The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-03-17

whose remarks were Islcheu "" e'N
attention. Among others who addressed
the Convention, and whose remarks 1t would
give us pleasure to publish had we space,
were those made by Mr.. Gilman, representa-
tive from Brunswick, and Mr.. Talbot o.
Pennington both of whose speeches had
the rim. Of the genuine metal. and elected
the marked attention Of the Convention
The speeches we give, were made on tho
second day Of the holding of the Conven
tiJn.
Hon. W. ii. Vinton, from the Committee
appointed to notify Hon. Anson = Morrill,
of his selection as President of the Convc n
ton, announced that Mr.. NJ. was present
and had accepted the trust.
Mn. MORRILL, was loudly called for, and
on taking the chair said, in substance, that
he thanked the convention for the honor
conferred upon him, in inviting him to pre-
side over it's deliberations. He was no; IN
the habit Of lodging any question that come
up for public consideration, and he was
specially anxious on this occasion to par
ticipate in the dOinss Of this convention
He was not anxious TO take the chair, bu, he
was willing. nay more than willing, for he
was on the way to the place Of meeting
when he was met by the committee to in
vi,c him to preside, to unite his voice with
the voices Of his follow citizens against the
passage of the bill now pending before the
Senate Of the United States for the repeal
of the Missouri Compromise. He could no;
but believe there was q strong interes, in
the community, irrespective of partizan
feelings. in the important question involved
in the bill he had alluded to. No man who
had respec, for the principles of freedom
who looked forward into coming time, and
was capable Of understanding the magni
tude Of the issue between slavery anC
freedom, should, or would, refrain from
speaking out agains, the stupendous wronc
und violation Of faith contemplated by thu
passage Of this measure. When it wa,
proposed to violate sacred compact, solemn
" entered into between the North and South
which had been religiously observed by al
parties for 81 years, and to plant upon tn
virgin soil Of an immense territory which
had been dedicated to freedom, the poison
Ms Upas Of slavery. il was the duty OF tn
American citizen to speak out his protes
against it. The peorlc of the North hav
been told that it would not do to agitat'
the subject of slavcry-that it would peri
the existence Of the Union If they did so
and hence they had frequently acquesced II
measures which did not exactly suit them ii
order 10 obtain that peace and quietnes
which they, were told would follow tn
adoption of measures which were presse'
on tho ground that the safety Of the Unio'
reouircd them. Now what do we see the non
acitators have become agitators, the mel
of the South have opened the door Tor con
tinued agitation, and when such wrong Il
contemplated, as this bill proposed, it was
time for the men Of the North to agltat'
for their own rights,-timo for them to g
shoulder to shoulder, and say to the South
IL YOU desire agitation you shall have agi
triton TO your hearts content. We will not
allow you to asitats Cor slavery without our
asitating for freedom. In 1850, men OF al
parties were ask cd to acquiesce in the COM
promise measures Of that year, and tho
people generally, had for tho sake OF peace
and ouie,ness, consented to them. He haC
acauesced in them. but none dreamed tha
the Compromise measures OF 1880 repealed
the Missouri Compromise Of 1920 HaC
any such idea been involved, there would have
been no acquiescence, no peace. The mer
of the North, Of both parties, refused tC
assent cordially to the principles set forth il
the declaration Of principles made by the
Presential conventions. They, however,
acouiesced IN them in the hope and with the
promise that no further concession would
be asked or expected. They could not
cordially assent to the fugitive slave law
lie had said that no despised It's principles
but wo were asked to take it, to save the
the Union. Now we are asked to concede
again to the South, to save the Union' 10
SO the whole figure in the business oil ex'
tending slavery. lie should not do So
Tho doctrine should be no farther conces-
sions to the demands OF the South. Every
concession is to give up free territories.
The doctrine should not be non-iu,eryention,
but hencelorth non-extension Of slavery in.
to- any territory belonging to the United
States. Bring the public sentiment up to
that point. and agitation would stop. Let
the South understand that the North were
in earnest in this matter, and it would be
the most eifectual way OF stopping asi.
tatiou. The Southern men would then find
that while there was feeling in the North