Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-27

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( party" Of which that noted abolitionist
James G. Birney, was the candidate for
| president in 1S40 and 1874. They as did
! the free soilers and republicans after
| them, wished to reverse the old con-
struction, that Slavery was national
and freedom sectional" by maintaining
/ the position that freedom and not
slavery was national" and that slave
| ry and not freedom was sectional" by a
proper construction of the constitution.
The annexation of Texas and Mexican
war for the further extension Of slav-
ery during the administration Of James
IS Polk, 1881 greatly increased the
agitation of the slavery question, lead
| ing directly to the organization of the
! free soil party in 1S4S. After the defeat
or Henry Clay, the candidate of the
wing party for president in 1874, the
antl-slaVery sentiment among the
masses Of the old whig party, which al
ways had its largest and most controll-
ing power, in the free states, while the
chief strongest element in the old dem
ocratic party was in the south, in
creased more rapidly than ever before,
inasmuch as the northern wings, whose
support of Henry Clay in opposition to
Polk, was mostly on account of oppo-
sition to the annexation OF Texas, and
MI Clay had grossly disappointed his
strongest friends and adherents, just
before the election, by his letter from
Alabama, in which he ignored the slav-
cry question in reference to Texas, say
ing he should be glad to see it an
neXed," If it could be done without
war, and the common consent" The
whig legislatures of free states were as
strongly anti-Slavery as their republi-
can successors We're, and it was a conn
paratiVely easy matter to bring them
into line with all other opponents of
slavery, especially after the wings in
lS4S had nominated STAKEHOLDER and a
general in the hated Mexican war as
their candidate for president. The dem
ocrats. in 1S4S having nominated Gen.
Cass for president who openly acknowl-
edged in a public letter that he had
changed his views from an opponent of
the extension of slavery to an approval
! OF 1t, because extending the evil over
larger territory would only thin it out,
and not enlarge its dimensions or ex-
tent! So it was easy to get departures
from their ranks 20 make up the new
party OF freedom, but the larger mum
bers came into the free soil party from
the old whig party, in the whig states,
ana from the democratic party in New
York and some other democratic states,
arising out Of the antagonisIn of Van
Buren to CaSs, for stealing the nomina-
ton from him in 184S.
In anticipation of the nomination of
ten. Zachary Taylor and the repudia-
tlon of Whig principles by the whig ma
| tional convention at Philadelphia, in
June, 1S48, arrangements were made be-
fore the close of the session for dem
| onstration in Worcester, on the recep-
ton of the delegates from Worcester
and Natick, Hon. Charles Allen and
George Henry Wilson, on their return
from the convention, where it was un-
/ derstood they were to speak in repudia-
ton of the anticipated doings of that
body -Four prominent persons in Wor-
cester, active workers in the old whig
party on the anti-slaVery issue, Henry
H. Chamberlain, Albert Tolman, Will
liam A. Wallace and Oliver Harrington,
well representing the dominant political
feeling in Worcester in reference to the
nominations, were specially active in
! connection with others, in organizing
that sentiment into action, and it found
its first public expression in a large
meeting arranged by them at the old
! city hall, on Wednesday evening, June
| II, 1S4S, when the reception of the dele
gates from the Philadelphia convention
took place, and speeches were made by
Hon. Charles Allen and others, a special
I object of the gathering being to hear
Judge Allen and his colleague, and
make arrangements for future meetings
and action in reference to what had
| been done at Philadelphia. The Spy, in
| its notice of this meeting, says it was
| large and enthusiastic, the large city
hall was crowded, and many went away
unable to obtain admittance." This was
a meeting of the citizens of Worcester
| opposed to the nominations of Taylor
4 and Cass, on anti-slaVery grounds, pre-
| liminary to the state convention to be
/ held there one week later, June %, for
| which arrangements were to be made. "
/ The meeting was called to order by
| Oliver Harrington, and organized by
/ the choice of Albert Tolman as chair
man and William A. Wallace secretary.
| Oliver Harrington, George w. Russell,
| Henry H. Chamberlain, Edward South
| wick and Joseph Boyden were chosen a
| committee to nominate list of persons
to act as a committee of arrangements
! for the convention one week later. This
full committee of arrangements includ-
ed the names of Charles Allen, Alexan-
der Dewitt, Charles Washburn, Rufus
| d Dunbar, Edward Hamilton, Wm A..
| Wallace, James F. Allen, Edward H.
Hemenway, John C. Newton, Benz. E..
| Hutchinson, Peregrine B, Gilbert, JOS
eph Boyden, Enoch Hall, Samuel Davis,
| Oliver Harrington, Albert Tolman,
Henry H. Chamberlain, John G. wy
man. H. G. Darling, Joseph A. Gilbert
A. p. Ware, Thomas A. Clark, John G.
Mason, Charles Hadwen, Augustus
Tucker, Edward Southwick. OF this
long list of patriotic free soilers of 1S4S
only four now survive, Henry H.
Chamberlain, Peregrine B. Gilbert, Benz.
E. Hutchinson and Col John c. Wy
man.
After the adoption of this reportT
Judge Allen was introduced amid the
loudest demonstrations of applause, and
made his mastery address on the do
| ings of the Philadelphia convention, and
in repudiation of its nominees, and Civ
| ing the key note of the great free soil
campaign which followed. His address,
occupying nine columns In the report
given in the Spy, was most enthusiastic
cally received and applauded.
Judge Aliens colleague at the Phila-
delphia convention, Gen. Wilson, being
present, was called upon and spoke in
behalf of their action at Philadelphia,
amid loudect applause. Resolutions, en-
Enthusiastically supporting the course of
the two delegates at Philadelphia and
what they had said, in reputation of
the nominees made, were unanimously
adopted amid the loudest demonstra-
tions of enthusiasm, and the meeting
adjourned to meet with the true men of
the state and nation at the great con-
vention of June 2S, the week following,
at the same place.
The writer of this account who was
present at those meetings, cannot re-
sist recording, in this connection, an
interesting incident which happened
near the close of that first meeting June
81, After the adoption of the resolu-
tions sustaining the action of Judge Al
len and Henry Wilson at Philadelphia,
and the views they had expressed, Rev
George Allen, brother Of the judge
offered impromptu that famous resolu-
ton, Resolved, that Massachusetts
wears no chains and spurns all bribes