Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-10-04

THE following article from the Springfield Re
publican, will show the feelings with which those
who really hold to the principles formerly held by
the Wing party view the proceedings of the pro-
slavery bunker Convention, which met in this
city on Tuesday
The Wing State Convention.
The proceedings of this body at Worcester
on Tuesday furnish abundant material for Sc
rious and sad reflection. 1t was respectable
gathering in numbers, highly respectable in
the personal character of its components, and
animated by an enthusiastic chivalry for the
Wing party, that, however we might lament
it, as dangerous impracticability, has some
thing in it that calls for the admiration of
every old Wing. The ticket nominated is
also unexceptionable as regards the personal
character, talents, and fitness for their assign
ed places, of the several candidates. There
are but just two objections to it, and both are
Iatal-lst, 1t stands in false position as the
representative Of the old Wing party of Mas
sachusetts, and I'd, it cannot be elected.
But what is serious and sad about the mat
ter is, the entirely altered tone of the speeches
and resolutions of the Convention, from those
of former Wing gatherings in Massachusetts.
1t was not so much what was said, though
there were enough positive utterances to show
glazing inconsistency between the past and
present voices of Massachusetts, Whpperv.
but it was the significant silence, where for
lnerly words were loud and strong, and the
general spirit of the speeches and proceedings
Of the body, that most betrayed its departure
from the old standards OF whig faith and Wing
principles. Volumes of words were uttered
about sc Wing principles" but we look in
vain for then statement in resolutions or
speeches-certanly we look in vain for such
Wing principles as have been conspicuous at
Wing Conventions, without exception, for the
last dozen years. Instead of them, we find
opposition to those principles, depreciation and
denunciation of them, aud sweet-mouthed
sympathy with their opponents.
There never has been a time before in the
history of the wing party of Massachusetts,
when the slavery question was before the
country, that its conventions did not make
that the conspicuous subject of full discussion
and antagonistic declaration, whether the
pending election was purely local or general.
For nothing have the wings of Massachusetts
been more conspicuous than this. Now,
however, when the slavery question absorbs
the nation more completely and more pract-
cally than ever before; at the close of a year
marked by the most violent and alarming ag-
gressive acts in behalf OF the slave interest;
when our fellow citizens who have gone to
Kanzas are denied by that interest the COM
monest privileges of republican people, over
awed made the victims of mob, and threat
ened with violent determination not word
now escapes the lips of those pretending. par
excellence, to be the wings of Massachusetts,
on this subject-not syllable Is uttered against
the administration that permits, sustains, and
encourages these aggressions On the con-
trary, those who have raised their voices and
propose to unite their votes, in sympathy with
what has ever heretofore been known as the
wing sentiment of Massachusetts, against that
administration and the great outrages it has
perpetrated, are mlsrepresented and denounc.
ed, while the slave power and the admins
tration are openly apologized for, almost de-
Tended indeed All the hard words of the
speeches and resolutions were against the
friends of freedom and the opponents Of Pierce
democracy,-all the mild, cooling and billing
language were for the representatives of that
democracy and the allies of slavery. There
was a most persistent and scandalous effort
on the part Of the two principal speakers
(Messrs. Stevenson and Hillard1 to misreure.
sent and set falsely before the public their old
whg associates who have been carried by
their devotion to wing principles, as they
have ever learned them, into the republican
movement.
Compare the resolutions, and speeches of
this convention with the resolutions and
speeches of last years wing convention.
and then again with the resolutions and
speeches Of the late liquor dealers and adj
ministration conventions at Worcester, and
judge whether the first are not in open sym-
pathy, almost in verbal unison indeed with the
latter, while they are utter strangers in Ian
guage and sentiment 10 the second. We ask
any fair wing, of whatever school, to institute
the comparison, and then tell us wherein our
suggestions are not correct. Tell us where the
,ohig principles Of this weeks convention are
what they are but a mild rehash of the plat
forms Of tho liquor and Pierce conventions
that have preceded iti
If this be the sentiment and position of
Massachusetts whiggery, we rejoice that we
are none oft. Better be dead, in every sense,
than, living, to thus turn upon its glorious
| past.
There was one exception to the general cur.
rent Of soft-foot talk about the slave power
| and its minlons. That was the letter of ex-
| governor Washburn. He spoke moderately
but plainly and directly the true feelings Of
Massachusetts wings. All else was on diff
ferent key. All else was against those who
| are resisting tho entertainments of Slavery
all else was, in tone and veice, for silence
| against slavery, for ignoring the issue which
its propagandists North and South are forcing
upon the country, far following in the foot
steps which the northern democracy have trod
with 80 much brilliant success in offices and
| power and 30 much brilliant inlamy in the
eyes Of a Christian world.
We are curious TO SEQ this new game Of
those who are clinging to the name and form
OF the wing party Of Massachusetts,, played
out. We do not believe il will be powerfully
responded to. We question IL even the con-
stituent OF the delegates will overlook the sig
niiicant character Of this convention. 1t has
ended much as we supposed 1t would. The
men who got II up, got II up for tho purpose
| OF putting the party in the position its notion
has assumed in behalf Of tho wing party
There was less resistance, however, than we
anticipated. The friends Of Mr.. Rockwell
staid away from tho meeting more completely