"
My first political service was folding and directing these
circulars. The Convention was held, and Samuel Hoar presided.
It was addressed by men most of whom afterward became eminent
in the public service. Among them were Charles Sumner, Charles
Francis Adams, Henry Wilson, E. R. Hoar, Edward L. Keyes,
Charles Allen, Lewis D. Campbell, of Ohio, and Abraham Payne,
of Rhode Island. Richard H. Dana was present, but I think
he did not speak. William Lloyd Garrison and Francis Jackson
were present, but took no part whatever. I rode to Boston
in a freight car after the convention was over, late at night.
Garrison and Jackson were sitting together and talking to
a group of friends. Garrison seemed much delighted with the
day's work, but said he heard too much talk about the likelihood
that some of the resolutions would be popular and bring large
numbers of votes to the party. He said: "All you should
ask is, what is the rightful position? and then take it."
Among the resolutions was this:
"That Massachusetts looks to Daniel Webster to declare to
the Senate and to uphold before the country the policy of
the Free States; that she is relieved to know that he has not
endorsed the nomination of General Taylor; and that she invokes
him at this crisis to turn a deaf ear to 'optimists' and 'quietists',
and to speak and act as his heart and his great mind shall
lead him.
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