William Schouler, A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War: Volume 1

[244] upon it. The Republican Convention met at Worcester, on the first day of October, of which Hon. Henry L. Dawes was chosen President. On taking the chair, he made an eloquent speech, in which he recommended that a liberal policy be pursued in making nominations, and carrying on the war. He paid a well-deserved tribute to the Boston Morning Post, the leading Democratic paper in the New-England States, for its patriotic course in sustaining the Government, and said,—

It was fitting, therefore, as it was patriotic, for the organ of that party in this Commonwealth to summon, as it has, to this council the representatives of all her “citizens who are in favor of union for the support of the Government, and for a vigorous prosecution of the war against wicked and unprovoked rebellion; and who are determined, in good faith and without reservation, to support the constituted authorities in all attempts to restore the sway of the Constitution and laws over every portion of our country.” [Applause.] . . . We are here, in the presence of the public peril, ready to sink, more than hitherto, the partisan in the patriot: counting it honor, as well as duty, to lock arms with such glorious patriots as the noble Holt [applause], working at the pumps, whoever is at the helm; the bold and unflinching Johnson [applause], nailing his flag to the mast; and the peerless Everett [applause], sounding the clarion-notes of his stirring eloquence along the ranks of the army of the Union, from the ocean to the perilous front of the war, on the dark and bloody ground of Kentucky or the battle-fields of Missouri.

This speech was the key-note to the convention. When Mr. Dawes concluded his speech, John A. Andrew was nominated by acclamation, and without opposition, for re-election. A motion was then made to have a ballot for Lieutenant-Governor. Thomas Russell, Esq., of Boston, moved to amend the motion, that a committee of two from each congressional district be appointed to report nominations for the other officers to the convention. He said, ‘We have come here to lock arms with Holt and Dickinson and Butler and Frothingham and Greene, and we have got to do it in some practical way.’ This amendment was carried, and a committee appointed, which subsequently reported, for Lieutenant-Governor, Edward Dickinson, of Amherst; for Secretary of State, Richard Frothingham, of Charlestown; for Treasurer, Henry K. Oliver, of Salem;