The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-02-08


Mr.. CowAS: Occasionally l zee the
Min, ID m ,crit, and rcgrst TO say, that
have found nothing in its editorials Tor a
long time, but pstulant and malignant
abuses Of all who oppose the rum ana pro-
slavery sentiments Of that mendacious print
Indscd known not how TO speak OF the
Democrat in more appropriate terms than
thoss used by John Holmes, many years
ago, in relation 10 similar paper then pub
lished in this county, and edited, a. ne sup
poses, by certain lawyer. The paper al
iudcd TO. was opposed 10 the election OF Mr..
Cawforl. the candidate Of Mr.. Holmes,
and some Others, for the Presidency.
Mr.. Holmes ON the occasion thus vents
himself. .sThe paper, said he, " u little
contemptible, dirty thing, distinguished ON,
liz for old news, vulgar abuses, and stupid
6lunders." The editor he denounccs as a
hungry pole-cat, cropping in the filth oil his
naus,ols gutter, and raising his dirty nails
10 scratch and polute every character he
could reach. To which Of the co-editors OF
the Democrat the language OF Mr.. Holmes
will hest apply, is left for them to settle
among themselves. Sufficient Tor us 10
know. that the only decent thing OF Poiit
ical character, which has Of late, appeared
in the columns Of that print, " the Constitu-
ton of the United States. | was glad to
see IL there, not only because IL occupied
snaes which otherwise might, rs usual, have
bsen poluted by the poisonous venom OF ITS
scorpion editors, bat because Il would also
affJrd an opportunity to many to read and
meditate upon it, who perhaps had never
read or seen il before; or IL they had, had
forgotten its contents. They will lind nothing
in n, think, which gives countenancc u
the vile doctrines Of the rum, pro-slayery
arty in Maine, Washington or Kansas,
wbose most strenuous exertiOns are being
used 20 establish bondage in every portion al
i'm this ever boosted land Of freedom, where
ever il can possibly subsist. But now par
ticularly desire 10 draw the attention OF your
own rsid,rs, and the readers OF the Demo-
crat, to Section Q, part !, OF the Constltu-
ton, which reads ~ fOllows--namely -
..The migration or importation OF such per-
sous as any of the States now existing shall
think proper 10 admit, shall not be prOhib-
tied by the congress union 10 the year one
thousand eight hundred and eight, but tax
or duty NAV be imposed Ou such importation,
not exceeding ten dollars for each person.
In other words, the Constitution says to the
STAKEHOLDER and the slave dealer, You may
import slyacs and remove them trOm one
State to another that will admit them, till
lsOS-then YOU shall cease importation al
together; neither after that time shall you
take your slaves from one State tO another,
except %, and from, the States ho,o er-
istiR2, that il, tho old thirteen-aiter that
period, il is for Congress To say, whether
they will, or will not, suiler you to transfer
your slaves into our territories, or any new
States that may b. formed for admission IN
% the Union.
Such il appears 10 me, is heObyious sense
and meaning of that quotation OF the Con-
stitution above cited. And il such be the
right construction, does IL conflict ut all
with any other part Of the Constitution p
On the contrary. il il not in perfect harmony
with the whole tenor and spirit OF that in |
valuable instrument! Why, then, such n !
hidoous hue and cry set up by the advocates
Of slavery. 1.-THE Democratic parity against
the republicans in, and out Congress, Tor
their endeiyors, inaccorllance with the spirit
and meaning of the Constitution, 10 prevent
the extension Of slavery into our territories
Ani especially into Kansas, oncs hallowcd |
to freedom Yes, Kansas that holy ground,
which Twenty-Five years ago was sllemnly |
cons scrated To Freedom by an act Of Congress,
the Missouri Compromise, Is now, bya ~
peal Of that Compromise, to b. deserted, by
the introduction of slavery. franklin Pierce
has ~ decrsed. and his obsequious servants /
in the North arc using their most strenuous
OK artions 70 ci',ct il. Till recently the DEM
ocrats in this State believed, as the rcpubli-
cans now do. that Congress had the consti-
tutIonal power, and that il was their duty
10 exercis, il in restraining the extension OF
slavery in.u froc tcTrisOry aad iasrueted
their representatives in COngro~s 10 use their
utmost cndeayors 10 prevent IL. But how u
il now, since their President has ordered
otherwise, and fed them abundantly with
Off ,ill pap? all converted To slavery! Who
ever before heard Of such miraculous con-
version? The conversion Of u rhOls PARTY in
a single day This, in numbers, TAR out
strips the wonderful conversion on the days
of pcntecost. But in the two eases there Is
this striking diif,rence-the one was from
/" Heaven, Heavenly, the other from '.earth,
carthy." The one was wrought by descent
of the holy spirit from above, the other was
effected by an evil spirit from the city OF
washington-ihc spirit of bondage. The
evil cons ,auences oil the violation of the
Missouri Compromise are now seen and felt
throughout the country. We, then, the
republicans of the north, claim the restOra-
ton of that Compromise, that agitation may
cease, and the country b. restored 10 It's
former peace and quietude. We say let
slavery alone where il already constitution
ally exists, bud ~ it is, hut let il come and
GO no further. 1t no laws to prevent it,
extension he violated. LIT Congress do its
duty by confirming slavery to it, allotted
limits. FREEMAN.