One morning there was a conference between the
Massachusetts delegation, which was composed of radical men only, and
the radical members of the New York delegation, at which it was
agreed that a speech should be made in opposition, and that
Massachusetts should lead. The duty was put upon me, accompanied with
the suggestion that I should speak that day. I had not made any
preparation, but during the time that I had occupied a seat in the
convention, my conviction had been strengthened that it was impossible
to adopt a plan that would be acceptable to the contending parties,
and consequently that any scheme of compromise that could be framed
would result in a renewal of the controversy, under circumstances less
favorable to the North. At that moment the government was in the
hands of men who were incapable of decisive action. While we could not
count upon active measures against secession on the part of Mr.
Buchanan, on the other hand, the country had ample assurance that he
would do nothing in aid of the unlawful proceeding. That he had
declared in his message of December, 1860. Beyond that, we had a right
to assume that Mr. Lincoln would maintain the Union by force. Hence, I
resolved to say that no scheme would be accepted by us which did not
contain an abandonment of the doctrine of secession, an acknowledgment
of the legality of Mr.
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