St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-09-18
Massachusetts, Wing State Convention,
As a large portion of our readers il

~ AS u large portion OF our readers IN
this section were formerly from Mas
sachusetts, they cannot fail to take an
interest in the affairs of the old Bay
State, and for this reason we have
thought it proper to give the proceed
ings Of the Wing State Convention,
held in ,Faneuil Hall, Boston, on the
Sd inst. 1t was a delegate conyen-
ton, and about six hundred delegates
were in attendance besides large
number Of spectators, nm .r, aaa,s
Hon. Robert G. Winthrop presided,
assisted by a large number of Vice
Presidents and Secretaries. The Pres
ident upon taking the, chair, cclled up
on Rev. Norris L. White to offer a
prayer. .. .aaar.g .v (
Mr.. Winthrop then addressed the
Convention. He'said that if he had
been governed by motives of personal
policy he would have kept clear from
the convention. His views had alrea-
dy been given to the public and he
could only rciterate them on this oc-
casion. He then proceeded to say
that the convention were met togeth-
err as Wings, of that party which once
held sway in that state. They had
unfurlcd the flag which bears on one
side the bright particular star of their
own state, and. on the ether all the
stars of alt the states of the great
confedcracy. He thought that the
present crisis demands Cancellation
and not rccrimination. He would not
add fuel to the flames of civil strife,
but would rather cast oil upon the
| troubled waters. ...
| For the first time the Wing party is
called upon to join that one of three
parties which shall appear to them to
afford the greatest security to the best
interests Of the country. He placed
little faith in political platforms. He
felt bound to regard the man and not
the platform. 1t was a good omen
that all parties has felt compelled to
nominate candidates of more than or
binary ability and character. Mr.. Blu
4chanan, (and he knew him. if he has
for the time felt impelled to metamor-
! phose himself into political platform,
will no doubt soon turn back into a
man.. Mr.. Fremont had sat next to
him during his brief service in the
Senate, and he could testify to his in
telligcncc and gentlemanly character
Mr.. Dayton was also man whom he
admired for his abilities and good
qualities.
He proceeded to reason that the
present condition of the country re-
quires us to avoid the results which
must follow the policy Of the. Demo
cratic party on the one hand, and Of
the, Republican party on the other
He despaired of getting a permanent
settlement Of the vital questions that
agitatc the country by the triumph Of
either the Republican or Democratic
parties, and he reiterated his prefer
ence for Willard Fillmore, whom he
defended in reference to his American
ism. If the notorious dark lantern
had discovered so honest man as
Millard Fillmore, even Diogenes him
self need not be ashamed Of it.
Mr.. Winthrops speech was receiv
with enthusiasm. S.
A committee of twelve with Geo. S
Hillard for chairman was appointed te
prepare resolutions. (These we arc
compelled to omit.
Hon. J. Thomas Stevenson was cal
led out and took the platform. He ad
dressed the unseduced Wings" il
an earnest speech, deprecating disun
ion and advocating the union of the
Wings upon the course best calcula
ted to preserve the Union, which
course, in his opinion requires them to
support Willard Fillmore for the Pres
idency. He showed that the Demo
cratic and Republican parties are both
sectional, and was particularly severe
upon disunionists. There was time
he said when man who could contem.
plate dissolution of the Union would
be ranked with the infdel in religion
| and the seducer in morals, and such
| should be the estimate of their char.
acter now. He believed that the sue.
cess of the attempt now making to
consolidate party in the North in
opposition to the South, would result
In the greatest danger. He had good
reason for believing that the leaders
Of the Republican party at Washing
ton were utterly insincere upon the