MASSACHUSETTS. 



453 



to peril the peace of the city, they -would be re- 

 sponsible for any disturbances which might fol- 

 low ! " He also said that " since in the present 

 excited state of the public mind, it was evident 

 an anti-slavery meeting could not be held in 

 Boston without serious and perhaps violent op- 

 position, we ought not to hold one ; and if it 

 was held, and such opposition was provoked, 

 he should arrest those who called and conduct- 

 ed the meeting, as the aggressors upon the 

 public peace ! " 



There was an attempt to hold the meeting, 

 and Mr. "Wendell Phillips began to speak amidst 

 great uproar, and the Mayor finally closed the 

 place. About 200 citizens went to the house 

 of Phillips, in Essex street, with the design to 

 destroy it, but it was protected by the police. 



An attempt was made in the Legislature in 

 consequence, to take from the Mayor the con- 

 trol of the police, and place it with the Gov- 

 ernor, but the attempt failed. 



The Tremont Temple, the Melodeon, and the 

 rooms in the Mercantile Library Building, were 

 refused to the Anti-Slavery Society for its an- 

 nual May meeting. 



In February, petitions from Boston with 22,- 

 000 signatures in favor of the Crittenden com- 

 promise were forwarded to Washington. 



February 5, the Governor of Massachusetts 

 appointed seven commissioners to the convention 

 at "Washington, in accordance with the action 

 of the Legislature. An immense Union meet- 

 ing was held at Faneuil Hall by all parties, 

 and the most extraordinary earnestness for the 

 preservation of peace was manifested. Resolu- 

 tions were passed appealing to the Border 

 States to remain faithful, and conceding the 

 equal rights of the States in the territories of 

 the United States, and approving of the Crit- 

 tenden compromises. A meeting was held at 

 the Board of Trade rooms in favor of a petition 

 for compromise, which was as follows : 



Your memorialists humbly pray that such measures 

 may be speedily adopted by Congress for the pacific 

 settlement of our present difficulties, as will embrace 

 substantially such a plan of compromise as may be 

 deemed expedient to restore tranquillity and peace to 

 our distracted country. 



This was signed by an immense number of 

 names. Similar petitions were largely circu- 

 lated, and in some cases obtained as many local 

 names as there were voters. A committee, 

 composed of Ed. Everett, R. C."Winthrop, Chief- 

 Justice Lemuel Shaw, E. S. Toby, Amos A. 

 Lawrence, the Union candidate for Governor, 

 C. L. Woodbury, went to Washington with the 

 Union memorial of the city to Congress, and 

 on the 29th it was presented to that body. It 

 contained 14,127 signatures of legal voters. The 

 vote of the city at the last election had been 

 19,000. Two days were required to obtain the 

 signatures, which were those of persons of all 

 political parties. The petition was carried to 

 the clerk's desk, enveloped in the flag of the 

 Union, amid the applause of a large number of 

 the representatives and of the spectators. 



The Legislature adjourned April 13, the day of 

 the attack on Fort Sumter, having been in ses- 

 sion 100 days. The events which immediately 

 followed, made an extra session necessary, and it 

 was convened May 14. A law was passed, May 

 21, creating a sinking fund to redeem the war 

 debt by applying to it moneys that may be re- 

 ceived from the United States, and a tax of one- 

 tenth per cent, of the balance over such sums. 



On the same day was passed an " act for the 

 maintenance of the Union and the Constitution." 

 This ratified the proceedings of the Governor 

 in relation to the war, and invested him with 

 power to arm, equip, and officer troops, and fix 

 their rank and pay, and to adjust accounts with 

 the United States. It created the "Union 

 Fund," and authorized the issue of $3,000,000 

 in scrip, bearing 6 per cent, coupons, payable 

 after 10 years or at 30 years. 



A supplemental act empowered the Governor 

 to issue scrip for $7,000,000 6 per cent, to be 

 loaned to the United States, and expended in 

 treasury notes. 



On the 23d was passed an act " in aid of the 

 families of volunteers." It empowered towns 

 and cities to raise money for soldiers' families. 

 A bill for organizing the home guard was also 

 passed. 



On the 23d the Legislature adjourned. Many 

 of the members made a donation of their pay 

 to the volunteer fund, and the session closed 

 by singing the " Star- Spangled Banner," and 

 other patriotic songs. 



Sept. 30, over $1,200,000 were bid at and 

 above par for the new Massachusetts 6 per cent. 

 State loan for $1,000,000. 



The Republican State Convention, fully at- 

 tended, was called to order at "Worcester, Oct. 

 1. Gov. Andrew was nominated by acclama- 

 tion. The resolutions adopted declared that 

 the maintenance of the Constitution transcends 

 any other question, and demands the life and 

 property of all citizens ; expressed a desire for 

 the union of all the friends of the country 

 against its pretended friends and open enemies ; 

 declared that no rights secured to loyal citizens 

 shall be endangered, and that disloyal citizens 

 have no rights adverse to those who are loyal ; 

 approved the acts of the Administration ; recog- 

 nized the devotion of the volunteers ; endorsed 

 the acts of Governor Andrew, and recommend- 

 ed the exercise of great care in nominating sub- 

 ordinate officers. 



Resolutions were also offered, declaring that 

 the people of the State would rejoice, when the 

 time should come, in the wisdom of the Gov- 

 ernment, to remove slavery, and to free all 

 slaves within the lines of the Federal armies, 

 compensating loyal owners. 



This resolution w r as laid on the table, and the 

 motion to adjourn was carried without acting 

 upon it. 



The vote at the election for Governor was: 



I860 Andrew, 104.527; opposition, 65.007 



1861 " 65,261; " 31,264 



On the 24th of November the San Jacinto 



