Edward L. Pierce, Memoir and letters of Charles Sumner: volume 3

¹ Webster, who had complained of want of support in the Massachusetts delegation, welcomed the new member as ‘the personation of Boston,—ever intelligent, ever patriotic, ever glorious Boston.’² Eliot did not disappoint those who had promoted his election. Though a few months before he had voted for antislavery resolves in the State Legislature, he voted in Congress for the Fugitive Slave law and all the Compromise measures; and in the autumn published a letter defending his course at length.³ As he declined a re-election, William Appleton, known to have the same views, was nominated in the autumn to succeed him, over George T. Bigelow, the candidate of the ‘Atlas’ Whigs; and Mr. Appleton, both in caucus and in the house, proved as faithful to the Compromise as his predecessor.

Whigs of all shades, with very rare exceptions, abstained from public demonstrations against the Compromise. In the autumn of 1850 a large meeting was held in Faneuil Hall to protect persons claimed as fugitive slaves. C. F. Adams presided; Rev. Dr. Lowell offered a prayer; R. H. Dana, Jr., read resolutions; the venerable Josiah Quincy, sent a letter, giving the authority of his name to the cause; Frederick Douglass pleaded for his race; and a committee of vigilance was appointed; but Boston Whigs were conspicuous by their absence.

The Webster Whigs undertook to exclude from public life all who continued their protests against the Compromise. They were unable to reach Fowler and Scudder, whose districts were remote from Boston; but they defeated Mann's renomination in a district contiguous to the city. With the support of the Free Soilers, and of Whig friends led by George R. Russell, he was re-elected. In Boston, as in other commercial centres, the effort was made in imposing demonstrations to suppress agitation for the repeal of the Compromise. The meeting at Faneuil Hall⁴