Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-03-13
WORKING MEN FOR THE UNION.

The workingmcn of Massachusetts, held great
meeting at Faneuil Hall, Boston, on Wednesday
evening last, to consult and act upon the present
state of public affairs. The Hall was ja,nmed full,
and the meeting was characterized by the right
sprit-devOtion to the Union and a determination
to do and sacrifice whatever is necessary for its pre-
servation. Speeches were made by Jonathan Pres
ton, Esq., (who presdcd) d. ID. Kelly. ESQ.,. II. F.
Durant, Esq., and several others, all of which were
excellent in tone and matter. The following clio.
quent and wcll-timed Address was unanimously
adopted and it was voted that copies of it be sent
to 1.-THE Legislatures of the Thirty-four States,
whether they consider themselves in or out of the
Union and to all Conventions and assemblies of the
people, North and South, with the respectful re-
quest that they may be received in the same spirit
in which they are sent and that they may be read
and placed upon record as the voice of the Work
ingrnen Of Massachusetts, assembled in Faneuil
HAIL.
ADDRESS OF THE WORKINGMEN OF MAS
SAClIUSETTS
The workingmen of Massachusetts,, assembled in
Faneuil Hall, send greeting to their brethren
throughout the United States: 1t is the right of
free people, who are misrepresentcd and m,sgovern
ed by those in power, to take counsel together for
the redress Of their grievances.
The beloved UNIONS thirty-three free States has
been broken. and we must not fear to inquire into
the cause OF this great wrong, nor to seek its re-
dress.
We believe the chief cause to have been that the
people, North and South, have been deceived and
betrayed by politicians and officcseekers.
The Father of his Country in his Farewell Ad.
dress, counseled lis to beware of the "msrepre-
sensations of designing men who would excite jeal
ousies and heart-burnlngs by geographical dscrim
nations of Northern and Southern, and by misrcp
resenting the opinions and views of other districts
of the country"
His wise and prophetic warnings have been forgot
ten and dsregarded. The South have been taught
to believe that the North hate them and are pledged
to trample upon their rights and destroy their prop
erty; while the North have been taught that the
South hold them in hatred and contempt and are
united in hostile plan of aggression upon their lib.
critics.
If these are the true feelings of our countrymen
restoration of our Union is impossible IN "a GOV.
eminent which derives its just powers from the. con-
sent of the governed"
1t is in vain for politicians to tell us that seces
sion is illegal. Seven States haze seeded already
and if the citizens Of those States are united in their
determination to leave the Union, no laws. and no
force can compel them to remain.
We very well know that if the freemen of Massa
chusetts were united in the determination IN leave
the Union, because they felt that thew had been
wronged by years of hatred and aggression on the
part of the other States them neither the force of
laws nor of arms could bring them back to a gov
eminent in which they believed liberty and equal
rights were impossible.
Our forts might be TAKEN our commerce DESTROY
cd, our towns burned, as they were during the Rev
oluton, but our free could never be held as a
conquered people. Our Southern brethren are of
the same blood as we are and we feel that if farce
could bring them back into the Union, thew would
be fit only to be the bondsmeu of their own slaves
Since coercion is unwlse, unjust and impossible.
we must look to other means for the restoration Of
the Union, and we believe that those means are in
the power of the people. Between the people and
the States there can be no misunderstanding if they
can but be brought together.
We believe that the first duty of the people.
South and North, is to put away forever those de.
signing politicians who have deceived the people and
brought this danger upon the country.
We appeal to our brethren at the South to deal
with their traitors at home, the sewers of sedtion
who endeavor to mis!ead and misrepresent them.
We on our part will do our best here at the
North to expose and put down forever the mischief
makers who have sown discord between the States
and brought our country to the verge of civil wsr
We see plainly that the ceaseless falsehoods which
have misled the South to our true feelings. and
the rash and wicked deeds which are charged upon
our whole people, are due to small but active and
INSCRIPTIONS party Of abolitionsts who have adopt
ed every disguise and joined every party in order to
accomplish their evil purposes.