Gentlemen, before General Taylor’s nomination, I stated always, when the subject was mentioned by my friends, that I did not and could not recommend the nomination of a military man to the people of the United States for the office of President.  It was against my conviction of what was due to the best interests of the country, and to the character of the republic.  I stated always, at the same time, that if General Taylor should be nominated by the Whig Convention, fairly, I should not oppose his election.  I stand now upon the same declaration.  General Taylor has been nominated fairly, as far as I know, and I cannot, therefore, and shall not, oppose his election.  At the same time, there is no man who is more firmly of opinion that such a nomination was not fit to be made.  But the declaration that I would not oppose General Taylor, if nominated by the Whig party, was of course subject, in the nature of things, to some exceptions.  If I believed him to be a man who would plunge the country into further wars for any purpose of ambition or conquest, I would oppose him, let him be nominated by whom he might.  If I believed that he was a man who would exert his official influence for the further extension of the slave power, I would oppose him, let him be nominated by whom he might.  But I do not believe either.  I believe that he has been, from the first, opposed to the policy of the Mexican war, as improper, impolitic, and inexpedient.  I believe, from the best information I can obtain,—­and you will take this as my own opinion, Gentlemen,—­I believe, from the best information I can obtain, that he has no disposition to go to war, or to form new States in order to increase the limits of slavery.

Gentlemen, so much for what may be considered as belonging to the Presidency as a national question.  But the case by no means stops here.  We are citizens of Massachusetts.  We are Whigs of Massachusetts.  We have supported the present government of the State for years, with success; and I have thought that most Whigs were satisfied with the administration of the State government in the hands of those who have had it.  But now it is proposed, I presume, on the basis of the Buffalo Platform, to carry this into the State elections, as well as into the national elections.  There is to be a nomination of a candidate for Governor, against Mr. Briggs, or whoever may be nominated by the Whigs; and there is to be a nomination of a candidate for Lieutenant-Governor, against Mr. Reed, or whoever may be nominated by the Whigs; and there are to be nominations against the present members of Congress.  Now, what is the utility or the necessity of this?  We have ten members in the Congress of the United States.  I know not ten men of any party who are more zealous, and firm, and inflexible in their opposition against slavery in any form.