Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-10-25
RT HORACE GREELEY.

Twelve years ago, revolution the politics
of the Old Bay State, effected hy coalition
between the party which had followed as
Democrats the standard of Jackson, Van
Bnten, aud Cass, and that which hs Free
Soilers had split off from the Wbig ascen
dency upon the nomination of Gen. Taylor
for President, elected George S Boutwell,
as Governor Of that renowned Common
wealth, and sent Charles Sumner to the
| Uui,cd States Senate. 1t is not obnble
| that the greater potion Of those instrument.
! al in cffecting these results had any concep
ton of the magnitude of their furreachng
consequences.
Mr.. Sumner, still yoHng man. son of
one who was long Sheriff of the metropoli
tan county, had been born and reared in
Boston without imbibiug some Of its most
cherished NOTIONS Educated Wing of
the school OF John Quincy Adams, he had
ces;sted urdenily and on the highest grounds
rbat Annexation of Texas to which-or
father to the spirit which impeed and Sc
rurcd that Annexation-may he traced all
our subsequent National trials and woes.
When tie Wing party in l84S selected
Gen Taylor for its Presidential candidate,
and refused to ndorse the WilmOt ProyiSo,
Mr.. Sumner, with that numerically few
bur intellectually and morally strong body
of Bostonians who had for some time been
distinguished as Conscience in cOntradis
tinct.on from Cotton Wings, revolted and
united in the Buffalo movement which cul-
minated in the nomination and support OF
Van Buren, and G. f. Adams. The change
of base of Mr.. Webster on the 7ih Of March,
1850; the passage of the new Compromise
measures of that year. including the Fngi
tive.Slaye Law; the practical adherence
thereto of the Wing us well as of the Dem.
ocratc organization, added strength to the
hated and rdiculed third party which at
length became able to dictate terms to
that larger minority of the people of Massa.
chusetts which longed to grasp power in
the State, but could only do so by the aid
Of the Free Soil vote. The Constitution
of that as of most New England States re.
quirng au absolute majority to elect, no
Governor was chosen at the election of
1850; but the coalition aforesaid gave the
Governor aud most Of the State officers TO
the Democrats, and the U. S. Senator to
the Free Soilers. Some of the Democrats
long refusing TO support Mr.. Sumner, his
election was barely effected, aud only after
several fruitless efforts.
Mr. Sumner had hitherto been known
rather as scholar and orator than as q
statesman. His distinctive political views
were not shared by one fourth of bis fellow,
citizens in the State nor by one twentieth
of the people of the Union. OF the legis-
lalors whose votes sent him TO the Senate,
majority owed their seats to those who re.
garded Anti-Savery in every form with
abhorrence. These he made no attempt to
conciliate or cajole. No one was either de.
ceved or bribed into his support. He dep.
recated no prejudice and placated no hos
lity. Those who elected him knew ex-
aclly what to expect, and have not been
disappointed.
Mr.. Sumner took his scat 10 Senate
which had never before been so intensely,
oil but unanimously, Pro Slavery. aud
wherein he was instinctively regarded 10y
all as "outside Of any healthy political or,
ganization." Other members were more or
less decidedly adverse to according any new
guarantees to Human Slavery. He had no
other political object than FIRST to check,
secondly to cripple. and ultimately to over
throw, the Slave Power. Profoundly con-
Vinced that Slavery and Liberty are in.
compatble-that the enslavemeRt Of any
iuyades and impairG the rights of all-he
grappled directly and boldly with the hate
fol institution, ~nstead of being content
with resisting its aggressons Slavery, in
his view, was not 10 be reprobaled AID re.
sisted merely because it sought to encroach
upon soil righlfulIy consecrated 10 Free
Labor; it encroached because it was essen
TALLY vicious, unjust, rapaOious, and balefnl.
Others might be satisfied with the reslIic-
tion or diminution Of the eTea which this
deadly Upss might bs authorised 10 blight;