The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-10-24
Mistsllaneuns.
A Stirring Speech.

Massachusetts,, at the mass meeting in Or
apge county. N. Y, near Newburg, on tn
30th ult.:-
Gentlemen, the question is presented T
Us, what ought We to do in the present Pres
idential contest? and to answer that ques-
ton, We have necessarily to ask ourselves
wha. arc the events now about to be i'm.
pressed upon the history Of our country, BY
which We should be directedf There is but
ono question now agitating the nation, in
the North and in the South, in the East and
in the West, and that question, so univer-
sally agitated, is the question Of Slavery
1t is proposed by the administration party
seeking prolongation! of its power, to es-
tablish, as an American institution, prin-
ciple by which man may carry oil over
the continent of America, so far rs it is COW
cred by the flag of the United States, his
slaves, and by which his possession Of that
description of property shall be maintained
as his legal right, and enforced by all the
power of the government. Now, if this
were a true exposition of tho principles OF
the government of the United States, l should
have no word to say, and / doubt not you
would have no word to say againstit. But
il is not. The institution Of Slavery has
never heretofore beon the single object OF
favor with the government, and its extension
has never before been the single and deter
mined purpose of any administration in the
whole history Of this country.
Standing here where Washington once
stood, where he impressed his great namo
and his character upon the community and
history, remember that he gave his consent
to an act under the confederation Of States,
an act afterwards consummatcd and endors-
ed by the Congress Of the United States
under the constitution, an act which abol'
ished Slavery in all the Territory northwest
of the Ohio, out Of which has since been
formed the six northwestern States, now
the grlnary of tn; country, and designed
to be the granarv al the chief seal of po-
litical Iowcr on , a continent. [Applause.l
Though he won great victories by the exer'
else Of that prudence, sagacity, frmness and
patriotism, which have entranced the whole
world, and for which men of every land
have We'd with each other in rendering hon.
age to his name yet he never did any act
comparable to that when he united with
other Southern men, and by the prestige Of
his name and power consecrated to that vast
empire to freedom. Cheers
In 1903, We acquired from France large
tract of territory, the acquisition Of which
was necessary to our existence. Spain held
the mouths Of the Mississippi, denying US
the right Of insrOss and egress, and the
whole country joined in asserting that right.
The impending war was then avcrted by the
purchase Of Louisiana from Napoleon, who
knew he could not long keep it out Of the
hands of Great Britain II was not then
regarded as question Of Slavery eItension'
but as a question of the right to exist in
assertion of the rights of that commerce
whose sails now whiten every sea on the
globe yet in this vast territory, extending
to the 10th parallel, and then supposed to
reach to the ffty.fOurth, Southern states
men themselves, under the lead Of Washing.
ton, jefferson, and Monroe, abolished Slave
~ over two-thirds Of this empire, and con-
secrated it forever to the institutions Of free
dom. Cheers.
When II was thought necessary to make
the purchase of Florida, il was done not
with view to extend Slavery, but for the
protection Of commerce, and when 1t was
deemed important that Texas should DO re-
gained to the United States, as one Of
the jaws Of the Gulf Of >lcIico, the right
bower OF our commerce, as compared
with Florida, the measure was present.
ed to the people Of this country solely
as question of national defence. The op-
ponents oi..tho measure urged that it was
Intended TO aggrnndize. psrpetuate and eI-
tend Slavery, but this was never conceded
by its friends. The plea of national defence
was never regarded as satisfactory, even un-
I'll General jackson, the lion Of the Hcrmi-
tagc, took the responsibility upon himself Of
declaring that the acquisition Of Texas was
necessary for the protection Of our COM
meroe. Then, and then only, was 1t aequi
esced in. Even then, under tho lead OF
Southern statesmen, this territory was di-
vidcd by line, and portion large enough
to make some States yet, was yet apart and
oonsecrated to freedom, Slavery being forev-
or abolished therein. [Applausc.l rs 70
Gently a. 1923, the ssate Of Arkansas was
divided by her owr consent and that Of Con-
crcss, and one-third Of her territory was
given to the Indian ,ribes who did not t0le-
ratio slavery. OF he vast acquisitions from
Mexico, the jewel of California, by Southern
men as well as Northern, was consecrated
10 freedom.
These arc great facts, showing that from
the beginning Of the government to the
presen, day, Il has no, been tho determined
/ purpose Of great statesmen 10 extend Slavery
over this continent. On tho contrary, they
had purpose and desire tha, ultimately
and a, no very distan, day, the whole con'i-
men, should be free. ICheer.l In proof
Of this, you have tho declaration Of Thomas
jefferson himself, that " freedom for tho
slave is alike demanded BY the love Of JUS
tice as il Is BY the love Of country" The
acts and declarations Of Washington, and
the policy Of Monroe, all point to tho same
end.
I,;. unnecessary for me 10 recite the dec