Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-06-07

Tor Boosting at the recent Temperance Conyen-
non IN Boston. He told the assembly there.
,nat thcy had got so in Maine that they seized
liquors wherever they could find them, and
that they got the warrants when convenient.
This spirit, manifested on the part of the
authorities, has produced deep seated bitter
ness in the community To add 10 this, Mr..
Dow asked Of the city government, at its last
meeting, an appropriation OF two thousand doll
lars to pay niormers under the law. and the
Aldermen voted IT, The Common Council
laid the order on the table for the time, but a.
there is large majority of Mr.. Dow's satel-
lites in tina, body, il was presumed he would
drive them into voting this appropriation for
pimps and spies, and thus add another aggra-
Walton TO his already odious manner OF execut-
ing the law.
Then came the development 10 regard to the
wholesale purchase Of liquor by Mr.. Dow, and
the attempt Of the Alderman on Saturday 10
cloak the transaction after the warrant had
been obtained for lis seizure, and before il was
served. The impression was pretty strong
that the law was thus to be cheated and thai
both Mr.. Dow and the liquors were by unfair
means to escape the penalty melted out By him
with high hand in other cases.
There was pretty strong current Of feel
ing, that no great moral or legal wrong would
be done by letting Mr.. Dow's liquor into the
gutter, (the common receptacle for the article
here, and no doubt the best one when properly
got into it,) and it was this feeling on the par,
OF few and curiosity on-thc part Of others,
which caused the assemblage on Saturday
night The worst that aay one Of those as
sembled had in view, was the splitting Of lit.
tie liquor, which is hardly regarded as proper
~, and with those unable to make the nice
l,se "a
not crime of very serious nature. What
ever of violence there was exhibited on tho
part of the crowd, was directed wholly against
this liquor. The desire for the destruction Of
liquor seemed 10 have become an Epidemic
The position Of parties however, was singu-
lary reversed; the people wished to destroy,
and the Police, with Mr.. Dow at their head,
were defending it. We do not believe, how
ever, if Mr.. Dow aud the Military had kept
away, that any serious harm would have been
done.
A few panes Of glass broken, and some 9TH
er injuries done to the door of the liquor store,
would have been all, and the crowd would
finally have quietly dispersed of themselves.
or reasonable spirit from any prominent cit
izeu would no doubt have dispersed them any
time during the evening. But the presence of
Mr.. Dow, brandishing his sword, and accom-
panied by soldiers, exasperated the crowd to
make more violent attack upon the store.
These acts were unlawful and uniustfable
on the part Of those who committed them, but
these did not in our Judgment, call for, or JUS
tify the shedding Of blood. The loss Of tho
liquor would have been of little consequence,
compared with human life, which we confess,
it seems to us, was most wantonly sacrificed in
this case.
A public meeting Of citizens was called at
o'clock, Monday, "for the purpose of inves-
tigating the circumstances attending the mel
ancholy transactions which took place on Sat
urday evening last, and if the facts require, to
appoint Committee 10 prosecute those per
sous who are guilty Of shedding the blood Of
their fellow citizens, and 10 adopt such meas
ures as may be best calculated to alay the
present excitement. This call was signed
BY Samuel Wells, ]. B. Carroll, ST. John
Smith, j. B. Brown, Nathan Cummings, c.
Q. Clapp, John Dow, and Nathan Clifford,
Committee Of Citizens.
The meeting was called to order by Nathan
Cummings, Esq. Hon. Samuel Wells was
chosen chairman, and Henry Wills and Hen
~ Stone. Esqs., were appointed secretaries
Speeches appropriate TO the occasion were
made BY Judge Wells, John A. Poor, ESQ.,,
Hon. Nathan Clifford, Hon. Geo. f. Shepley,
Hon. +. o. ]. Smith, J. L. Brown, Esq, and
others. A>committee on resolutions was ap-
pointed, who reported the following, which
were unanimously adopted
Whereas the maintenance of law and respect
for order, have heretofore been distinguishing
characteristics of the people of Portland and
whereas the recent occurrences among us in
connection with the city agency for the sale
of liquors have led to violations of the law and
breach of the peace of the city, and whereas
r the chief Executive officer of the city, is held
! to answer to a complaint for violation Of an
act entitled an act for the suppression Of drink
ing houses and ;ippling shops, and for which
offence warrant has been duly issued by the
Police Court of the city of Portland, and
whereas the laws of the state can only b.
maintained by their due and becoming obser.
vance on the part of all citizens, whether in On
out of office, we, The people of Portland, recog.
nizing the supremacy of law, hereby express
our determination to maintain it at all hax-
ards, and to bring all offenders to Justice there
tore
Resolved, That the conduct of Neal Dow
Mayor of the city, in reference TO his alleged
illegal traffic in intoxicating liquors. should be
sub jected TO a fair and impartial investigation
Resolved. That while we regret that the CON
e 6dence of the people in the integrity of those
I primarily engaged in the administration of JUS
I tice is in good measure weakened by the re-
cent course Of events, which has invited oppo.
n stion to the city authorities. cannot justify
any acts of violence, or any breach of the peace
at any time or by any unlawful assemblage.
Resolved, That the shedding of blood. by
/, the order of the Mayor. can only be justified as
an act of extreme necessity, and then only n
conformity to legal principles, which necessity
should be made SO clear as to exclude the chance
! of any sense of injustice or feeling of revenge
4 on the part of the friends of any man summa-
$ rily put TO death by violence.
S Resolved, That for the due and proper in
. vestigation Of the conduct of Neal Dow, Mayor
of the city in reference to the discharge of the
. duties of his office, as such, in regard to the
proceedings of Saturday night, June I'd, 1864,
, which resulted in the loss of life, commit
/ tee of nine be appointed to cause such in.
vestigaton to be made, with authority on theil
, part to take such action in the premises as the
peace and good order of the city may require
and to report in writing or otherwise, &C then
discretion, and to aid the officers of Justice IN
view of this solemn and momentous crisis in
the, history of the city.
The committee of Investigation was an.