President,—Hon. Alexander H. Bullock of Worcester.
Vice-Presidents,—District 1, Nathaniel Coggswell of Yarmouth; District 2, J. H. D. Blake of Braintree; District 3, Theodore Otis of Roxbury; District 4, Nehemiah Boynton of Chelsea; District 5, Timothy Davis of Gloucester; District 6, George Foster of Andover; District 7, Chauncey L. Knapp of Lowell; District 8, Valorous Taft of Upton; District 9, Joel Hayden of Williamsburg; District 10, George L. Wright of West Springfield. At Large,—John Bertram of Salem, George Morey of Boston, Tappan Wentworth of Lowell, Ensign H. Kellogg of Pittsfield, Charles G. Davis of Plymouth, Henry Alexander, Jr., of Springfield.
Secretaries,—Stephen N. Stockwell of Boston, William M. Walker of Pittsfield, Joseph B. Thaxter, Jr., of Hingham, William T. Hollis of Plymouth, Thomas B. Gardner of Boston, Joel Hayden, Jr., of Williamsburg.
John A. Andrew was re-nominated for Governor by acclamation. J. Q. A. Griffin, of Charlestown, introduced a resolution approving the course of the two Senators, and nominating Mr. Sumner for reëlection as Senator, and at the same time said:—
“Remember, it is our duty not only to sustain the arms of the Generals in the field, but likewise to sustain the President in his seat, the Cabinet in its counsels, the Governor in his chair, and, above all, the fearless legislator in his duty. [Loud applause, and cries of ‘Good!’]”
Mr. Griffin was followed by Frederick Robinson, of Marblehead, who hoped that the resolution would be adopted unanimously, and also another, expressing the opinion of Massachusetts in favor of Emancipation. George F. Hoar, of Worcester, agreed with Mr. Robinson. As to the resolution approving Charles Sumner and Henry Wilson, “he liked that,” but he wished, also, “an expression of the opinion of this Convention, that it is the duty of the United States Government, in the further prosecution of the war, to strike the Rebellion where it is weakest.” The different propositions were then referred to a committee. At this stage the letter of Mr. Sumner to the Convention was presented and read by Mr. Claflin.[134]
Among the resolutions subsequently reported were the two following.
“Resolved, That the most decisive measures for the complete and permanent suppression of this Rebellion are the most prudent, and that, as the institution of Slavery is a principal support of it, that institution shall be exterminated.”
“Resolved, That we recognize and acknowledge the preëminent merits and services of our Senators in the Congress of the United States, the Hon. Charles Sumner and the Hon. Henry Wilson. In the posts of duty assigned them by the suffrages of their brother Senators, one as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the other as Chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs, they have cordially and unreservedly, and with masterly ability, supported all governmental measures, and fitly represented the Commonwealth as among the most cheerful and enthusiastic defenders of the Government. And now that the second term of our senior Senator is drawing to a close, we desire to express our warm approbation of his course and appreciation of his services, and to commend him to the suffrages of his fellow-citizens, whom he has served so well, that the Commonwealth may again honor itself by returning to duty at the capital a statesman, a scholar, a patriot, and a man of whom any republic in any age might be proud.”