Richmond weekly palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1875-1905, 1875-12-09
THE BEGINNING OF THF FREE-SOIL
PARTY.
General Wilson Leading the Bolt
from the Whig National Convention
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lnenPrAI WILSON AstauAnE DUH
from the WING National Convention
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From the Springfield Republican,
1t was General Wilson, then a
young man, and popular orator of
rh, Wing party of Massachusetts, who
pronounced the first formal words of
separation from that party, in order
to es ia blish the free soil organization,
which, it will be remembered, was set
in motion in that year, and at its first
National Convention in Buffalo, on
motion of Samuel j. Tilden, nomina-
ted Martin Van Buren, for President
and Charles Francis Adams for Vice
President. General Wilson was a
delegate from this State in the Wing
National Convention and when it be-
came apparent that General Taylor. OF
Louisiana, was to be nominated for
President, he arose and said: Il am
opposed to the nomination of General
Taylor. or to any other candidate not
fully committed by his own acts TO
the Wilmot proviso; and if such a
nomination is made, | shall leave this
Convention, go home and unite with
others in the support of one who shall
be committed to the policy of free
DOM" Those were brave words; they
embodied such sound advice as would
if the policy had been adopted. have
made the Wing party the party of
freedom, aud probably have arrested
the civil war; but his remarks were
received with Kisses and shouts of
derision In order to silence the OPP
position of the three delegates from
chusetts-Wilson, Allen and
Alford-it had been agreed, in eau
Gus, to give the Vice Presidency to
citizen of Massachusetts, in the per-
son of Abbott Lawrence. and to this
Judge Allen alluded when, coming to
the support of Mr.. Wilson, he said,
amid the widest excitement and con-
tinued Interruptions: THE discip-
line of the South has again prevailed
1t is evident the terms of union be-
tween the Wings of the North and
the Wings of the South were the per-
petual surrender by the former of the
high offices and powers of the Govern
meDt to their Southern confederates.
70 these terms, sir, [ think the free
States will no longer submit. de-
clare to this Convention my belief
that the Wing party is here and this
day dissolved. You have put an
ounce too much upon the strong back
of Northern endurance You have
even presumed that the State which
led in the first revolution for liberty
will now desert the cause for the
miserable boon of the Vice Presiden-
cy. Sir, Massachusetts, will spurn the
bribe." Mr.. Ashmun, of Springfield.
replied to Mr.. Wilson, and declared
that he did not speak the voice of
Ma Ssachusetts, and Mr.. George Lunt,
of Newburyport, declared that he had
listened with indignation to the senti-
ments of some of his colleagues, as he
was quite sure Massachus etts would
indorse the action of the Convention.
OF all the members of the Convention,
only Mr.. Wilson and Mr.. Allen then
directly severed their connection with
the Wing party. Determined to secure
every advantage which the occasion
offered of comforting with their
late associates who conceded with
him in opinion, Mr.. Wilson, after the
nomination Of Taylor and Fillmore
was ratified, hired one Of the ante
rooms of the building, and that even
ing invited the delegates and others
opposed to the action of the Conven-
ton to meet with him and confer in
regard to the holding of National
Convention for the organization of a
new party. Only fifteen persons re-
sponded to the call; but it was then
and there decided that such a Con-
vention as Mr.. Wilson indicated
should be called to meet at Buffalo
in August, and Joshua r. Giddings
and John G. Vaughan, of Ohio, and
Charles Allen, of Massachusetts,, were
appointed to issue the call and make
all needful arrangements. That was
the first great step in the organization
of the Free Soil party, and to Mr..
Wilson belongs the high honor of a
bold. heroic and successful leadership,
which, after many trials and reverses.
resulted in the triumph of 'free-soil'
principles at the polls, but under an
other name, in the election of Abra-
ham Lincoln.