Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-10-11
EECHOF
HON. CHARLES SUMNER.
Ar woRcEsrEn, 'ocr. |, lS6I.

At WORCESTER, ocr. |, 1861.
The following speech by lion. CHARLIE.
SUMNER, was delivered before the IInior
Republican State convention of Massachu
sets, held at Worcester on Tuesday, Oct
LIST, of last week;
Fedior EtiSens: in meeting my fellow
citizens Of Massachusetts, who have come
together on this occasion, from all ,rts of
the Commonwealth, find myself in ia.
miliar scene, but feel that there has been
a change. Yes there has been a great
change, and it is felt in our convention.
We are no longer met, as so often in
times past for purposes of controversy. or
to sustain our cause by argument. That
hour has passed. Formerly / have cs-
posed to YOU the atrocities of the fugitive
slave bill; | have rejoiced TO shew that
freedom was national aud slavery sectional ;
! have striven to prevent the extension OF
slavery into the territories have vindi-
Gated especially freedom in Kansas, assail-
ed by slaveholding conspirators; have
exposed tyrannical usurpations of the slave
oligarchy, and / have dragged into day the
whole vast intense Barbarism of Slavery
But these topics have now passed into his
tory, and are no longer OF practical interest
They are not of to-day
NJ ms ra,o;oa thot -, Io... :. ....al -.
been gained, and from the extent of our
present trinmphs let US take hope and cour.
age for the future. Providence will be
with the good cause in times to come, as in
times past. Others may despair do not.
Others may see gloom can not. Others
may hesitate; | will not. Already the
country has been saved. Great as may
seem to be its present peril, its peril was
greater far while it was sinking year after
year under the rule of slavery. Often have
| exclaimed, in times past, that our first
great object was the emancipation of the
National Government, so that it should no
longer be the slave of slavery, ready TO do
its bidding in all things. But this victory
has been won.' 1t was won first by the
ballot box, when Abraham Lincoln was
elected President of the United States;
and it was won the second time by the
cartridge-boX, when, at the command of
the President, the guns Of Fort Sumter re-
turned defiance to the rebel artillery. Such
was the madness of slavery that the first
was not enough. Unhappily, the second was
needed to complete the work.
The slave oligarcby, which, according to
the vaunt of slaveholding Senator, has
ruled the Republcfor more than fifty years
which has stamped its degrading character
upon the national forehead which has EN-
tered into and possessed not only the poll
tics, but the literature and even the relig-
ion of the country; which has embroiled
US at home and given us bad name abroad
which has welded at will President, Cabi-
net and even judicial tribunals which has
superseded public opinion by substituting
its own immoral behests; which has appro-
priated TO itself the offices and honors of
the Republic; which las established slave
ry as the single test and shiboleth of favor
which, after opening all our territories to
this wrong, was already promising to re-
new the slave trade and all its unutterabe
woes; nay, more, which, in the instinct Of
that tyranny, through which it ruled. was
beating down all the safeguards Of human
riehts-freedom OF speech, freedom of the
press, and security of person, and deliver
ing the whole country to a sway whose vul- |
gari'y was second only to its madness; this
slave uligarchy has been dislodged from the |
National Government, nevermore to return. I
Thus far, at least, has emancipation pre-
vailed. The greatest slave of all is free.
Surely, if at any moment, we are dis
posed to be dishearteded-if the future is
not always clear before us, we may find
ample occasion for JOY in the victory al
ready won. Pillars, like those Of Hercu-
les, might fitly mark this progress.
Among the results of this victory is one
which we may especially enjoy on this oc-
casion. 1t is slavery which has been the
origin of our party divisions, keeping men
asunder who ought to act together. But
with the expulsion of this disturbing infu-
ence, the apology for our divisions has
ceased. All patriots, all men who truly
owe their country-may now act together
10 matter In what party combination they
nay have formerly appeared, no matter.
If what accent is the speech by which our {
present duties are declared, call them DEM
,crats, Union fnen, natives or foreigners; {
What you will. are we not all engaged in
common cause? Nor will claim as vet
he highest praise for those with whom
IN most intimately associated. l have read c
history too well, not TO remember that Ham !
ibal, in his campaigns, relied less on his {
wn Cartbagenians than on his Spanish In n
antry and Numidan horse. O
The government is assaied by Rebel
on, without precedent. Never before since v
'atan warred upon the Almighty has Re o
elion assumed such front; and never |