Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-08-15
Mr.. Thayer,s Progress.


squatter sovereignty, Hon. Eli Thayer does
not now stand where he stood two years ago.
He has advanced in the wrong direction, and
assumed position more at variance with that
of his constituents. His views were objec.
tionabe then, but they are worse now. In his
Speech delivered in congress, February "a,
1859, tless than two years ago. he said =
There are two ways by which non-inter-
yention in the territories may be accomplished.
One way is, by allowing the people in the ter
ritories to elect all their officers l am utterly
opposed to the organization of another terri
tory without such provision in the organic
ing act.
Another way is to allow no more territorial
organization whatever. Some men may con.
slider this as unsafe. / do not recommend it
now as policy. l suggest it as policy to be
considered, whether it might not be better,
hereafter, never in any way to increase our
territorial dependencies"
At this time he had not taken the ground
that congress should not pass bills to secure
regular governments in the territories. He
was merely looking in that direction and max
ing harmless Suggestions" In saying that
he was utterly opposed to the organization Of
organizing act allowing the people to elect
their officers, he left it to be understood that
he would vote for an organizing act with such
provision. If he had gone no further than
this, there would have been no difficulty, for
republicans generally favor this kind of popu-
lar sovereignty in the territories. But he did
not remain here, for, during the last session of
congress, he fully adopted the policy which,
even in 1859, he had merely suggested, with
out venturing to recommend it. In his speech
delivered in congress, April 8, 1860 he said -
eff inquired of why would not vote for a
territorial organization, my answer is ready
that lam opposed to the whole policy of or
ganizing territories of this federal government
] say here and now, that will uever vote, us
l believe | have never voted in the past to
organize any territory under this govern
ment."
Here is change of position too palpable to
he denied. The timid, doubtful suggestion has
become resolute, defiant purpose, and pres
emily it leads to very remarkable scene in
the house of representatives, that scene which
shows us Mr.. Thayer hard at work with
Messrs. Barksdale and Houston, making Give
corpses and six funeral professions" the DEM
ocrats seeking to kill the territorial bills be.
cause the republicans had control of the COM
mittee on territories, and Mr.. Thayer because
he had resolved to "allow no territorial organ
les Hall, he evaded clear statement of this
matter, and entirely failed to meet the issue
actually made against him on this point. Most
republicans believe that the people in the terrific
ries should be allowed to elect their officers
but there is not another man in congress, of
any party, who agrees with Mr.. Thayer in
denying that congress should pass bills to Sc
cure regular governments in the territories.
Not another congressman of any party would
endorse the wild doctrine which was declared
in his speech, delivered in congress, last April,
in these words 1--WE have land to SELL Let
us provide for selling it; but beyond that soo,tld
not recommend action. Let the people take care
of themselves"
Two years ago, he had not gone SO far as to
denounce congressional intervention in the
territories as a "humbug." He had "sug-
gesed" the policy of non-interventon, but
policy. Now, as every one can see, his tone
is different; and his vote against annuling the
New Mexican slave codes would be quite suffi.
Gent to show the difference, even if there
were nothing else to make it apparent.
1t may be that he has undergone no change
in his feelings towards the slave power, but
we did not, four years ago, suppose him capa-
bic of employing his unquestionable talent for
sarcasm, in ridiculing the sentiments that have
given rise, not only to the republican party,
but to every other movement against slavery
propagandism He may have spoken so be-
fore, and he may have felt SO much longer
than we suppose; but we had not be-
lieyed him capable of such deliberate and
scornful ridicule of that popular feeling
Of indignation and alarm at the audacious
proceedings of the slave power, that crea-
ted our party. But we should not have been
surprised; for, although there was time
when he Joined with others in Worcester in
holding meeting to protest against the repeal
of the Missouri compromise restriction, he
now sustains the policy of "non-intervention"
which was invented to justify that attro
cious measure. If Mr.. Thayer is right
now, the repeal of the MISSOURI compromise
restriction was right, and the indignation
it awakened was all wrong. If he is right,
the whole policy of the country, at the
beginning, was wrong our republican fathers
Were wrong, and needed our eccentric con.
gressmen to teach them wisdom; the Whole
ant-slavery movement is wrong and, finally,
the republican party is absurdly wrong, and
never should have been organized.