Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-07-03
G9 DAILY spp.


MIA H JOL az d 1907 &
The article in the Spy of Wednesday morning,
in which the junior editor defined his position, in
reference to the recent nomination for Governor
and the pending political canvass, is OF eharac
ter which leaves me no alternative, but to show
the utter fallacy of his positions, and the incon-
sstency of his course with his own declarations
previously made, and with that which he was
bouHd, as an honorable man 70 take Had he
c,ntented himself with simply saying.that, in the
conclusion to which had come, to support the
nomination, he did not concur, he would have
said all that the occasion required he would
have placed himself in the proper position with
our readers; he would have absolved himself from
any responsibility for the support of the Repub-
lcan nominee for Governor; and would have
saved me the necessity of writing and publishing
this article. But having chosen, instead of SO
doing, to make, in my absence, and without any
consultation on the subject, violent personal at
tack upon my candidate, which was equally an
attack on me, for giving him my support, I am
placed on the defensive, and have no alternative
but to examine the question, and see which it is
that stands in fair and honorable position, him
self or me.
1t is rule universally recognized in all polti-
parties, that he who goes into convention, as
member, or permits his name to be used as
Candidate or who in any other way commits him
self to its action, is so far bound by its doings,
that, if he cannot conscientiously give an active
support to its nominees, he shall not be at liberty
to make open opposition to them. This is more
especially the case when it is well known before
hand that the person or persons receiving the
nomination will be supported before the conyen-
ton, This principle has been uniformly recog-
nized by the Spy, and my associate has, himself,
repeatedly denounced Gov. Gardner for his breach
of good faith, and violation of honorable obliga.
tons, in refusing to abide by the decision of the
Republican Convention of 1856, after his name
had been used as candidate before that body
That the nomination of N P. Banks, by our
Convention, was to be pressed upon that body,
was we'll known, even before many Of the dele
gates to it were appointed. 1t had been spoken
of and commented upon by my associate, in the
columns of the Spy. Under these circumstances
he sought aud obtained the appointment as a del
egate to that body. Acting in that capacity from
the opening to the close of the session of that
body, those who know him will not doubt that he
upon its members, and sought by all fair means
to result in accordance with his wishes.
BY so doing he fully committed himself to the
action of the Convention. In addition thereto,
he had declared his intention, through the col
umns of the Spy, to support the nomination of
Mr.. Banks, if fairly made.
might rest here on this branch of the sub
ject, and pass once, to the consideration ofthe
letter, in which the nomination of the Conven-
ton was accepted. But, as my associate has, in
his address g to the readers Of the Spy" of Wed
ne.day, mpugned Mr. Banks's personal and pc.
htcal character his qualifications for public
trust and his fidelity - his party principles, and
made his dstrust thereof ground Of his present
opposition as he has declared that +" Mr.. Banks,
standing as he does on the platform of another
party, accepting as he has the nomination OF an
other party" he [my associate.l feels that he
should be wanting in fidelity to his party and in
selfrespect, should he lend his aid to the eleYa-
tion of any man, standing in the equivoca posi-
ton which Mr.. Banks does, in his letters to the
committees of the American and Republican par
ties-having, we say, done this, we choose to meet
him fairly on this issue, and here we shall bring
our associate face to face with himself andlet him
refute his own positions.
As the extracts make from my associates ar
ticles, some Of them, have bearing on different
branches Of the question, will take them in the
order of time in which they appeared In the
Spy of June Doth, published while l was absent
from town, and when he had the exclusive con-
troll of its columns, is leader, in which it is ex.
plicitly stated that Mr.. Banks's acceptance Of
the American nomina tion, of itself, would be no
sufficient ground Of objection to his nomination
by the Republicans. This, let it be borne in
mind, was before Mr. Banks's letter, accepting
that nomination. had been received. We make
the following extract from it,
'sTo prevent all misapprebension of our position,
we wish, however, to declare explicitly, that we
object to no man merely because he has formerly
been member Of the American party, nor be-
cause his private sentiments are favorable to an
extension of the naturalization laws.
The Fundamental idea of the Republican party,
as organized upon the Philadelphia PLATFORM is
to welcome to its ranks all, however diverse in
sentiments on minor points, who agree in the be.
lief that great national party should be main.
tained the single issue of hostility to the ex-
tension of slavery, and the further encToach-
ments of the slave power.
1t furnishes a common ground, where old
Wings, and Democrats, and Free Soiers tariff
born citizens, meet together and act in har-
mony, each preserving his own cherished convic-
tions each tolerant of the opinions of his assoei
ates. 1t is to anti-slayery men what the apostles
creed has been to the Christian world, including
the essentials in which they agree, excluding the
non essentials in which they differ.
If Mr. Banks should fairly receive the nominal
ton of the State Republican Convention, we
should defer to the preferences of the jority and
accord to him our cheerful support provided he
represents at the present time the Republican
party, and does not make it part of his present
policy to promote the doctrines Of Native Ameri-
canism.
Nor would his simple acceptance Of the recent
American nomination be an insuperable objection
TO giving him our support, if not made in such a
way as to commit himself to their party"
The article then goes on to cite the cases Or
Gov, lincoln, Gen. Taylor, and John c. Fremont.
who seyerally accepted nominations from conven.
tions ofpar.ieS to which they did not belong. 1t
then proceeds to say - ,u
1--WE shall not, therefore, incline to quarrel
with Mr.. Banks merely for following such ilIus +
frous presidents. Nor are we weak enonob ~
complain Of any comfort which anti slavery
Americans can obtain in the approaching dssolu
ton OF their party from having nominated lead
ino Republican, and trying to persuade them
selves that they can be instrumental in his cleo.
ton"
Justice requires me to say, that my associate
says he did not write this article, although he has
not informed me who did write it. This. howey.
er, makes no difference, for, BY adopting it and
giving it leading editorial position he endorsed