Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1855-08-24

w tnat rIltlt W hlhultr hub OvHV'FiVi
which has ever marked the action Of the
party in this State, and we can but be graf.
fled tha, the views of an honest, faithful,
true.heartcd minority cf brethren have been
respected WIN ne hour comcs ~ rhioh
ne pnnaplo Of ne GdEiiHidrdiioH and he
national donoordry drs to h. sustained ~ q
Prsad,Hhdi contest, hoss men riN B, found
m hs rcry ddrdnos guard y ihs SemoorGcy.'
Mr. W repeated that be greatly feared
that this prediction would prove but too
true, a. 10 most Of thcn. Men who pro.
rc.sed to orpo.c the Nebraska fraud, hut
who 'till persisted In refusing 10 80 what
all the world beside saw, tha, the demo-
cratic organization WIS tending irrosistihly
to an adoption Of the Nebraska policy Of
Pierce, must not complain IL either their
intelligence or sincerity becomes di'iru'i-
81.
Having completed hls review Of the plat.
form Of the Augusta Convention, - FAR a.
It related to the Nebraska question, Mr..
Weston procccdcd 70 inquire what light, #
any, the public had A. to che personal orin-
ION. of Judge Wells him-'lG The couvcn.
ton at Saco which nominated Judsr Wells
Tor Congress la'. summer, endorsed The Ne
brlska fraud up to tho hub, and was the
only copycntion IN Maine in 1854, as Mr..
" believed, which did -, saving nnd cH-
crptluc crutcntion in Sasadhhock county.
The Saco convention was controlled, Ne was
we'll known, by the Office holders from Port
land. who went over 20 Saco in great force
and numbers They knew Judc, Wells
perfectly, and pat him forward a'fidrmaI.
H. run a' thar man, aud on thar platform,
and IL he had any different opinions Ut hi'
own, kept them 10 himself mi, brother In
New Hampshire j. the 'perial friend of
Pierce, and another brother in lllinoi. j.
the rorg special friend Of Judge Douglas.
Al this was indirect testimony. Of direct
testimony, Mr.. ", knew OF none, except
certain statement. made IN the convention
at Augusta by Joseph Lcland, Esl., Of sa-
60. Mr. W then read from the reported
debate a. follows
Mr. Leland said lm my'lfa Ne
haska man. and full believer in the priu-
cirlcs of the Nebraska hill hut a. q mem
bcr Ut the democratic rart,' II Maine, ! nm
opposed tp introducing .this subject ~ this
time, fur think we shall b' The lo-rr- by it.
I have an intimate acquaintance with our
nominec. judge Wells, and | know that be-
view. the matter ~ | DO. know atwith
mo. hr believes in The theory and principle
of the Nebraska hill, but thought the rrpnl
of the Missouri Compr1mi'' ~ tn time it
was done was pri.fo1l m stake
Mr. W, .aid this reminded hun Of an
opinion Of the Maine Liquor law, rronoun-
eel, 90 the wars ofthr B.ton Pc, are On
h. h.licv,l.) by Lieutenant S,ebbin. of tho
Massachusetts, Militia Lieut. Strbbins aid
be- was in faror ofh, Nan La,r lw OPP
rooii, ,1'orrnc any ofi" rror,u11s"' 30
There was nothing furthr 20 b. ail mp.
on thi, point, except tha, tie public would
continue to look anSiously TO the Boston
Post, and 20 Mr ksland Tor further 10
ycl,pemcn,' q. to the views of Jui-' Wells
and Lieut.. Strbhins.
The po.ition, both Of the party and of tho
candidate, in reference tc the Nebraska
question, being thu. had, Nj W, proceeded
tn inquire lr there was anything else in the
Augusta platform, which would reconcile
rejecting Democrats 10 the supper, Of Jui-c
Well. Tlc examined that platform critical
Is. in respect % the Liquor tlw, anil iusi'.
tel that It presented no rral issue. ~ no.
body proposed to allow an unrestricted
traffic in intoxicating drinks tho only sub
. .nntal question was between licensing, ns
formerly, or prohibiting, ~ at rrc.'nt.
Honest and discreet men dil'r on that qucs-
ton, and II was \ fair question 10 take the
sense Of the people upon The Augusta
platform, however, raised no such question,
and PROPOSED no such issue, one way or tho
other. Il concerned itself rncrrly with tho
detail. Of the prohibit,ry law now in force
ns unnecessarily s'vcrc llthi' was proper
matter for legislative consideration, hu' not
proper matter f,r tie popular forum. Pr'n-
dpi,, might be settled By an APPEAL 10 tho
people. but d,iaib could ne,cr be so s'ttlcl.
So far a. Know Nothngi,m was concern
81. Mr.. W. concurrcd ia conicmning il.
Secret political societies, Will pledges and
passwords, were not In accordance with the
spirit Of our institutions, Lnd were certain
10 run into dangerous Hischi'fs. Know
Nothinci.m, however, never had much hold
in Maine, aud would soon 'caso TO exist, or
r bo deprived ofits most obnoxious features.
Il was not necessary 10 get mp an organized
opposition to il, and by nc means eIpodicnt
to do -. Very many Of the best men in the
community, joinei its ranks at one time.
They would gradually and quietly leave It,
and all the quicker iflct alone. 1, was the
height, Of folly. new to irrita,c their pride
by oblo1uy and dcnunciation.
Mr.. W. concluded by saying that he had
now discharged The task he had impos-
: ed upon himself. 10 his fellow democrats
who concurrcd with him in regard to the
repeal Of The Missouri COMPROMISE as an
intolerable wrong, he had addressed himself
fully and Frankly, upon the duties which
the emergency imposed. lie knew bow dif
fcult II was to sever old political ties. 1t
was ia human nature to cast many long
ing, lingering look behind. still, he sub.
mittcd without fear, to the Judgment Of tho