The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-21
LETTER FROM PORTSMOUTH.
tha Editor ofthe Boston Courier

In reading an article in your paper of to-day,
styled &" Agitation in New Hampshire, " | was
surprised at the misrepresentation by your nfor-
n13nt of the ''dongs" of those meetings alluded to
in the article, and presuming that whatever may be
your opinion of the " Fugitive slave law" you
wish TO publish only facts, have taken the liberty
to write you an impartial statement Of them:
meeting of the citizens OF Portsmouth, with
out distinction Of party, was called, to be holden
on Monday evening, to express their OPINIONS
upon the Fugitive slave law, or, in other words,
to ascertain the feeling of Portsmouth in regard to
! it. 1t was neither Union or disunion meeting !;
but free to all, of whatever opinion. No person,
therefore, acting as an officer, could be justly said
to '.be caught in an abolition trap.
The call was signed by as strong Union men as
we have among us, and in accordance with it a
large number OF our citizens assembled, and Sc
lected for the officers of the meeting, DR.. Charles
A. Cheever, President; Alderman John Knowl-
| ton and Hon Samuel Cleaves, Vice Presidents,
and Samuel A. Badger, esq, Secretary the first
Wing, and the remainder good working Wings,
past members of the New Hampshire legislature,
and supporters of the present Administration
On Monday evening the meeting was conducted
in an orderly and peaceable manner, the discus
sion becoming somewhat excited towards the close,
and the meeting was adjourned on account of the
lateness of the hour, no action having been taken
on the first resolutions those Of Mr.. Jenness,
which were offered as a substitute.
AT the meeting, on Tuesday evening, the hall
was nieu al an early hOur, anu u a'oiu
ance, las some thought there would beg the reso-
lutons were Immediately disposed Of Mr.. Jen-
ness 5 were laid upon the table, and the other Sc
ries adopted by large vote. The motion to adj
journ was carried, and the officers left. But as
some had come for sport, and were determined to
several unsuccessful trials, by selecting Augustus
Jenkins, President, and Marceus Butford Sec
rotary.
Mr.. Jenness's resolutions were procured and
offered to the meeting again, when the discussion
became more excited than at the former meeting,
the opposers of the law being evidently largely in
the majority, Notwithstanding many of them had
left, from the decided Misrepresentation manifested
at the remarks Of the supporters Of the law, until
one of the latter speakers had been completely
"hissed down" The meeting from that time
was in utter confusion, so that the voice OF the
President could not be heard by those Of us who
occupied the front seats. Amidst this disturbance
the President left his stand, stating 10 outdoors
people that the resolutions were passed and the
meeting adjourned. If any motion had been put
to the meeting at that time, the only motion that
could properly be put was the motion that was
made during the evening, to lay Mr.. Jenness s mo-
ton on the table, as motion to lay on the table
takes precedence.
consider that no series Of resolutions was fair
ly passed, but if there could have been fair eX
preston Of the meeting on Mr.. Jenness's resolu-
tons, they would have been rejected by large
vote, being too much like such resolutions We
should expect to be offered by an ultra Southern
man. third meeting, large and quiet, was then
held, and addressed by several speakers. J he
first series of resolutions was then adopted, after
voting to lay Mr.. Jenness's resolutions on the ia
BILE. The meeting was then addressed by the fu-
gitive slave, (who spoke now for the first time y
and collection of ia to SIG raised for him to
assist him in purchasing the freedom Of his fami-
W. This is the only meeting at which the reso-,
lutions could be said to be fairly passed, and this
was an informal meeting, as was the one preced-
| ing 1t. Having stated the facts in the case,
leave the matter Of correcting your former article
to you. FRIEND TO THE UNION
November 10Th, 1850.