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

ciOus preScncc OL cehS e4usAsyS WIZ hsoo'-
ing for its extensions. Keen and logical in
his conclusions, and FREQ from partlzAn in
vective or abuse. Mr.. Smith spoke with
telling power. In the course Of his re-
marks he refutcd with great success num-
Der Of Misrepresentation which was made
by the Hon. Nathan Clifford in speech de-
liyered in Kittcry some days since. We
have notes Of that speech taken Shy gentle
men who heard it, and at some future occa-
sion we may give our readers some elegant
extracts from it, and speak more fully Of
the Misrepresentation to which Mr.. S. al
luded. -.....-.....-...
Mr.. Smith spoke until the arrival Of the
afternoon train from Portsmouth, which
brought up some hundreds more, q portion
of them from Concord. The President then
introduced, Hon. Hannibal Hamlin +" the
next Governor of Mainc,' and for near two
hours Mr.. Hamlin, in an appropriate, clo-
quent and argumcntativc speech held the
vast assembly in brcathless attention reliey-
cd only by tho occasional hearty manifest
atoms of applause. We shall attempt no
extended report of his speech. Commenc-
ing with q most beautiful and eloquent al
usion to the love which he had for his ma
tive State, its free air, its happy homes, he
said, 1--WE give not his language but its i'm.
port,) that against his inclination he was
made the standard bearer Of the Republic
can party in the coming contcst-that 1t
was the flag of freedom which he was called
to uphold; the flag of our country which
the young should revere, and the old cher.
ish, and that whether brilliantly, floating in
triumph, or trailing in defeat, should suffer
no dishonor at his hands. In the discussion
upon which he was entering he should not
DO drawn aside to discuss dead or imma-
terial issues or questions of State policy, for
questions of this kind could DO settled here
after. He should discuss that other ques-
|
ton ofmomentous interest, that issue now
before tho people, which is passing by, and
once past is gone forever. The real issue
was whether the policy of our government,
established by our fathers in relation to the
extension Of slavery, and uniformly adhered
to for GO years should be changed and q
| new one, which would inaugurate slavery
everywhere, where the flag Of our country
aoats, adopted. This was theissueprcscnt-
ed to the people, and he should not be drawn
aside from il to talk of old and obsolete no.
tions about tariffs, banks, and similar
questions, the dead past he would not dis
cuss, but the living present, a nd tho future.
Advcrting to the period of time anterior to
the adoption Of the constitution, by refer
ences to the acts of the men Of the reyolu-
ton, and their declared sentiments they toll
ed not to extend slavery, but to limit it
wherever they had constitutional power.
Jefferson himself framed that, from which
sprung the ordinance of 's7 and millions
who are now living in happiness in the al
most limitlcss empires of the West, and un.
counted millions yet to live, would thank
God that Thomas Jefferson had lived. For
60 years the government had pursued the
policy. When territory had been added
that was really slave, leaving it to be such,
but doing nothing to extend it into free ter
ritory. ..
He rccapitulatcd the acts of the govern
ment, iuyoiving this question, stating tho
circumstances of tho passage of the Missou'
ri Compromise, he sal that the country had
acquicsccd in it, enjoyed peace under it, but
in an evil hour, it was repealed That slarrJ
might be extended. This he knew from thu
tenor of the conversation of southern mem
bcrs of Congress at tho time it was repealed
who did not disguise tho fact in casual con-
yersation, though not ready to say SO il
public debate. The South never fights fol
barren distractions, and this was now so dc
clarcd by the Southern press. Supporting
this by abundant proofs, he examined will
a searching analysis what the Southcrncr
mean by equality Of States. This mean
simply the right to carry slaves into tho ter
ritories, and to hold them there, and under
the view of the men Of the South, who nov
lead the democratic party and control ant
shape its policy, slavery was all over thu
territories and freedom had no abidin;
place in them. .........-.
Tho Cincinnati platform endorsed th
doctrine, and it went even farther, and de
clarcd that this principle, as contcnded io
by the South, "was rightly applied in tn
Kansas Nebraska Act in 1854" and conse
. quently every democrat who thought the re
peal of the Missouri Compromise was wron;
in 1854, was called upon, not to acquicsce
but to take tho back track, and say he wal
wrong from the beginning. lie should d,
no such thing, Others might, but no SHOULD
never thus degrade his manhood. He chos,
to stand by the plighted faith OF the Nation
to adhere to the maxims and policy Of tn,
men who formed tho constitution, ant
should not bow down to n principle which
would upturn the very idea upon which
republican liberty stood. He said the Kan
sas Nebraska Act repealed not only the re.
striction of Slavery in Kansas but it left all
the territories Of the United States open to
slavery. He was for freedom, no interference
with the rights Of the States, and this was
the position Of the Republican party, bu.
against its extension over another inch OF
the territories of the United States. This
policy was not only in accordance with NOR
al right, but It was just to the frccmen Of
the North, who should not be degraded by
the humlllating competition Of slave labor.
These territories should DO free and should
grow up under the benign influences of free
t;o, xvL;,b p,o I.os m t;ors ,,-os,,..o,,,