The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-05-28
THE DAILY DISPATCH,
wednesday sreruias, May 2s, 1856.
The Indignation Meeting in Massachusetts,
Speeches or Prominent Men.

~F~~S"cs - y EOt8tuc0t fHeu.
The Boston papers contain an account Of the
great meeting there Saturday night, to express
indignation" At the chastsement inflicted on So.
nator Sumner. IL was one of the largest gathe
ings that has assembled in that city for MANY
years, thousands of people being unable to gain
admittance.
The meeting was called TO order by William, B.
Spooner, ESQ., who stated that 1t was not the de.
monstration OF any political party, and he should
be ashamed Of our citizens should they seize upon
such an occasion to manufacture capital The
question is,-"Shall our representatives in Con.
gress be allowed to express themselves in strict.
ly parliamentary manner without being subjected
to outragest (shouts.".They shall,"-''They
shall" from all parts of the hall)
Mr.. Spooner then read list of officers For
President His Excelency Gov. Gardner loud
and prolonged cheers) Then followed the names
of forty
VICE PREsIDENTs-The most prom;nen, of
whom were Lieut.. Gov. Benchley, Hon. Z. G. Ba-
ker, Hon. Charles A. Phelps, Mayor Rice Hon
Samuel II. Valley, Peleg w Chandler, Ex-Gov.
boutwell,. Hon. L. Hazewell, Amos A. Lawrence,
j. w. Paige, Ezra Lincoln, Hon. Daniel Warren,
Drs J. VIC Smith and N. b. Shurtleff, Hon. Ma.
than Hale, Prof. G. G. FELTON,, Rev. Lyman Beech.
er, and Charles o. Rogers. -
SEcRETARIEs-A Lawrence, Charles Hale, and
b. +. Russell.
The officers, as announced were unanimonslv
confirmed se#e
The meeting was opened with an appropriate
prayer by Rev Rollin II. Neale.
Gov. Gardner, on taking the chair, said this was
not personal ovation. We come here as citizens
OF Massachusetts, simply and solely because Sen
aor of Massachusetts has been assaulted with a
grossness and brutality which history, until now.
has never had written upon its pages This
was not party meeting; if So he would NOT.
as Governor of Massachusetts, sanction it with his
presence (Cheers) He would consider himself
reereant to his duty were he not to meet on an
occasion like this with bis friends, to give utter.
ance to his sentiments He referred to the occa
sion when Mr.. Sumner last addressed the citizens
of Boston from this rostrum against himself (Gard
nerO who was then candidate of an opposite
party to that to which Mr.. Sumner belonged and
he thanked the committee who, by requesting him
to preside on this occasion, had given him an op-
portunity to rise above party prejudice While
Mr.. Sumner is in the Senate he would do all in his
power and ability to strengthen his arm and aid
him in his professional duties. (Renewed cheers)
HI years gone by outrages have been committed
in Congress-aye, even murder, committed by its
members but this is the first time that Senator
has been struck down in his seat in the Senate
chamber. We now call upon Congress to expel
the assailant from the halls of Congress (Cheers)
The Governor animadverted briefly upon the
harsh invectve and opprObrium that prevailed
among all parties, which, to some extent has en-
gendered the bitter personal feelings between op-
posing political factions.
A few persons in the gallery, thinking this re.
ferred to Mr.. Summers late speech, commenced
kissing, but were effectualy drowned by repeated
cheers, and MIR. Gardner continued He said the
question before US was shall a Senator from Mas
sachusetts be denied the indulgence in debate and
in the same manner that sixty other Senators are
allowed. The Governor then alluded to the speech
of Mr.. Sumner as being far less Objectionable than
many that have been made by others in the Halls
of Congress- and concluded by saying that when
the just and equitable rights of our Massachusetts,
were denied them, that he who
would not rise in opposition to such proceedings is
not worthy of the rights he enjoys. tTremen-
dous cheering
The President then introduced Judge Russell,
who read the following resolutions
Resolved, That we have heard with grief and
Indignation of the brutal assault committed upon
our esteemed Senator Charles Summer, for
words spoken in debate, and of the insult offered
in his person to the honor of our commonwealth.
