The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-08-01

In 1854 the Legislatnre-
"Rssolred, That tho Senator's DO instruct
cd, and the Representatives requested, to OPP
pose In any practicable way the passage Of
the Nebraska bill, 50 called, 70 long as II
shall contain any provision repealing, abro-
eating, resembling, or in any way In validat-
Ing that provision Of the ect OF Congree ap-
proved March 6. 1870, commonly called the
Missouri Compromise"
Here, then, II will DO seen that the poo
pie of this State have repeatedly declared,
not only their adherence Of slavery rs o
moral, social and political evil, but their
opinions that Congress has full constitution.
al jurisdiction owe, the territories, and pow
or to inhibit slavery therein. and that II
ought to exercise that power to prevent tho
extension Of slavery therein; and that -
late as 1854, by an almost unanimous ex.
preston Of the Legislature, protested against
the act Of Congress repeating or invalidat-
ing the Missouri Compromise.
II Is too much to believe that you are
wholly ignorant of this Handwriting on
the wall" or that You can DO entirely in
sensible to its meaning ture and import, rs
indicating the settled sentiment Of tho people
of tins State, and yet Tho Age, published
and circulated under tho patronage Of the
people, assaiis this sentiment; and not only
sets at naught their often repeated and sol.
EMMY declared opinions, and those Of their
Legislators and statesmen, Of the power and
duty Of Congress on the subject Of slavery
in the territories, and treats as an idle and
unmcaning ceremony their earnest rcmon.
STRANGE against the repeal Of n time honorod
compromise, bat drcgGpfiy asserts that those
sentiments are unconstitutional, fanatioal and
sectional; and II assumes to treat the people
of this State, who are disposed to adhere to
those sentiments and opinions, long cherish.
ed and honestly entertained, and who are
not disposed to adopt the nac dcgmds, as
traitors to their political opinions and par
ty.
And with the full knowledge of the fact
that I had reported the resolutions in the
Conversion Of ls49, declaring tho opinion
that Congress had full power over the whole
subject Of slavery in the territories, and
ought to exercise that power to exclude slave
ry thcrcform, and that / was member of
the legislature of 1916, was then, and ever
since have been, opposed to the Kansls.Ne-
braska measure and with the knowledge
also that the Cincinnati Convention had de-
elared to1non-iatercniioa Nth siarery in The
territories rs fest Of party yfdeiity and Jel-
iolrship, and also for entire approval and I'M
qualified endorsement of the Kanas-Nebras-
ka act-your paper arrigns me before the
public upon charge Of having ''accom.
plished wonderful somerset" Wherefore?
For no conceivable reason or pretcxt, other
than that Inop adhere 10 my. former opinions,
and decline 10 support nominations made upon
a platform Of principles that does riOienoe 10
ALL err ooaceired or oppressed upon that
subject.
And after you had seen the party in this
State, at the Bangor Convention, subjected
to the humiliating Cincinnati political test
of fellowship, and thus made to rererse lis
opinions and sentiments, not to say ''accom-
plish wonderful somerset you do not
withdraw your charge, but talk of my
'havins left the party" Allow mo to say
to The Age that this method of treating the
whole subject, is calculated to begc. In the
public mind a suspicion to it's disadvantage.
Again, with Il view to establish for me n
character for inconsistency, am represent
cd as holding in 1919 that the slavery ques-
ton "cannot be made IN element Of the
democratic creed" and now "landing upon
platform whose distinctive creed is pro-
hibition in all the territories" Reference
is here male to one of the resolutions of
1919, referred to above. BY that resolution
tho Democracy Of Maine declared, that al
though exercise Of the power Of excluding
slavery from the territories of the Union
had received the sanction Of every republican
administration" yet it involves a principle
which has never formed q part of the dis
tinctive creed Of the national democratic
party" and that sit cannot be made an ell.
cmcnt Of that creed"
l think the public will find It difficult to
perceive the inconsistency charged. am
free to protest now against making the sub
jet Of "slavery in the territories an element
of the democratic creed" II is for resist
ing such cmendations Of the democmtic
creed that am now regarded by your jour
nal Ms a hereto. The Convention ut Cincin-
natl, contrary 10 the practice Of The party,
and in rioiaiion Of former declarations Of
democratic policy, makes the sanction Of the
recent disturbance BY Congress Of questions Of
sldrery in heierriiories condition Of part:
an fellowship. Nay, more, this sanction ha,
become 10 be The corner stone and ne phS uli,d
Of "demoraiie" faith. But, In common
with many Others, l shall continue to resist
this action, and I feel that / have right to
resist il, being sustained not only by my
private judgment, but by the authority and
force Of the resolution Of the State Conven-
ton of lSl9. In this but adhere 10 my
former convictions, and to tho "practiccs
which have received the sanction Of every
republican administration. And / now
claim also to appropriate the language, and
10 act up to the manly tone and spirit Of
that other resolution, passed by the same
Convention, Of which The Age is not e1.
pccted to make voluntary mention: =
/" Resolved, That while VIC most cheerful
y conccdc to our southern brethren tho