The republic., 1851-04-11
Interesting Reuninisoences.

The following paper we copy from the Bos
ton Transcript, isolating it from the series in
which it appears, at the risk of doing injustice
to its author. There is no person in the north
ern States who has written with more point
and effect on subjects connected with the Fugi-
tive law than the writer from whom we quote;
and no one has done more to animate the cti-
zens Of Boston with the determination to put
down the incendiaries and traitors and maintain
the laws.
The "reminiscences of the celebrated SAMUEL
DEXTER, MIR. j. q. ADAMS, and the war times
OF 1912, contained in the article annexed, can
Not fail to be read with great interest.
THE PEACE AND DIGNITY OF THE COMMON
wEALTH.-NO. X.
| In an earlier number | had occasion to re-
mark, "The language of the law, for all the
practical purposes of government, is sufficiently
precise. We are clearly informed what con-
stitutes a riot-what is levying war-what is
treason. And these definitions are well worth
| the serious consideration of all the white and
black lawyers and clergymen who, directly or
| indirectly, are ut the present moment engaged
in the work of agitation"
| entertain no doubt that thousands Of agita-
| tors are, at this very moment, in respect to
their legal responsibility standing unconscious
| ly upon the very brink of an awful precipico
Unlearned men are apt to suppose themselves
perfectly secure, amid these troubled waters Of
agitation, with la,cyers for pilots. Whoever
would measure the depth and breadth of this
popular error may we'll glance at Ireland, and
count up, if he can, her men Of the legal pro-
fession, who, after leading thousands to des-
/ have off tharh boor roI
| ed for treason, or who have expatriated them
selves to avoid its pains and penalties.
During the most exciting period Of the last
war with Great Britain, many things were
hastily said and done in the town of Boston, to
| be regretted at leisure. Those were fiery times
| chanced to be upon committee and much
| the youngest member of that committee, to
consider the propriety of strengthening the de-
fences of the harbor, after the destruction of the
Capitol at Washington. The other members
were the late Mr.. Otis, General Arnold Welles,
Mr.. George Blake, and General Cobb, of the
revolutionary army. 1t was decided to report
in favor Of strengthening the defences by a bare
| nsajOrity. l distinctly remember the observa.
tion of General Cobb, whose manner of speech
was, on common occasions, sufficiently blunt,
and whose political antipathies were very
strong "Let 'em conse-any Thing ,cill be bel
l y,
was hasty expression but it was in keeping
with spirit then extant.
| In those days, some seven or eight and thirty
years ago, relative of mine, who had strong
sympathy with those who opposed the exist
ing administration and the war, was President
OF the Suffolk Insurance office. That office, in
those days, was more remarkable for politics
than policies. Its dividends were small. 1t
was the arena where men of eminence as
sembled from day to day, and discussed, with
some little share of acrimony, at last, the high
ly exciting topics of those feverish times.
There John Quincy Adams was occasionally
exceedingly eloquent, pro patria, maintaining
the opinion, that, in the existing condition of
things, it was great ,orong for any American
citizen, by his pen or his tongue, to cast obsta-
cles in the way of the General Government
There that pre-eminently great man, and
genuine patriot, Samuel Dexter, upon more
than one occasion, manfully combatted what
he believed to be reasonable doctrines; and
there he delivered that memorable speech,
worthy of broader arena, and much larger
assembly, which may in a certain sense be
considered the valedictory of that truly great
statesman to his party. In that address he
told them that, when the gauntlet had been
thrown down by one nation and taken up by
another, and the contest was raging between
them, he who, by any means whatever, did
aught to paralyze or enfeeble the energies of
his own country, gaze comfort to the enemy,
and was, virtually, traitor "From his old
friends" says DR.. Allen, che separated, and
lent the aid Of his powerful mind in support of
the war Of 1912, while they were throwing
obstacles in The way Of its prosecution. He
maintained that they had changed, and that
he was unchangeable." He discovered, then,
that the party platform was altogether too mar
row for the foot of a patriot; and, like Mr.
Webster at the present day, he took his posi-
ton upon broad, national ground--the area of
the whole country
Party feeling then was at fever heat and
gentlemen INDUCED themselves in great free
dom of speech. In the security of the festal
hall, and where, all around the convivial board,
were Of one way Of thinking, some bold sayings
were uttered with impunity in relation to
that truly great man some Of which were sub
sequently trusted, upon venture, to the public
ear.
Not long ago collated recollections with
highly respected friend in regard to an occur
renee, of that era, in Faneui Hall, of which
that friend and myself were witnesses. Mr.
Dexter, by assuming the attitude he had taken,
was already in disfavor with his former po-
litical friends, or with some of them. He had
already delivered his opinions repeatedly, and
with great explicitness, upon the state of pub
lie affairs. A gentleman of great oratorical
powers, standing in front of the old select
mems box" as 1t was called, was then address
ing the citizens. Within the box, on the
speakers left hand, and little in the rear of
him, sat Mr.. Dexter. was standing close be-
hind him. on the outside of the box. After de-
scribing the course Of policy which the speaker
and the party intended to pursue, he exclaimed,
in higher key: "From these principles ,ce
are not to be driren by the fear Of this admins
tration on the one hand, nor by the uoice of
apostacy on the other" While uttering the
last alternative branch of the sentence, he
turned slightly round to the left with wave,
or rather fling, of the hand in the direction Of
MIR. Dexter. The effect was electric-the
force and intention Of the remark were not to
ho rnicfalan Mr. noxtar Lalc c. L =