The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-11-09
VOLUME M.-NUMBER As.

ments. broke up not only this compromise
of 1850, bu. even the compromise OF 1920,
and the ordinances Of 1887, and obtained
virtually the declaration Of Consicss that
all these settlements, 50 far q. they wero
adverse to the privileged class, were uncon-
s,itu,ional usurpations Of legislative pow
er.
10 no, stop 10 s,igmaiize or even to char
acieiize these aggressions. or what uss
would il be 10 charge perfidy, when The loss
es We deplore have resulted from our own
imbec;lily aud cowaTdce. do no, dwell
as others so often and so justly do. upon tho
trocious usnrpa'on Of the government, OF
Kansas by tho slave.holien OF Missouri.
nor cvcn on tn, barbaous and iyrannical
code which they have established 10 sliiie
freedom in that territory. nor even ye, on
me enauuu'vIIlprl' l'vfa'iV.s -o'''''tN"''~~ =
the President, with tho usnrpers. Nor will
draw into this picture, already too darkly
shaded, the personal humiliaiions which
daily come home % yourselves in tho
conduct of your own ailairs. You are COM
mandcl by an unconstitutional law OF Con-
yress 10 siezs and deliver up to the MEM
bers o. iha, privileged class their fugitive
slaves, under pain Of imprisonment, and for.
iei,urc OF your estates. You may no, inter-
pose between The armed Shareholder and
the wounded slave. TO preven, his being
murdered, without, coming under aires, foe
treason, nor may yon cover his naked and
lacerated limbs, except by stealth. You
have Tough, twenty years, and with bu, par
'ialIsuccess for the Constitutional right 10 lay
your remonsirances on The table Of Congress.
You NAV no, tell The freed slave who reach
rs your borders. ,ha, he is free, wilhou, be-
ing seized by federal court and condemn
ed, withou, trial or even m accusation, 10
an imprisonment without bail or nnalnprize,
without Limitation of sentence. Your rep
reseniaiyes IN either House Of Congress
must speak with ba,ed breath and humbled
coun,enance in presence OF The representa-
tiycs Of the privileged class, lest justice be
denied 10 your old soldiers when they claim
theft pensions, or 10 your laborers when
they claim the performances Of their con-
tracts with The government. The President
Of the U. s. is reduced 10 the position of
deputy Of the privileged class. emp'ying
the treasury and mnrshalling balalions and
ships Of war 10 dragon you into The execu-
,ion Of the fugitive slave law on the ono
hand, while he removes governors and
Judges at their command, who ailemp, to
maintain lawful and constitutional resistance
agans, them in the territory Of Kansas. Tho
Vice Presiden, OF the United States and the
t,l, unu-,- '''-'s~i''
! sais Snearkifehn rien, - whom the privileged class can
trust in every case. The care Of the Judi
ciary, OF the territories, and even Of the for
eign relations. is entrusted in either House
10 assured supporters Of 'ha, class. Pro-
leclion is deniod 10 your wool, while !, Is
freely given TO the slaveholders' sugar
Millions of acres Of the public domain are
freely given 10 Alabama for railroads, and
even ms graluiiies, while not a dollar can
be oblaine,l 10 remove the rocks Of Hellga,e,
and the sands of the Overslaugh, or The bars
in Lake ST. Clair, or in the mouths OF your
lake harbors. Canada, lying all along your
northern borders, mus, not even be looked
ed upon, les, you may lust after IL, whilo
millions upon millions are lavished in war
and diplomacy, 10 tnney and spread slavery
over Louisiana, Florida, Texas, Mexico,
Cuba, and Central America. Your liberty
Of speech - where Is i,' You may not.
wilhou, severe rebuke, speak OF despotlsm
in foreign lands, lest the slave overhear
you on the plantations of'he privileged class,
or the foreign despo, visi, them, in retalia-
ton, for your unayailing sympathy. The
national ilag. the emblem Of universal lib
erty, covers cargoes Of slaves not only in
your own view, but naunis defiance over
Them in foreign ports. Judges oI the United
States courts, safe uaGcr the protection oil
The Presden, aud the Senate, charge grand
junes. in advance fany question, that OBJ
noyious and unequal federal laws are con.
,iiiuional aud obligatory they give coun.
sci 10 legislative bodies how 10 frame laws
which they will sustain, instead Of waiting
to review those laws when enacted. They
even convert The wri, OF freedom 10 an en-
eine Of slavery, and they pcrveri The power
OF furnishing irregularities committed in
their presence into the machinery oi
tyranny as odious as that Of the Star Cham
Der. The privileged class in Virginia im-
prison your .eamen in their ports, in reialia-
lion for the Independence Of your executive
authorities aud you are already in doubt
ful struggle for the righ, TO exclude the iraf-
ic of slaves from your own borders.
will only ask, IN concluding this humil-
iarins rehearsal, whether there is no, in
ihi. privileged country privileged class;
whether !, does no, stand on an enduring
foundation; whether il is no, growing
stronger and stronger, while tho unprivileg-
ed class grows weaker and weaker; wheih.
er lis growth and ex,en, would be no, mere.
ly detrimental bu, dangerous; and whether
there is any hope to arrest that growth and
extension hereafter IL the aitemp, shall not
be- made now :
The change that has become at last so
necessary is as easy to be made as Il is nee
essary. The whole number Of Shareholders
is only $50. 900 one hundredth part Of tho
entire population Of the country. II you
add their parents, children, immediate rea-
,ivcs and dependents. they arc two millions
-one fifteenth part Of the American people.