Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-12-26


ton, can afford no adequate Compensation or
relief.
But without considering who of us has felt
most keenly the dangers through which our
country has passed, let us endeavor to ascer.
tain where we now are and whether there
are any duties incumbent upon us, the dis
charge of which will prevent the recurrence of
the same dangers from the same or similar
causes.
Gentlemen, it is impossible for any stranger
to stand here, upon this occasion, and not to be
Impressed with the magnitude and Importance,
and papable character of the stake which you
have in this great question of the preserva-
ton of the Union. | presume it is literally
true, that you do not feed and clothe YOUR
selves, and maintain free schools, and endow
colleges, and support noble Institutions OF char
ty, out of the produce ofyour soil. Your in
terests and your industry look for other returns
than those which can come from soil so cold
that the maize of the Indian will scarcely rip
en- upon it. You are great shlp-owning and
shlp-buildlng State. Inc tonnage of your
State Is about one seventh of the whole tom
mage of the United States; and yon annually
build one-thlrd of all the tonnage built in the
whole country, and nearly twice as much as Is
butt IN any other State IN the Union
During the year ending on the 30th June,
1919 the tables show that there was built in
the United States a tonnage of 256,577 tons,
of which S2,255 tons were built In the State
of Maine being nearly double the amount
built IN New York, and nearly four times the
amount bun either In Massachusetts or Penn
sylvanla. On the same Both day of June,
lS49, the whole tonnage of the United States
was ), ,S34 ,0l5 tons: and the tonnage of Maine
WIS 400, 400 tons. This single district of Bath
ranks as the seventh In amount of tonnage, in
the United States, being exceeded only by Bos-
ton, New Bedford, New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, and New Orleans.
But this magnificent contribution 10 the COM
mcrce of of your country is not made by mate
rlals furnished by your own soil. The timber
OF the Whole Atlantic coast, from the Bay of
Funday 10 the Gulf OF Mexico, bows beneath
your ''sturdy strokes" By your artisans, and
on the spot where II falls, II Is fashioned into
the forms which naval construction requires
and by your seamen 1t is brought hither, 10 be
built into those noble structures which are per-
petually waited from your shores, 10 swell the
enormous commercial marine of America, whose
canvass whitens on every sea throughout the
globe. | stand with astonlshment and admra-
ton, in the homes of this giant industry. An
lmated by the reslStiess energy and guided by
the prudence and sagacity OF the New Eng land
mind, 1t has made you what you are, aud Is
destined, if unchecked, to carry you 10 point
in the scale of civilization, to which the world
affords no parallel In community possessed
of so few local advantages.
Bat imagine 10 yourselves the great protect
ing power of the Union to be- withdrawn from
existence. Imagine an export duty on timber.
imposed by the Atlantic States OF the South
Figure to yourselves a state of non-intercourse
with those communities, and an exclusion from
their borders Above all, imagine the period,
when the flag which now protects this immense
commerce, shall have ceased to be respected or
respectable, or even TO be known on the ocean,
and your ships shall be left in every quarter of
the world, TO be protected by your own te bic
and unaided power. | will not say that your
people will be seen begging their bread but
if any man supposes that you could continue
the same prosperous, intelligent, cultivated peo-
pie, with all that makes the lie OF people
tend 10 the best developement of human exist
ence, he can see means of salvation for you,
which lies beyond my penetration, IN the dark
uncertainties of the future.
Gentlemen, make no apology for reminding
you of these great interests. What the self
styled " philanthropy " of the present day
would call base and sordid motive, true
craftsmanship recognizes as most efficient
principle of action, wisely implanted by an all
wise Creator, TO be the means. under His gud-
ance, of holding civil society together, and car
rylng II on towards the perfection which tie
has designed for it. | wish that the interest of
every Stale IN this Union, IN the question OF lis
preservation, were as direct, as pllpaole 10 the
sense-yes, lf'' philanthropy will choose the
world wish 1t were as gross, as yours, and
that lis people would see and act upon II, as
am sure you will see and act upon yours.
state only what you all know. when l say,
that Immediately on the Adjournment OF Con
gress, after the adjustment OF those measures Ut
pachcation 10 which | have alluded, the cry OF
Repeal was raised, and that cry still rings in
our ears. Notwithstanding the fact that those
measures were notorIously passed. as an ADJUST
ment OF conflicting interests between different
sections OF the country, and for the very purpose
of settling controversies full of cliiculty and
danger. there were men SO rash and headslrong
that regardless OF all dangers and needless Of all
Consequences they at once announced their de-
termination 10 renew and serpetuate the strife.
1t is true There has been in some quarters, within
few days past apparent abatement of tone
pOot-
poned, not abandoned. The sole change, that |
have been able TO discover is this that whereas
4 few short weeks or days since, the compro-
mise measures, especially that which concerns
the surrender OF FugItlves, were 10 be repealed
Instantly, ii is said, in certain quarters, that
they are not be repealed al this session Of Con-
greSs. But still they are 10 be repealed. We
are 10 have no permanent repose. The rod is
stlll TO be held up. The idea is still to be held
out, as means OF political agitation, that these
measures are not final established policy that is
to be suffered to continue. There is to be a TEN
porarv lull, after which we are to have another
Storm This is the present attitude of one class
of politicians included In the wide ranks of the
political party 10 which | belong. The attitude
of another class, who are concerned in the agl-
taton of these subjects, is that of persons who at
all times, ard under all circumstances, mean 10
prevent all accommodation with the South and
who desire, and are "ready tor'' the worst ;
who mean to plao the general government If
they can, in active and open hostility TO the in
stitutions of the slave States, and who do not
mean that the free States shall comply with the
reausitons Of the Constitution for tile surrender
of Fugitives.
Now, have some views to present on these
subjects, which seem 10 me important. Wheth-
er they are 50 or not, you Will Judge. 1t has
seemed to me, for considerable period, that
unless the people Of the free States, by reso-
lutte determination, on survey of all its con-
sequences, put stop TO the aati-slavery polll-
cal agitation, this government caunot long en-
dure think So, because the direct tendency
of this agitation, is TO undermine the love and
respect and obedience OF the people TO the Con-