not forgot
ten his great teachlngs-the maiured results
OF that magnificent intellect. We still cher
Ished his memory. Ills grave was watered
not simply by the tears Of Massachusetts,
but by those from every quarter Of the u
mon. The passing cloud which obscurcd
his setting sun did not make us unmindful
of the many years during which he skone
with undimmed luster. But how, men Of
the South, did you treat that great man after
he had made 50 many sacrifices in your be-
half You denied him the poor barren
honor OF a nomination. Then Il was the
iron entered his soul. He went home to die.
In his early career he had been animated by
high hopes, at its close by bitter dsappoiut-
men's. But he did not repine. What
glorious death bed was his With the calm
ness OF philosopher and the hope and reli,
ance OF Christian, he awaited the approach
OF the great event lie wrapped the drape
ny of his couch around him, and lay down.
we trust, to pleasant dreams
SPEECH OF SENATOR WILSON.
Mr.. Squlres Of New York made a coarse
and violent assault upon Massachusetts and
especially upon Gen. Wilson, charging him
with determination to break up The organ
ization.
Gen. Wilson rose to repel the unprovoked
assault made upon his Slate. and to rebuke
the insolence Of the member from New YORK
All would bear witness that he Gen. WI
had uttered no words Of unkindness to pny
one during the sittngs Of the Convention
From gentlemen foln the South he had re.
eelyed acts Of kindness be should ever re-