Hence they were ready to
endorse whatever the Washington authorities demanded. Consequently
our platforms tended to alienate voters rather than to attract them.
This policy was very disagreeable to the younger members of the party,
but they were unable to resist it. The Boston _Post,_ owned by Colonel
Greene, was the leading Democratic paper in the State. Many of the
country papers followed its lead. The Worcester _Palladium_ was an
exception, but its influence was limited.
Greene and Hallett attributed the defeat of General Cass to the
defection of the South and for the time they were disposed to sanction
or to permit a policy of retaliation. Consequently the State
Convention of 1849 was disposed to utter the sentiments of the party
in regard to slavery. For many years Hallett had been the chairman of
the Committee on Resolutions. He was designated for that position in
1849. The Free-soil Party had already become a power in the State.
It was led by men who had been prominent in the Whig Party in its last
days. Hallett reported a resolution in which was this expression:
"We are opposed to slavery throughout all God's heritage." When the
Democratic Party regained power in 1853 this declaration threatened to
impede Hallett in his plans for office and influence. Pierce made
allowances for the circumstances and rewarded Hallett with the office
of district attorney.
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