Resolved, That in this outrage we see new en-
crOachments upon freedom, new violations of State
rights, and strange disregard of chivalrous prin
ciples, while III the conduct of such men Sena-
tor Crittenden we gladly recognize proofs of the
fact that in all sections of the country there
men of high honor, OF pure principles, and of true
patriotism.
Resolved, That this attack is to be rebuked not
only as a cowardly assault upon adefenceless man,
but as crime against the right of free speech and
the dignity of a free State. t.
Resolved, That, as American citizens, we deep
ly lament the Odium which such acts cast upon our
country and upon the cause of Republicanism
throughout the world.
Resolved, That although sixty eight members of
the National House of Representatives have voted
that they think NO inquiry regarding the outrage
is necessary, still we feel confident that Congress
will free itself from the crime by expeling
the offender from the seat which he has disgraced
Resolved That we regard every blow inflicted
upon our Senator, rs blow aimed at us; that in
our estimation his wounds are honorable wounds;
that rs citizens of Massachusetts, without distinc-
ton of party we pledge him here in old Faneuil
Hall, our sympathy and support in the fearless
and Independent discharge of his duty.
Hon. John C. Park, (ex-Attorney GeneraD in se-
condng the resolutions, said be came here entirely
Invested of party feelings, citizen of Boston,
Every hour by every railroad train and by tele.
graph, we receive tidings of spontaneous outbursts
from all our neighboriDg cities and the city of Bos.
ton, true to her cherished principles, will not be
backward in an expression of indignation at this
great outrage He claimed that the citizens of Bos
ton were a alaw-loving peoples lawabiding peo-
ple and in proof of this assertion stated that il
but two years previous to the day Mr. Sumner was
beaten down SO cowardly in the Senate Chamber,
that the citizen soldiery of Massachusetts were dis
played in force to show our adhesion to constituted
law. (Sensation) He denounced the attack upon
force If free speech and free discussion not to
be granted, our forefathers landed at Plymouth
Rock for purpose; our fathers at Bunker HILL and
South Carolinas fathers at Yorktown, bled in vain.
If free speech is to be beaten down, then Webster,
and Clay, and other patriots iabored in vain
From the time of the Reformation to the liberty OF
free Kansas free speech had been baptsed in blood
The speaker concluded by saying that If South
Carolina will ignore this base outrage, committed
by one of her sons she will find that Massachusetts,
now as of old, is ready to meet her again andunite
in fTaternal bonds. tCheers)
Hon. George s. Hilliard said he came to the
meeting as citizen of Boston, in the broadest &C
ceptation of the term. The moral effect and sig
nifcanee of this meeting will be just in proportion
as it Is kept clear of party issues. Assaults in
Washington are not rare, daughter,) but the as
sault W which we have met to condemn, greatly ex.
ceeds in malignity all former ones. The principle
that man can resort to personal violence, to
redress q private wrong, we all must emphaticaly
repudiate. There is no paliation for the offence;
the assault was not hotheaded one, for he had at
least one sun to set upon his wrath. The attack
was cowaTdly in the extreme, and the act was
that of an assassin. We come together tonight
to express our sympathy with our now prostrated
Senator. 1t is not that he Is member Of any
party but that he is of the State Of
Massachusetts,, that we tender him our expires.
sons of sympathy. In conclusion, he expressed
his detestation of the act and would calmly record
his unqualified indignation against the outrageous
proceeding Great applause
Hon f. C. Baker. President of the Senate Of
Massachusetts,, was then introduced He said:
'.Feilowcitizens of Boston-fellow citizens Of
Massachusetts what do you complain. 1t Is