Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-10-31
SPEECH OF
HON. HENRY WILSON,
CITY HALL, CAMBRIDGEPORT,
Tuesday Evening, October Is, 1862

Exported fer the Boston Journal.
Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen:
After listening as you have for the last hour
to the earnest and sincere tones of the senator
from New Hampshire, (IIon. Daniel Clark |
can hardly hope to say anything to instruct
your reason or to kindle the fires OF your
hearts. In what | have to say, however, to-
night, desire to speak to the heart, the con-
science and the reason of those thronging be-
FIRE me. When the flag of our country went
down beneath the fires of the rebel batteries
at Fort Sumter-when the chief magistrate of
the republic summoned seventy-five thousand
men to defend the menaced capitalization the
blood of the sons of Massachusetts redeemed
the streets of Baltimore-when the nation was
plunged into the dark abyss of civil war, pat
riotism summoned us to forget the claims of
party and to remember only our common
country. The voice of patriotism appealed to
every American citizen and demanded that he
should forget and forgive, and should unite
with his countrymen in carrying our country
safely through the impending struggle. For
myself, then resolved that while this civil
war should be upon us, would attend no po-
litical meeting nor give any partisan vote.
NO PARTY IN WAR.
l had seen the senators representing the
away from the senate; l had seen the govern
ment, during the closing days of Buchanan's
administration, apparently fastening to de-
| struction; | had witnessed the coming of the
| chief magistrate elect of the republic, in dis
| guise to the national capital; | saw, too, that
large portion Of the democratic party of the
| United States was in open rebellion against
the country, and that if we would save our
country, we must unite the whole people of
the loyal states Of the Union; and | made up
my mind then, that by my example and by
my advice. would encourage generous and
liberal spirit toward those who differed from
me and my friends in their political views.
When asked last autumn to attend the repub-
lican state convention and address them,
declined to do so. When asked to attend
other meetings, l declined to do so. And |
advised those with whom | was accustomed to
act politically, to place upon their state ticket
the names of eminent men opposed to us, in or"
der to unite the whole people of Massachusetts
in the prosecution OF the war applause. }
There have been appointed as officers in the
military service of the country, two hundred
gentlemen at least, on my recommendation /;
and l recommended no man on account of
mis- political views. l came to this city and
took son of your late mayor (mayor Green)
anu maui HIhl d IlcutCHdiI COlollel Ill lne
army Of the United States, knowing that he
differed from me, and that his father differed
from me, politically. l went even into the
office of the Boston Courier and took Mr.
John Clark and put him into the service of
the country. And when Bishop Fitzpatrick
and other leading men of the city Of Boston,
who had advocated the war, asked the APP
pointment Of Mr. Emery as paymaster in the
army, | recommended his apDoiDtment: and
in all my action in the senate of the United
States, where more than three thousand
names have passed before my committee for
confirmation, have forgotten all party obi
cations, and endeavored to unite the people
and men of all parties in vigorous prosecu-
ton the war. (Applause.)