Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1855-08-17

{" a statement Of my views in relation 20 the
srisnaon OF slavery into territories Of the
United States now free" isbefore me. The
question in all its practical bcarings, as a
subject of delibcratiye and solemn legislation
is an extensive one. Tesn only give, here,
a brief statement OF the principles which
would guide my action upon II.
Let. | believe Congress 20 have olirrr,
constitutional jurisdiction over the whole
subject OF slavery in the iernioriss Of the
United States.
"a. | am opposed to slavery in oil It's
bearings, moral, social, and political, and
especially nm opposed 10 its sIicnSicn.
"a. | would adopt al constitutional aud
equitable means 90 prevent the extension OF
slavery into territories now free.
Hoping, gentlemen, that this brieI expose
will meet your views, am with sentiments
or re.pcci and regard, Yours,
JOHN III BEARD.
Mcssrs. Adams Treat. Thos VI. Morrow,
VIM. Merriam, Author Troat, Jesse Smast,
John llolsl1u. T. Simonton, e. y White,
Nathan Worthinc. Daniel Wentworth, Jo-
-sph BAchcldcr, paul Smith.
Thus stood the democratic party in
Maine, upon the great question Of prohibit.
me the introduction Of slavery into the ter
ri,ori,s Of the United States, in the years
1916, lS47, lSiS, and lSIo. In 1850, the
Comrromi-o measures Of Congress were
ras,cl, giving territorial govcrnmcnts TO
Utah and New Mexico,
By thcs, measures, This question was at
tempted TO ., settled, and il had that opera
lion. so far that they were generally a.ggi-
r,-.l 10. The free -oil members in Com
crcs., though not agreeing 20, or approving
II the Comrr1mi,s measures, dil not Tor
quite a period Of time subsequent 10 their
passage, deem Il ,4lisi1us OF prudent To ag-
rat, The question hcncr the direct qucs,
,irn of territorial prohibition, was pnc,i-
sa,'v taken from doe political arena, and
ceased ,o lea direct issue before the r"o-
n',.
mI,Il, 90, south, through che agency
.grnnlliu Pierce and Do. administration,
Idol rs $. iraaH Douglas, repealed he
time luu1r,l Missouri Comrr'miss, hy
which ,hc vast AMI fertile Geld. u Kansas
and Nebraska, which bad been forever CONE
sgr1t.l % freedom, ~ said o1mrromi-',
vyrc thrown open 60 tho polluted ,rral Of
o., Shareholder This wanton act of tre-
,1n. ua, only repealed thc cumI1a, OF 1890,
Dat virtually repealed the compromises of
1850, s1 ,ha, W., now again have thc great
question or i.rrfr1H' aariy, an open issue,
directly presented f- che c.r.ilsnti1n Of
tho American people. Lile all other rr1t
political questions, whichlromr inc1rp1ra.
tel into thc party polite. of the country,
this pa. got to H. on,i ~ hs people, at ,ho
ballot b5z. either go favor OF liberty or
slavery. bot before proceeding further
nrnu tins point, the inquiry lrry naturally
arises. how lil the democratic party Ia
Main, stand upon che infamous Nebraska
nil. at the time it passed Cousres'
w have record evidence upon this point.
III, Ir.i.laur, %, Maine cor 1851, referred
certain resolutions, introduced by Mr. Ia
k-r ofunllovsll, ua joint alo,t commit
,,,. who unanimously reported tho follow
ing resolutions, which Ta'-rd the llous..
yris, 600, NAYS, Is. anil the Senate, only "H.
member voted against them
Rrss'r,l. That ;hr senators in Con-rr.-
from Maine ho instructed. and tho rrIrr-"n-
tatI,cs requested, 20 oppose IN every rnc.
'Irlilr way the passage az tle Nebraska bill
FL. called. sp Ion. as 10 shall contain any rrI-
vision, ruurllin-, a'n.ltiur, r.scindiur,
ur iu amy way iualilatinc that provision Ut
thr pgt 81 Congress. approved March 9th,
l,-o. commonly called the Missouri Com
promise.
R.u1r,5. Tha, the Governor ho requested
o. forward a copy of the above resolution O.
each of our senators and representative AZ
Washington.
Amous tho va. ia the IIous', we fni
,ha name oC N0'ia1iR s. LlU'.f,'d, Che
President or tho Well, c0nycntion,l lot VI.
Morrill,, E. Gould Butler, and in the SEN
a,a. tie Who'll, democratic party, with the
exception Of Mr. Ilalrn, of Briiston, went
mrit In Oxford County among the yya',
az, Phinras Frost, Of Bethel, aud = q.
Harlow, of Canton.
Thi. vote ia the Maine Legislature, fully
and truly represented the true sentiments Of
the democracy Of Maine upon this question,
and directly committed the democratic par
~ against il. Tho party having passed no
resolutions al their State convention in
1854, stood upon the record against the r.
peal, mp 20 the time Of th, Augusta couycn-
ton. which nominated Julc, Wells in June
last. What iii they DO at ibis meeting on
The question: Tsrn.d a o5mp'.i, ,omsrsri,
rarudiated their former positions in lsiG,
-, Is, -, and -, and they uo'r stand
upon the record pledged asa party, to the
most ultra Tro-slavcry do,triuc., ever con-
tended for by the most ultra slavery prora-
gaulist Of the South.
The lR5r,emr' Of Pisrrs and he's cinia-
ivr1io7, was complete liquidation Of
every principle which has ever been con-
tended Tor by tho democratic nlrty Of
Maine, upon the question Of s'dr'ry HieH-
qra.
There were some noble men ia that COM
,eutiou, who stood up holdly and contcnded
maufully against thi. base prostitution OF
the democratic party to such infamous pur-
poses.
Among them were Mrssrs Williams aud