no one knew what the
arrangement would be. I am sure that I had no assurance that either
place would be assigned to me. The leaders of the Free-soil Party were
resolute in demanding the place in the Senate, so that their views on
the subject of slavery might be there set forth, and there were many
Democrats who preferred the control of the State.

The coalition had control of the State for the political years of 1851
and 1852. An act was passed which provided for a secret ballot, and by
another act the question of a Constitutional Convention was submitted
to the voters of the State. In March, 1853, an election was held for
the choice of delegates. A majority of the delegates elected were
members of the Democratic and Free-soil parties.

Although I had made a resolution to retire from active participation in
politics at the end of my term as Governor, I was so much committed to
the objects of the Convention, and so much interested in its success,
that I could not avoid giving my time to the canvass for the election
of members. It happened, however, that I gave no attention to my own
town, and the Whig candidate, John G. Park, was elected. My defeat was
due to my action upon the liquor bill, which was enacted at the session
of 1852. The Legislature passed a prohibitory law, subject to its
ratification by the people by the use of the open ballot. The question
of the secret ballot was one of the prominent questions between the
parties, and at the session of 1851 the coalition had passed an act
requiring the votes to be deposited in envelopes of uniform character
and to be furnished by the State. I vetoed the bill upon the ground
that if the bill was to be submitted to the people the secret ballot
should be used. Thereupon the Legislature passed a similar bill
without a reference to the people. The bill was passed by the help of
the Whig members from Boston, who were in fact opposed to the measure,
and with the design of placing me in an unpleasant position. Contrary
to their expectation, I signed the bill. As a temperance man, I could
not have done otherwise, although I thought it proper to submit the
question to the people by the use of the secret ballot.

Many members of the Democratic Party in Groton were users of liquor,
and they voted for my opponent in the contest for a delegate to the
Convention. Mr. Park was a Whig, but moderate in his feelings, an
upright man, and a fair representative of the Cons