Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-10-12
Shame on Massachuse etts.. Wcbster's
Statue to be Removed.


The good people Of Boston o few weeks
ago inaugurated Powers statue Of Web.
j ster with grand ceremonies. There was
| military parade, and an oration by Ev-
erett. The statue was placed in the State
House grounds. Hardly had it been .un-
yelled, hardly had the statue been seen
by the admiring citizens who had taken
that means to perpetrate the memory of
the great statesman than there was very
loud demand by y large portion of the
Republican party for its removal. The
ultra portion of the Republican party Of
the State have raised the issue-shall the
statue of Webster be suffered TO remain
i'll the State House grounds? They will
support no man for State office or the leg
islaturc who will not agree before hand
that the statue shall be removed.
The Boston LiJerator,-the organ of
two-thirds of the Republican party Of
New England, says:
"The statue must he removed. Let
this be the popular decree tomorrow.
let the declaration 60 forth from the lips
of every upright man-let it be the voice
OF Massachusetts. A vote of the leglsla-
ture can undo what vote has done. This
vote can be secured by the circulation Of
IL respectful petition, to be signed by all
who in their hearts respond to the cry
The statue must be removed. Such
petition has already been prepared"
The same paper furnishes. a copy of
the petition, which is to be circulated in
every town in the State, and forwarded to
the legislature now in session:
The petition prays the Legislature to re-
move from the State House grounds--as
no honor to the State and repugnant to
the moral S, use Of the people-the statue
of Daniel Webster, whose last years were
spent in defending the fugitive slave bill,
and whose counsel to the Commonwealth
was to conquer her prejudices" against
slavery, and to return men to bondage
"with alacrity."
The present legislature will be called
upon by the petition possibly of 10000
people to order the removal of the statue.
Will they refuse 10 do so, or will they dare,
at the approaching election, to take the
stand that Webster's statue is no disgrace
to the Massachusetts, State House enclo-
sure?
This indecent, but perfectly character
istic assault upon Webster, is in keeping
with the spirit which governed the repub-
lican papers of this State to denounce
Everett's address on Washington, because
in that address nothing was said of Wash
ington and his slaves. Slavery is the one
idea of these intolerant Jealous. They
even follow the great statesman and pa
triots to their graves, and shrek dough-
face" and slave-driver," over the perish
ing dust. Why shouldsa statue Of Webster
be permitted in the State House grounds
at Boston? Why should such statue
be allowed in Boston at all :? Did he not
insist that the written constitution of the
country was obligatory in all parts upon
all the people and upon all the States2
Did he not say that as Senator of the
United States he was an arbitrator sworn
to do justice not only to Massachusetts,
but to each ana every one vi tae otnet
States of the Union? Should the memo
ry of man who held such startling opin.
ions,-opinions so fatal to the dearest
principles and purposes Of the great par
ty of freedom, ,-be tolerated in the public
grounds of freeand "glorious" Massachl-
sets.
We trust Garrison will press the issue.
Let the world see how far the Republican
party of Massachusetts, dare go in insult
ing The memory of the great Webster.
Let that party remove the statue if they
dare; in its removal by such means the
memory of Webster will obtain an addi-
ti0na honor in the hearts Of his country.
men, which fanaticism and party zeal can
never diminish. Chicago Times.