Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-09-10
For the Spy.


MeSSrS Editors "A petition has been got up
IN Boston in favor of an session of our State
Legislature. The object proposed is to consider
the expediency oil devising means for the reliet
and defence OF the sons and daughters oil Massa-
CT usetts in Kanzas.
This is grave matter. If the Governor, ac-
cording to the request, calls the extra session,
the attention of the whole people of the United
States will be arrested What is Massachusetts
about to do How much money will she raise
How many troOpsf Of what kind Who will
command them? When will they take the field
And these will be exciting questions such as
have rarely been presented to the American PEG
pie. Yet they will all come directly upon us, and
this, too in the midst OF great battle at the
ballot box
What will be the inevitable result of all this p
First, the cry will be got up that Massachusetts,
is about to rise in rebellion against the general
ia ~ : - ne, tl,A iaitiatnrp steps -
plausible, and will be seized upon with the great
est avidity by all the opponents of the Republican
movement
Massachusetts is a representative State What
she does will be charged upon all the free States
very naturally, and with great force How will
tins affect the struggle now going on? That is
the question.
II Massachusetts, votes supplies for Kanzas, she
cannot get them there, unless she sends troops
to protect them. Eshe sends troops, as soon as
they enter the territory they in the language
opan rebellion GgGilt the lars and constitutional
authorities The first gun fired will be an overt
act of treason, and Massachusetts will be in "open
rebellion against the general government Per-
haps it will be said that the object is only that OF
defence against the Border Rufians But the
national government, which at present means
Franklin Pierce and jeff Davis says virtually
that all the armed free State men are insurgents
and all the Mlss0uTians peaceable settlers. Now
however false this may be in fact, in law, and I'M
der the present authorities, it will be practically
true, and Massachusetts will be placed in the
wrong.
But what can Massachusetts, do alone A? Ought
she to act alone in this matter? Before She could
assemble her Legislature together and get any
men or supplies the contest will probably be over
dow soon could Massachusetts get five thousand
troops into Kanzas 1t would be folly to send a
less number or even small a number, unless
other States join her with their forces. We are
some twenty five hundred miles off The Mis-
sourians are on the ground, and will be backed
up and supported, by all the Slave States
Have we General Uhom zoe could spare for
the command of our forces Have we all the
material OF war in readiness for the invasion
These, and good many other similar ques
tions ought to be answered before we proceed so
lar as to call the Legislature together. 1t would
novel thing to have the Legislature in SEES
sion in the midst of political campaign, aud as
mischievous as it would be novel. Massachu
sets as State can do nothing and ought to do
nothing under present circumstances. II she
moves now, it will blast every hope of eecting
Fremont, and making Kanzas Free State
Every thing is going WE'LL if the great object is to
oyerturn the slave power, and establish the cause
offreedom. The whole current of events is moving
in our favor, and Fremont is advancing with rap.
i'd and sure strides to the Presidency. Would it
not be best to let well enough alone ?" Would
it be wise to percpiate bloody revolution, when
we have every prospect of a peaceful one
AS individuals. LET do N In ralsox,a
Kanzas, but let not our Commonwealth take any
measure which looks towards a conflict with the
national government.
There is not, nor has ever been, particle of
hope tor Kanzas except in the overturning of our
present pro.slayery administration, and installing
one in favor of freedom. This is what we are
now driving atlas Iowa, Vermont and Maine have
already illustrated.