Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-04-29

! ing; and the result in both cases is the same
Besides, it is qualification to the Boston allies
of the slave power, to do Just what their South
ern- masters have been doing with Webster, and
! Fillmore, and Cass, and the whole race of
doughfaces-and that is, to take a man like
/ Wright, with some professions of anti-slavery,
and use him, and then fling him out OF the ring,
and taunt US; g There is your Republican; see
how he has become one of us p
! And yet, Hunkerdom is not fully satisfied
| The Journal groans or makes believe They
asked for serpent, and they complain that they
only got fish Il suppose they mean a fishy Re-
pubhean), and they threaten vengeance on the
Republican party, and timid Republicans, too
men who ought to know better-echo the cry,
:" The whole military will vote against next
Fan!'' Well, let them. For one. 1 should like
to see the issue made L would like to see in
scribed on our banners ''Down with slavery,
down with the slave power, down with its minons
and allies,
DOWN WITH THE VOLUNTEER MILITIA,
as its most abiect minon and its most efficient
ally in Massachusetts, p One of these days, in
the good time that's coming, the people will see
through this matter, and annihilate this hybrid
vols,nteer militia system. One of these days the
people will ask, why should we pay $50, 900 year
Ito say nothing of the demoralzing influence Of
this school of dissipation, to support system
solely for the benefit Of the slave.hunter and the
amusement of Boston rowdes ask the farm
ers, the mechanics, the peaceful citizens OF Wor-
cester County, do yoU need this volunteer militia
to keep the peace"l Do you ever, did you
ever feel, as you lie down to Sleep that you rest
more securely for the bayonets of the citizen
soldiery"? If Boston must have them, let her
support them but it is time the people were re-
! lieved from this tax.
| Besides, did it ever occur to you, my dear Spy,
| that
MASSACHUSETTS HAS NO STATE MILITIA
Massachusetts, cannot put single man of her
volunteer militia armed into the field, to pro-
tect her soil, or the personal liberties of her citi
zens, against either foreign or domestic foe, if
the Federal Government, alias the slave power,
says no. This sovereign Commonwealth of Mas
sachusetts does not own bayonet, or a rife, or
percussion cap. Every article of military equip
ment in what we call, in pleasant mockery, our
State Armory, belongs to the Federal Govern
ment. Every sword, knapsack, and ramrod, car
red by our volunteer militia" belongs to the
United States Government, and can all be re
called at any moment, and Massachusetts, ia dis.
armed and helpless. The arms and equipments
belong to the United States, and are only loaned
TO the States.
The day is coming, when this will be a practi-
cal matter The Federal Constitution declares
amendment, Art 2)-'' A wellregulated militia
being necessary to the security of Free State, the
l.. boo baU
not be infringed Our own Bill of Rights de-
clares-'' The people have a right to keep and
bear arms for the common defence" This is
barren fright" as our militia is constituted.
! Under the old system Of an enrolled militia, ey-
cry able bodied man was required to be armed
and equipped as the law directed;" then, in the
| days of Concord and Bunkers Hill Massachu
sets had the means of self defence-now, against
the only enemy she has to fear, the slave power,
| she is powerless. And when the conflict comes,
as come it will, between federal usurpation and
State sovereignty, and when that conflict is trans
| ferred from Washington to Worcester from the
politicians to the people. will there be enough of
the old Spartan spirit left to inspire the Old Bay
| State to reply to the demand of the Federal
| Government for her arms -" Come and tate
1
en- speed it-that Major Pitcairn or Marshal
Freeman shall lead his cut-throats out to the ar
mory at Cambridge, then, if patriotism and man
illness be not all eaten out, we shall have the
Concord fight Of the true Revolution.
How Enthusiastically the House again flop
ped around" on the
KANzAs APPROPRIATION,
and this time came right side up. But look at
their record. On April 10, the House passed the
resolves to a third reading, by vote of 206 to
I03 on the next day, the discipline of Hunker-
dom prevailed over the raw recruits of Republic
anism, and the resolves were postponed to the
pa On that day (Hunkerdom, fshy Repub-
lcans. and tmid politicians, having in the mean
time formed coalition), the resolves were en-
crossed by bare majority of $50 to l52; on the
next day, the true instincts of the House came
| to the rescue, and a reconsideration was refused
by 2lS to 49,
But . the appropriation is unconstitutional!
| Of course it is. would like to Philadel-
| phia lawyer torture out of our Constitution the
power to appropriate money for any such purpose
What if it is not constitutional it is reUOl1ttiOn-
arg, and that is all the better. We are in the
midst of revolution. Who is afraid Massa-
chusetts has seen revolutions before. The Boston
tea party, on the 10th of December, l77S, was an
| entirely unconstitutional proceeding Boston
that was the Boston of eighty years ago-met on
| that day in town meeting to protest, in astrctly
constitutional manner, against the landing of the
tea and upon the question, I" Whether it be the
sense and determination of this body to abide by
their former resolutions, with respect to the not
| suffering the tea to be landed" the meeting of
seven thousand men voted unanimously to abide.
(They didn't flop round.) When Hutchinsons
final answer, that the tea should not be sent
back, was announced, Samuel Adams proclaimed,
solemnly This meeting do nothing more to
save the country" Nothing constitutionally
but the tea never touched the wharf, Constitution
or no Constitution.
Revolutionary did you sayi" Yes, my old
fogy friend. What ofiti
Were not the stamp act, and the tea tax, and
the Boston port bill, laws, regularly enacted p
And did not my Lord Mansfield pronounce then
constitutional And were not the demolition o
Stamp Officer divers office, and the tumbling o
the tea-chests into the dock, and the shooting o
Cages soldiers from behind the fences of Concord
and Lexington, very unconstitutional acts p
Revolution" said Speaker Li.tlejohn, the 9th
er day, in the New York Assembly, :" Low,
that word, when it is a revolution against oppres
| s;oo Royolutior in that eenee bos