The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-06-08
Public Meeting ITO Allay Excite
ment! !!

Agreeably to notice inserted in our col
umns yesterday, meeting OF Citizens was
held in the afternoon at the City Hall, +" to
investigate the circumstances attending the
melancholy transactions which took place 10
this city on Saturday evening last''-also
"to adopt such measures as may be best eaieu'
lated 10 allay ths present eraiemsnt.n
The City Hall was filed to OVERLOOKING,
and Judge Wells was called to preside
John A. Poor made some remarks, and NOV
ed that committee be raised to report reso.
lutions expressive Of the sense OF the meet.
ing. Such committee was raised with Mr..
Poor rs Chairman. While this committee
were out, Hon. Nathan Clifford addressed
the meeting ut some length-counsellin
"peace, quietness and ORDER upon the as
sembly-earnestly recommending that nc
overt act should be committed, but at the
same time taking great care to inaame the
passions Of the audience by has version oil
the transaction Of Saturday evening, and his
explanations Of the law, and the rights OF
citizens to resist assaults and entertainments
IL was one Of those special pleadings which
no one knows better than Mr.. Clifford, how
and when 10 enfrcc.
George +. Shepley, Esq, followed Mr..
Clifford, and without pretending TO give any
version Of the affair spoke elOquentiy upon
the occurrence Of Saturday evening, and
urged full Investigation Of the subject.
Mr. Clifford then offered resolution that
a committee Of nino be appointed by the
Chair, to investigate the occurrences Of Sat.
urday evening which was carried.
Mr.. Wiswell then rose and addressed the
Chair. claiming to be friend to Mr.. Dow
this was no sooner heard, than q yolley OF
Kisses greeted him with shouts Of "ihrow
him out OF the window" Z" put him down"
&c.-this tumult lasted some moments, but
was finally allayed by the Chairman an.
nouncing on the committee upon Nj. Cliff
ford's resolution the following gentleman /;
Messis. n. Clifford, 7. A. DeblOis, G. f.
Shepley, @. Q. Clapp. j. b. Brown. Ezra
Carter, r. Z. Wood. n. Cummings, ID. A.
Choat. lie then invited Mr. Wiswell to
proceed, and requested the meeting to give
him hearing. Mr.. Wisweil spoke but a
minute before he trod upon somebody's toes,
and there was general shout Of put him
down /; this appeared to be pretty eaec,aal-
" done by two persons, one on each side,
who seemed to DO threatening him, and he
desis,ed from his Efforts to address the as
sembly.
"Smith, ~" Smith" was now loudly call.
ed for, and our gallant General Of the Brig.
ade responded to the call, and said he
had no words 10 address the assembly, but
was ready to do his duty as citizen or a
soldier when called upon in proper man
ner.
The Committee on resolutions now came
in and reported set through John Rand,
E4q, which were adopted. The gist Of the
resolutions was, that n committee OF nine
should he appointed to take into considera.
ton and investigate the whole matter, and
should they deem it expedient, to cause
prosecution TO DO instituted against such
persons as might be implicated in the shoot.
ing on Saturday evening.
/ Hon. +. o. ]. Smith now made his ap'
pearance and was received with three cheers
He said he had just come into the meeting
did not know what had been done or said
had just heard the resolutions read, but
thought they were altogether too tame fol
such meeting and for such purpose as
they had met for. He was for Revolution
II the Mayor Of the city had commenced to
break the law which was passed most at hi:
request, be thought the citizens Of Portland
should pay him back in his own way. Call
upon him at once, Immediately to resign,
and lay down bis robes Of Office, and IL he
refused to do this, tell him emphatically,
upon his own head be the consequences.
Mr.. Smith spoke fully and freely upon the
subject, and we will give him the credit to
say that there was no concealment OF his
views and opinions, they were not hidden
under mask with the cry Of "peace and
order,n but he spoke out boldly, to say the
least-which was in striking contrast with
some Of the speakers, who secretly desired
to stimulate the mob spirit, but dared not to
do il boldly.
This speech brought out John b. Brown,
ESQ, who stated that he had signed the cal
for the meeting and was for thorough in
vestigation OF the whole matter, but he was
surprised that n citizen not Of Portland
should come into this meeting and expires.
such revolutionary sentiments as had Mr..
Smith. lie (Mr. B y was opposed to al
violence. He had opposed the election o
Mr.. Dow with all the power he was capable
oC-but he would not for moment encour
age any violent measures to force him frou
the Mayoralty, and expressed his regrets
that such sentiments had been uttered q
the meeting. and rejoiced that no citizen o
Portland bad uttered them. Mr.. Il. sale
that he would 90 as Tar as any one in thu
full and thorough investigation OF the sub
iect which had called the meeting together
Mr.. Smith replied to Mr.. Brown with som,
lasperity. mingled with some personal re
marks, during which he was loudly applaud
! ed.
Mr. L. d. NJ. Sweat then offered resolu
ton that Mr.. Dow DO requested to resigr
his Office, and that the committee OF nine al
T ready appointed by the meeting. be instruct
|, ed 10 call upon him and in the name Of tn
citizens OF Portland, request him 10 resig'
his Office.
Amer voting that the proceedings OF tn,
. meeting be published in the daily papers Of
the city, the meeting adjourned
Let Us analyze the meeting The call fo
IL pretended 10 be for an investigation OF tn,
ICttCutuSSiuSNs uhchtiub SsseaNsv N'NuuH
transactions Z" and to adopt such measure,
as may be best calculated to allay the pres
emit excitement" and although the poster
calling the meeting, (p'inted at the Stat'
Of Maine ofice) were in largest kind OF type
displayed in great characters "THE SuKD
DING or BLooD." yet il did not follow tina
an attempt would be made at the meetin;
to raise excitement instead Of quelling il
But how was il at the meeting Beior'
any investigation could be had. before AM
resolutions were reported. Mr.. Dow. th'
police, so!diery, aud all who attempted OF
saturday evening to preserve the peace. wer'
denounced in the speeches as guilty OF man
slaughter, if not murder The facts OF th'
case were entirely misst,ted. and unde
the guise Of pouring oil iuto tho wounds
viriol was used instead The old broker
down party hacks who managed the meet
ing, bad everything their own way TO max
capital for their party and against MIR. Dow
The manner in which Mr.. Brown was hissec
because he opposed the revolutionary meas
ures of Mr.. Smith, and the applause bcstow