The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-09-01
hon. JOSIAH oUMcY,s SPEECH.


Mr. Quincy 10 now over eighty years old,
and pteveryes all the freshness and vigor Of
his intellect. 4at
I came 10 this meeting by inriiation asa
as ci'izen-not as o partiIin with no IN
tention to roiunteer word on the occasion;
but with q fixed purpose tn respond IL called
upon, as became m individual who has in
Thu world now little to hope, and, I thank
God, nothing to fear who has behind him
only The memory Of the past. and before him
the opening grave, in which he must soon be-
deposited. ''7'-=5.'7.5. 555'siss'7'.s-'s
From such an individual you bavo o
right to expect words Of truth, duty and So
berness,
come rot here to utter vitupcrative de-
mOnslratiens against The shareholders nc the
South. They have used the powers vested
in them by the Constitution. for their own
interests, as every other selfish assooiation
of men would have done uniIer the same
circumstances, with the same powers and un.
der the same Temptations. Ia every step of
the progress Of the slave power they have
had members of the Free States rs halfwor.
ke,s. 1.-THE Free States would regain their
influence they must euliiraie higher stan
dard Of political moniliiy among them
selves; they must disgrace the doctrine that
(" all is right in politics" and regard him
who has VIGOROUSLY sold himself for place
or for Office as a traitor to principle and TO
his country.
The Nebraska fraud ms Il Is called. To-
nothing more than the last net Of u series
Of ayressions on the Tree States which sluve-
holders have prncticed for more than City
years, no one of which could they have BEEN
successful excerpt through The divisions und
corruptiuns Of The free States themselves.
So Ear from complaining of this Nebraska
per6dy,I REFUGE IN It.
i II is said it ia The last straw that breaks
the cancels back trust in heaven that
this per6dy will prove to be the last straw
which will excite the camel of the North to-
rise IT, his spiri. and toss FROM his back one ut
least Of the many Burdens with which he Is,
oppressed. ..
The Nebraska fraud is not that burden on
which intend now to speak. There is one
nearer home, more Immediately present and
more indispensable. 0fwhat that burden Is,
4 shall speak plainly. The obligation incUm-,
/. bent upon the free States to deliver up iugi.
!. tive slaves Is that burden-dnd u must be OBJ.
{ hferai''i from that Constitution at ere,y hd:-
f. ard.
An alteration can be demonstrated to.
be as ..-ch the interest Of the South rs il is Of
the North.
The e,reumsian0 in rhieh the prople Of
Massachusetts NE placed in consequence Of
that burden are undenlable, and they are nj.
so undeninbly indispensable. What has
; been seen what bus been felt! by every
man. womEn and child in this metropolis.
and in this community. and virtually by CIV.
cry man, woman and child in Massachu-
selisl We have s.en our court House in
chains, itro bauaihons Of Dungeons, oghr
regiments Of ortiliery trelrs oompd"is Of M
fn,lry, the uhoie eOnstaLuiary force Of The
e Iy police, the entire disposabis morine q
tie United States. uith its artillery loaded for
action, all marching IN support ofd p,atori-
an band consisting Of one hundred and freniy
friends and associates Of tie United States
: Diarshal, nth Ladsd pistols aud drmrn
. sirOrds, and in military costume aod array -
J, for mhot purpose To ESCORT AND cosDucrA
!. POOR TREMBLING SLAVE FROM BosToS CouRr
/ House. TO TIE FETTERs AND LASH OF HIS MAS
}. TER.
II This display ofmiitary force the Mayor
of this city officially declared 10 be necessary
IN the occasion. Nay, more, at public
festival he openly took to himselfth glory Of
his display, declaring that by II life and lib.
erty has been saved ,und The honor Of Boston
5 vindicated .
D make no comments. state facts as
j the ground out Of which spring tho du-
!. ties Of the people OF Massachusetts. ...
y ] state another fact still more conclusive
and illustrative Of :hose duties.
This scene (thus awful, thus detes,sbfe)
every inhabitant Of this metropolis may, more,
every inhabitant Of this commonwealth, may
: be compelled again to witness ut any and
every day of the year, at the will Of the
u within Of the ineanest and basest slave
e holder Of the South. This also is undcnia-
e BILE.
n Now, is there man in Massachusetts,,
!. with spirit 50 low, 80 debassed, 81 corrup-
d ted by his lears or his fortune. that he i
G prepared to say, that hisIi, u condition Of
~ things to be endured in perpetuity by US and
/. that this Is an inheritance to DO Transmitted
:, by US to our children for oil generations :,
y For 80 long as the fugitive slave cause re-
d mains in the Constitution Of the United
y States, unobliterated, it Is an obligation
Y perpetual upon them US well Us upon
,. US.
:, And is this inheritance We are about
O TO transmit TO our children an inheritance
o Of freedom No fellow citiIens-it is mn
inheritance much worse than that Of slave
4 y.
. There is not negro in the South that aaa
be compelled even by his master, to cut tho
y throat, or blow out the brains, Of bis brother
3 nero. Bot. sd long as the fugitive slave
u obligation remains in the Consti Ution, there
Is not militia man In Massachusetts, who
}. may not be compelled, Tomorrow, " cut
r the throat or blow out the bruins Of o fellow
n citizen. at the will OF the bassst Southern
q slave holder. My fellow citizens, believe mo
fI-the time has come for the people OF Mas.
sachusetts to hook upor this slave cause no
longer in the ever shiitins ever dubious.eyer
suspicious light Of party spirit. but uuder
the influence OF an enlightened patriotism,
: watchful Of the signs Of the times and anxious
concerning their duties to themselves and
their posteniy.
Z But hear some ,imid brother exclaim--
} Why this Is. in effect, dissolution Of Tho
Union Did not the Sou them Shareholders
tell as before the adoption Of the Cons itu-
ton, that without the fugitive slave clause
they would MOI come into the Union, and
have they not told us every day since It's
adoption that whenever that clause Is oblit.
Grated they will 90 Out Of itp' And do you
believe them any more for this reiterated
threat and eternal outcryl Does not The
nature Of things speak louder language
than that Of these ,hreateners 2 Are tho
slave holders fools or madmen They 60
out Of this Union for the purpose Of maintain.