Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-12-19

asst, was employed By those who put ssthat ball IN
notion" Large hand-bills were printed and c'rcn-
ated throughout the ccunty--the most popular
in town were placed by the bakers dozen: oo'n
IN the Committee Of Arrangements and on the Com
nittee on nesolutiops--the Burlington Brass BAND
iiscoursed most eloquent music Throughout the
own.-the heavy toned Methodist church Bell had
10 be runs long and loud at three different times
runners were employed to collect the reopie-ano
,f,er waiting two whole hours beyond the time ap.
nontcd the church was not more than one-third
full, when the meeting was called to order. These
IRE facts known to all notwithstanding the writer
Of the Proceedings to which he has attached all the
names Of the officers of the meeting, declares that
< At I2 O'clock the house, was sscro,cdcd." There
was no time in which the assembly was as numer-
ous as is ordinarily the Sabbath, except while
Mr. Child was speaking. AS soon as he closed, a
took place and nearly half the slips
continued empty, and at the important time Of the
passage Of the resolutions, the house was not
more than third filed. So much for the "great.
est meeting ever held in Burlington"
The day was mild and the roads were good
Now, will those who put "that ball in notion"
pretend to say that the multituaes who declined
obeyng the call and who were not present, are any
less lovers Of this Union than themselves? They
dare not say it. There are multitudes who stayed
away because they refused all participation in
praising the Fugitive Slave Law. A law that
would take the farmer from his plough, at the
command Of the Marshal to catch fugitive slave,
or pay fine OF one thousand dollars and be i'm
prisoned into the bargain. Many absented them
selves, too because they look upon the law as in
human and unjust. A larger multitude we're alb
sent because,-although they would do anything
to preserve the Union,--they thought the wording
of the call and the prominence given in it to some
thing else, designed 10 promote disunion rath-
er than advance the cause ofthe Union. If any who
attended tina. meeting and on account OF 1t any
more attached to this Union than they were before.
then this latter class may have misjudged. We
know Of none who no,c love the Union any more
than they did before last Saturday-or the fugitive
slave law either. We took upon tin view Of
numbers and the accomplishment Of any good OBJ
iect--as failure.
The manner of its being conducted should also
be noticed, because that is general theme on the
street. To show that all were invited to engage in
the discussion, we herewith append the call, which
we were obliged to crowd out last week:
MASS UNION MEETING.
The citizens Of OLD DEs MONIES, without dis
tncton Of parties, are respectfully and earnestly
invited to attend the MASS UNloN MEETING. to be
held in Burlington, Des Moines county, Iowa, on
SATURDAY, the lath day Of December inst, at 10
O'Clock A.. NJ. and give full and decided express
sion Of their opinions relation to the important
measures, especially the FroIT,vE SLAVE BILL,
which passed Congress during its last session, and
received the sanction of the President.
Able and distinguished speakers have consented
to address the meeting. The services OF the Bur-
lington Brass Band have bee n secured and room
obtained suitable for the occasion.
Come, old and young! come, all who love your
country and its institutions! and testify by one
unanimous voice, that you are, and hope to be,
for the Union and the Constitution Of these United
States.
Mr. Srocx1oS first addressed the meeting sfter
the Chairman delivered his Inaugural, which in
spirit and letter is credi,abie to his pen. The
speech Of Mr. 5. was evidently studied one, and
every body thought, from the numerous quotations
he read from the scriptures, that he was attempting
70 give what is sometimes called sthe bible srgu-
ment'' in favor OF slavery. After he had closed,
the Rev. Mr. CoRKHILL claimed the floor. In the
face Of the above call and the statements of the
chair, the Chairman Of the Committee Of Arrange
ments jumped up and appealed to the Chairman to
know there were not regular speakers provided,
and intuaated that Mr. c. was out OF order. The
Chairman said he believed there were regular
Speakers and that after they were through others
would have an opportunity to speak.
Mr. CorkhiN.-I did not wish to interrupt the
meeting, but from the invitation supposed was in
order. As the gentleman had quoted largely from
the Bible to prove that that book counteanced sla-
very
Mr. ton pfi Se p,iSfa la~
was not my object to prove that the bible counte-
nanced slavery. -.
Mr. Corkhill.-1f that be the case, Mr. Chairman,
then have nothing to say.
So, after laboring an hour to do what every one
in the house supposed he was aiming at, he took
back all his edible argument.'' His course saved,
to some extent, the meeting from being chargeahle
with Inconsistency in gagging all but irregular spea-
kers.s,
Mr. CHILD followed Mr. stockton in popular
speech. II there was any thing hearty in il, it
his denunciations against the sshigher laws men,
There was more life and stirring vivacity in his
than in either Of the "reguiar' speeches.
Mr. HALL was the next "regular" speaker. He
occupied between two and three hours, in an able
argumentin support of the consttutionaity and ex-
pediency Of the Fugitive Slave Law. He made a
small stumble in reference to Blackstone's views,
but got out OF it by denouncing the "higher'' law
men. pis argument in relation to Habeus Corpus
and the required mode Of retaking the Slave was
onyincing legal effort, but shutting out all
bowels of compassion in behalf OF humanity it was
cold and cruel.
Mr. BROWNING followed as the last ssregular''
speaker We did not hear him, but we learned that
he made very creditable speech, in the course OF
which he conceded the right to discuss the propri-
ETY. of modifying the Fugitive slave law
| There had been much said in derision of the
sshigher law''-and II we mistake not even the res.
olutions have been somewha. modified since they
were read at the meeting both in this and other
| spects--but after the Rev. Mr. SHlxN's insisting
that there was higher io,o, which he manfuly vim
Dictated, and the endorsement they gave his speech
II would not look consistent for them to persist in
| ridicuiing and denying the existence of shighe,
law.'' Mr. Shinn won them all by declaring his
belief that the Constitution was in unison with the
higher, or divine law.
Mr. sALrER was called on to speak. Unexpected
as the cal, was to him, he nevertheless made mos,
eloquent, manly and patriotic speech.
Or - made speech. He was opposed to the
fugitive slave law, but as law he did not wish to
resist Il. All he wanted was TO have the privilege
o. not being compelled to cooperate in catching
slaves. During his speech several attempts were
made TO interrupt him by stamping, &C., but he hu-
morously turned it to his own account and declar.