The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-08-05
The ..Tusior, Gathering.

it u>iV-i
The great August meeting of wings, a5ol
itionists, know nothings, Sore heads, &c,
&c, intended to combine in one conglomer
ate mass all the anti Nebraska elements and
flag ends in the county under common
name, came of, after infinite driving and
drumming, at the court house on Tuesday.
Business engagements having required our
attention elsewhere, we were unable to take
back seat at this singular convcnticie--
and we have yet been able TO get hold of no
official account gifts proceedings, but from
the reports of number Of lockers on, we are
enable to give tolerable sketch Of what was
dore.
The most liberal estimate we have heard,
rlaces the highest number in the court
house yard at any one time at $50 persons,
of whom at last Is or 100 took no part in
the proceedings; and Of those who did, at
least 80 came from Pea and La Sale, on
half price tickets granted tor the occasion by
the Rock Island K. R. Co The proportion of
the participants was about wings and six
abolitionsts to one democrat. That the af-
fair, in point Of numbers and material, was
thus a palpable failure, is undenable nor
was it any more fortunate so far as the spirit
and tone of its proceedings were concerned,
if our information is reliable.
The meeting was temporarily organized
by the appointment of Wells Wait as chair
man; but subsequently Judge Leland was
selected as permanent President, and Il. $
Bridges, of La Sale as secretary. Judge L.,
on taking the chair made half hours speech
in which he took general 'tare' at political
parties all round and at the Nebraska men
in particular, and wound up by urging the
necessity of the formation of new party
which he undertook to christen the 'Repub
lican Party. A committee offs was appointed
on resolutions, Of whom we believe Mr. Cof
fing was chairman, and 4. Woodruff, Wells
Wait and 5. r. Lewis were members. The
rest OF the names we could not obtain
While the committee was absent to inspect
the resolutions cut and dried for the Occa.
sion, the meeting was addressed by the Rev
Mr. Sweet Of Peru. On their return the re-
solutions were read, when somewhat de-.
sultory but animated discussion arose on
adopting them en- m0sse or Sc17attmi but
finally it was agreed TO swallow them one at
time. The latter course was insisted on
by the abolitionists, and the secret Of It soon
became apparent. When the resolution in
reference to the fugitive slave law was
reached, Mr. IIough, abo!itionist, moved a
substitute. The resolution Of the commit
tee admitted the c0ns,itutionaity Of the law,
| but recommended its amer dment, while Mr,
H. denied its coustitutonality aud WAS for
unconditional repeal. \ boisterous discussion
followed, Mr.. Coiiing, Champlin, and other
/ leading wings supported the committee reso-
luton, while the abo!iticniG,s in body,
went for the substitute. The wings, how
ever, had the majority ard carried their
| point TIE rest Of the resolutions were OF
the usual abolition stamp, opposing the adj
mission ofslaye territory, &C, &c, with Oh
lv this remarkable feature, that they drop the
issue ofrtDea' ofthe Nebraska bill or the re-
instatsment oftAc Missouri compromise as
mpract;cablc, and resolve simply 10 oppose
the admission for all time to come Of any
more slave states into the Union. The issue
upon which the new party is formed, (and
we admi; it is tire only practicable one is
thus in effect postponed until some slave
state shall apply for admission, and We ara
thus at total loss TO see the necessity iog
the new organization at present. 1t would
certainly be a ruinous waste Of thunder it.
after all, in four or five years, Kansas should
apply for admission as free state. Til,
aboltionists are said 10 be greatly dissatisfied
with this turn Of the matter, for instead o.
having enlisted as they hoped, the wings
under Mcr banner, they have walked NJ to
find that they have been udigi-sd.
The convention wound up by recommend
ing the holding ola congressional convention
at Bloomington at an carly day and appoint
ing a committee, consisting Of r. Thorne,
\. Woodruff, and 5. L. Lewis, to call a
county convention to nominate delegates TO
the congressional convention. to n senatorial
convention, and to nominate candidates for
county officers, &c