The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-01

q meeting OF the people of this city, in refer
ence to the proposition from the people of
Aansas territory, to establish line of steam
ets, 10 ply directly between this place and that
territory, with request to publish the same.
L nope you may be able to comply with the
wish, or, at least, to make such an abstract of
them as will fairly bring the matter before your
nnmerous readers. There has nothing occur.
r9d In this city since the fatal 7th of Noyem.
per, 1885,, which gave SO much promise for the
trture OF this city, as the spirit manifested
tnere. The subject presented is the only one
t9at VIII ever raise us above mere tributary
q st. Louis; that is, that Alton is located in a
zee state, and on free territory, and every man
" protected In the utterance of his opinions on
81 subjects, while st. Louis is situated on ter
ntory cursed with the institution, Slavery, and
On one subject, at least, every one must keep
aience, or be very careful where and how he
speaks OF 1T; for it is held to be one of the sa
tyeo Things; and the man who speaks or pub
Esnes anything against it, is in danger of the
Judgment.
But, owing to the mob which terminated in
she death of the Rev. Z. p Loveioy, this city
completely lost that advantage ground-whether
Justly or not, we shall see more fully by look
Iing at few facts. l was living here at the
lime, and intimately acquainted with all the
circumstances. And the first thing will state
=, that ST. Louis paper, and the most inlu-
cntial one this side of Cincinnati at that time,
ssed all its influence to produce an excitement
On that subject; and from that time until the
fatal event took place, not only that paper, but
sail the other papers in that city, and the great
.nass OF their people, left no stone unturned
20 bring 1t about. 1t was finally accomplished
'?y thirty or forty drunken men, with the conni-
'sance of our Mayor. AS soon as they had &C.
complished their end, they We'd with each other
which should cast the most odium upon us for
che foul deed
/; The man who was Mayor of Alton at that
time soon after removed to st. Louis, and she
rewarded him with the same position there that
be had occupied in Alton, for his subserviency.
Again there is not more than one or two
men now in our city who took any part in that
riot. Finally, to convince you that our pres.
ent population have no sympathy for Slavery,
III will state fact which occurred about two
years since: Cassius M. Clay and Mr.. Codding
came here on lecturing tour. There were at
least l,50O or 1000 persons to hear them.
When Clay finished his speech, Mr.. English,
postmaster at this place, wished to make some
Efemarks; but the cry for Codding was so uni
I7versal and so deafening, that he could not say
word, to be heard, until Mr.. Clay requested the
Aaudlence to permit him-when he tried to
convince the people that Douglas and Pierce
| were better FreeSoilers than Mr.. Clay.
Now, is it right that this odium should for
lever rest upon US, while our city contains, and
Railways has done, some of the best and most
Lsteadfast Anti-Slavery men in the country, and
that st. Louis should derive all the advantage
growing out of the false and unnatural posi-
j tion we have been made to occupy, mainly
by her overshadowing influence over us?