Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-12-26
Speech of Hon. Nathan Clifford.

fully in tbc objects If This meeting /, afford, ~,
sincere pleasure TO be present on this occasion.
and ioin heart and vo;r. v;tb vou in nrono,ira
the patriotic purpose for which Won have AZ.
sembled Similar meetings We been held in
most of the large commercial cities Of The Uni-
| ted States. They were numerouslv attended.
and conducted with enthusiasm, and rntre
unanimity All classes of citizen. seern 70
have Joined together with one accord in obedi-
ence to the advice of the Father of our conntrv.
to frown upon the first davnino of an .,tsr,nt
| to alenate one portion of our country frorn ,bs
rest, and "to enfeeble m. sacred f;-s xb;ch
now link together the various part.." Tbi. ia
as it should be- and a, I trust it will ever he.
whenever any class of men in this conntrv a.
tempt, under any pretence whatever. to disturb
| the harmony of our Union by gcopraphical
determinations" or to distract the deliberations
of Congress by appeals to sectional differences
| or prejudiccs. 1t may be that this popular
movement has been too long deferred, and yet
it is cheering to be able to see and feel that it
is not too late to arouse the people to a sense of
the danger which threatens and of the necessi-
| ty of providing speedy and effectual remedy.
Let those scott who will the meetings re-
| ferred to, have done much good, and their in
| huence will be felt, even beyond the shores of
the United States. While the enemies of our
| free institutions in foreign lands will feel cold
chill run through their veins when they learn
that Philadelphia, New York and Boston, have
accepted the compromise, and sworn new allie
! glance to the Constitution and the Union-the
! friends of freedom everywhere will take new
courage and rejoice. No voice having ye, gone
! forth from the friends Of the Union in Maine
the inquiry is often made, What will Maine do
| in this emergency 1t is not within nv prov
ince, fellow citizens. TO answer the inquiry. II
! belongs to the people to sneak for themselves
| at such time and in such manner as they
shall select, and doubt not they will respond
| satisfactorily in due season. II the indications
see around me are any index to their sen,i-
ments and feelings, it requires no gift of proph-
ecy to foretell that response Judging from
what have seen and heard, am led to the
conclusion that the people of this State were
never more devoted to the Union, than at this
moment MY belief is that they have never
| entertained the thought of nullifving any part
| of the Constitution or of the laws of Congress.
and that they Will spurn the CHARGE that thew
are not ready to perform every duty which
those laws and that Constitution enioins.
II is well known TO all who know ANYTHING
! of nv opinions, that l have been opposed to
the slavery agitation. at all times and under all
| circumstances, from the first moment when il
took its rise to the present time. When it frat
| commenced many wears ago. it appeared TO
| me to be nearly sense,ess II had no aim or
purpose so far as could see or understand
| Those engaged in the work of agitation. asked
nothing. proposed nothing-they seemed TO
content themselves with mere clamor and emp
" defamation against the Southern States and
the institution of slavery. The history of this
! agitation when examined in connection with
the astonishing growth and pros, Gritty of our
country throughout the whole period is with
out parallel in the annals of political affairs
Whether or not, it was harmless in the begin
ming, it is not necessary now to inquire We
know that it had but few adherents and there
fore attracted but little Of the public attention
Things have chansed-greatly changed. The
agitators have gained some strength, and it 10
now manifest that they have considerable hold
upon the popular sentiment of New England
The moment they ACQUIRED influence. some Of
the more daring of their leaders came forward
and boldly avowed The intent and aim of the
agitation. 1t is now seen in all its deformity,
embracing as it does in its scope and ultimate
purpose. the abolition of slavery every where II
these United States The means for the accom-.
accom- plishment of this end, as every sane man
knows, are, and can be, no other than the dis.
solution of the Union, and the consequent, over
throw of our Federal Constitution. Without
undertaking to fix the precise time when this
agitation commenced. it is safe to affirm tha, il
has been kept up for more than twenty wears
and throughout the whole period las been
gradually weakening and undermining the
bond of union between the northern and south
ern portions of this confederacy. The asitators
have not confined their operations to our non
MAR assemblies-;hey have carried the work
into tbe elections and from thence 10 the Lev
sIatures Of the states and into the halls of Con.
uress. and there made it the lever to promote
gl;enation and fraternal discord II will r..
useful think to glance at some of these mai.
trrs and trace them nm 70 the openinp Of The
lac, sess;on of Congresx in order m nnder,,snd
,ha r,o,n;,rda Of .bs a;tScnhie. which orr
nuhI;o soryan,s bad ~ encounter when ,b,, =,
| r.; 80. oa,,aa ;danardont of m. cor,Isx
, obarao.ar "a ,rtr;ns;c ;m,ort,nce of he op.,-
,;ons ,rh;oh !, hocam. tb.;r duty 10 cons;de,
. Tba r,or1hars of Corgress when thew Assem-
HE'D came together more in the character Of
tho AGENTS of two hostile sections, warning for
mastery. than as the representatives of a great
and rising people bound together under a com .
mon Constitution. by a common interest, where
each re1resents and seek. TO promote the best
good of the whole. What had produced thi.
State of things, so contrary to the true intent
and spirit of our constitution, and so destrue-
tive to every hope of fair and candid delibera-
ton: The answer is plain. II was slavery
agitation-slsvery agitation among the people
in the Legislatures of the States and IN the
Capitol at " ashington. 1t first made its ap-
) pearance in the Capitol of our Union believe
in the form Of petitions for the abolition OF sla-
very in the district of Columbia. Agitation
1 was kept up on this point through series Of
, years, and has not yet entirely ceased. The
speeches made on this subject and scattered
broadcast through the free States, II bound in
volumes of medium size, would constitute Ii
hr,ry Naxt came the petitions to lnterdict