Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-10-08
The ..Peoples,n Convention.

The convention called by the Boston Cou-
rier conservatives" democrats, and others,
met in Boston yesterday. The meeting was
called to order by judge Parker Leverett
Saltonstall, Esq, was temporary chairman,
and Hon. Linus Child permanent president.
Mr.. Child made a speech, in which he said
the object was to secure if possible more per-
feet and complete union and cooperation
among the people to sustain the constitution,
the government and the laws, and also to sus-
tain the president in all constitutional (em-
phasis on this word) measures, and in the use
of all measures known to the constitution, and
the usages of all civilized warfare (more en-
phasis9 in putting down this rebellion. Mr..
Child criticised the action of the republican
convention. He criticised Mr.. Summers
speech.
Hon. Josiah G. Abbott took the stand, say
ing he did not propose to follow the examples
of the heather Athenians, or be guided by the
precepts of heather mythology He found
the cause for this convention in the fact that
such men as he saw around him had too much
neglected politics. The question is now,
whether we shall have a country; and it is
time for all good men to unite upon this only
ground. All party measures are buried in
the fiery furnace of this war, and it would be
unwisdom to rake out their ashes. The only
way to save the country is to come together
with one heart and one purpose, and resolve
to sustain the constitution and the laws made
under it. Judge Abbott was severe upon the
Worcester convention, upon the ''man who
| spoke in this hall yesterday" (Mr. Sum-
ner) and upon the loyal governors for
meeting, without license, upon the summit
Of the Alleghanies, to give the president ad-
vice which he never ought to have taken. He
was tor the unconditional support of the pres
ident in all constitutional measures for put
ting down the rebellion, but he would hold
him to the strictest accountability when the
war was over.
The committee on resolutions then report
ed the following for the consideration of the
meeting =
Resolved, that our sentiments are clearly
| expressed by adopting the language of the
following resolution passed by congress at the
extra session in 1861 =
That the present deplorable civil war has
been forced upon the country by the disunion-
lists OF the southern states, now in arms against
the constitutional government and in arms
around the capitol, that in this great national
emergency, banshiug all feeling OF mere pas
| sion and resentment, we will recollect only
our duty to the whole country; that this war
is not waged on our part in any spirit Of OPP
| preston, or Tor any purpose OF overthrowing
or interfering with the rights or established in
situations of those states, but to defend and
maintain the supremacy Of the constitution,
and to preserve the Union with all the dignity
equality, and rights of the several states I'M
impaired, and that as soon as these objects are
accomplished the war ought to cease"
Resolved, that the expenditure of nearly
two thousand millions of treasure the loss Of
two hundred thousand men of our armies in
war of eighteen months, against traitors
two-thirds less in numbers, and inferior in re-
sources for war of every description-and the
! traitors still not only unSubdued, but appar-
| emily vigorous and threatening as at the be-
| ginning-call loudly upon the people, without
distinction of party or opinion, to make in
quiry as to the cause of disaster, and to unite
with all their heart, mind and might in urging
on and sustaining the executive in more
vigorous and successful prosecution of the
war, that it may be short war, and that its
end may be speedy and honorable peace,
with every state restored to the Union and
| constitution.
Resolved, that history will class with the
most infamous of criminals, with Cain and
with Judas, the murderers and traitors who
are the authors and promoters of this rebel
| lion, against the freest, mildest, most equable
and benefcent government on earth-the
constitutional government of the United
States of America To the men who shall
restore the republic-shall stay the tide Of fire
that is desolating the land, and with forked
flame attacking the very pillars Of the temple
! of constitutional liberty-will be paid the
| highest honOrs given to men; their names
shall be cherished and recorded with the
names of the founders of the republic.
But if the men whom tine people have
elected to lead them in this sacred cause and
holy labor-if the people to whom the fathers
left this legacy Of labor and trust shall con-
sent that one star be stricken from the con-
stellation upon the old flag, one pillar be re-
moved from the temple of liberty,-then to
the leaders and the people, infamy only less
than to the authors of the rebellion.
| Resolved that we recognize in Abraham
Lincoln the chief executive magistrate of the
nation, commander in chief OF the army and
navy of the United States, a responsible and
constitutional head, whose rightful authority
and power ought always to be vigorously and
religiously guarded and preserved, as the con-
dition on which our form of government and
the constitutional rights and liberties of the
| people can be saved from the wreck of anar-
chy or the gulf of deSpOtism. Now, more
than at any other time in the history the re-
public, the president ought jealousy to guard
himself, lest in the assumption of war powers,
as the commander in chief of vast armies, he
transcends the limits and bounds set by the
fathers, to guard the liberties Of the people.
Resolved that we have read with pleasure
| the declaration of the president as command
er-in-chief, in his proclamation of September
%, 1862, that the war hereafter as heretofore
''WH be prosecuted for the object ofpracticalty
restoring the constitutional relations betWeen
the United States and the people thereof, IN
achich states that relation IS or mag be SuS-
pended or disturbed" We know that in the
mode and manner of conducting this war to
that issue, in the means and policy to be
| adopted in its prosecution, solemn and fear
full responsibility rests upon him. He must
answer to us, to the nation, to posterity, and
above all to God We jealousy watch the
exercise of the vast powers we have delegated
to him. We jealousy watch to guard and
preserve the liberties God has given us. We
desire above all things, with our chartered
rights and liberties preserved, to conquer and
subdue the rebellion. We make, therefore,
no captious criticism of his acts aud declara-
tons. We burden him with no party or par
| tizan policy. We offer no conditions to our
patriotism. We resolve that Massachusetts,
with all her heart, and soul, and mind, and
strength, will support the president of the
4 4 e.