The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-08-08
The Pioneer Hall Meeting.
JOHN AppLETON's SPEECH.

JoIlAN ~
Among other attractions Of our city on
last Saturday evening, perhaps, the most
notable was the exhibition Of John Apple
ton, editor Of the Argus,at the meeting held
in Pioneer Hall, under the beautiful Bor-
der Ruiiian call, which we have suitably no.
ticed in another place. Huge type had an
nounced the coming Of the ex-abolitionist,
and there was quite curiosity among the
Republicans, Us we'll as Others, to hear him.
Aided by this curiosity, laudable enough,
though waste of time, our opponents sue
cecded in filling in tolerable manner, tho
not full, the little Hall which will hold per-
haps, los persons, tolerably we'll. A very
considerable number Of those present were
Republicans, who went to hear the editor,
perhaps in the expectation that he would
explain the process by which his frcc'ollism,
which budded and bloomei most beautifully
a few years ago, when cherished and culti-
waited by the bcnignant influences of that
Anti-Slavery Society of which he was at one
time the Secretary, had ripened into Pro-
Slavery fruit of the most acrid kind. A
gentleman from our Office, who went among
the rest, or rather divided his time, giving
his company in part to the Bell Ringers,
who gave one of their chaste and beautiful
performances in Central Hall, and the bal
ance to the Pioneer Hall meeting, informs
us, that Mr.. A. skipped over all the hard
places of his early abolitionism, his subse-
quent rampant frcesoilism, and with the vol
utility Of the parrot exercised his lungs in
denunciations of the " black republicans"
and their disunion sentiments and purposes.
Mr.. Appleton is clever speaker. and on
this occasion succeeded as well as might be
expected from his native gifts, and large
personal experience in adroit misrepresenta-
ton, in showing what goodly outside
falsehood hath" II the accounts We hear
of his speech are correct, the stories Of Sim
bad the Sailor would sink into complete
nothinsncss by the side of some of his fc-
tions and Misrepresentation. The editor of
the Argus was at one time fayorite ofours.
There was a time when we pulled together
in favor of free soil, though to tell the
truth, we never got so we'll in with the abo-
litionists as to have the honor Of being q
Secretary of an Anti-Slaycry Society, or to
feel as he did in 1919, that the Democratic
party was so deeply imprcgnatcd, and so
pcryaded, through and through, with Free
Soil sentiments That there was no cause for
the Free Sellers to keep up an organization
separate from the Democratic party. We
abound in "reminiscences, and we have one
with which our friend is connected of so
striking character, that we cannot resist
the impulse to bring it forward. 1t is
this:
In lo49, the people of Mainc,. Mr.. A.
among the rest, though not quite SO jealous
as he was when the Anti-Slavery Secretary
were all Free Sellers. The Democracy were
peculiarly SO. Their State convention had
not only resolved " that Slavery is at vari-
ancc with the theory of our government,
abhorrent to the common sentiment of man.
kind, and that the federal government pos
sesscs adequate power to inhibit it in the
territories ofthc Union," but the following
interestin. correspondence, which will speak
for itself, had occurred between DR.. Hub
bard, the democratic candidate for Cover
nor and some warm democratic Anti-Slavcry
men of Waldo:
AUGUSTA, July lG, 1919.
Hon. JONI IIuBGARD:
Sir The undersigned, the delegation
from the County of Waldo, would respect
fully solicit statement of your views in re
lation to the extension of Slavery into terri
tories of the United States which are nov
free. Your position as candidate for TIN
Office of Governor of this State, is u suiiiclcn
} apology for what might otherwise appear /,
, be an Oficious interference with the opinions
OF others.
Very respectfully,
Your friends and servants,
} ADAMS TREAT, u. SrNoSTON.
TnoxAs NJ. Morrow, GEORGE \. WHirE,
r WILLIAM MERRIAM, NATHAN WoRrnlSG,
ARTHUR TREAT, DANIEL WENTWORTH,
JESSE SMART. JoSEPH BATcuELER,
JonN HoDGDoN. DAVID SMITH.
HALLowELL, July Il, 1910.
GENTLEMEN - Yours of the 10th, 70
quesung a." u statement Of my views in rela
ton to the extension Of Slavery into terrific
ries of tho United States now lree," is bcfor
me. The question in all its practical bear
ings. as subject of deliberativc and solemn
legislation, is an extensive one. can onl,
give, here, u brief statement of the princi
pies which would guide my action upon it
LIST. believe Congress to have cntir
constitutional jurisdiction over the whole
subject Of Slavery in the territories OF tn
United States.
ID. l am opposed to Slavery in all it
bearings, moral, social, and political, an'
especially am opposed to its extension.
3D.. | would adopt all constitutional an'
equitable means to prevent the extension
Slavery INTO territories now free. I
Hoping, gentlemen, that this brief expos
will meet your views, l am, with sentiments
Of respect and regard,
Yours, joins HUBBARp.
The Argus of July &c, 1919, in making
n
public this correspondence, spoke as fol
lows:
'nUBBARD AND FREE SOIL"
{" The following correspondence defines
precisely. terscly, and without any possible
ity Of mistake, DIR. llubbard's position on
the free soil issue. His a position fully sus'
tdindbie, and in entire accordance with the
sentiments of the great body of the Demo.
cratic party Of Maine, and, in fact, of the
North generally.
In view of the action Of the Democracy o
the Legislature of the resolutions Of oui
State Convention - and Of this letter from
our candidate for Governor 1t the question
becomes peculiarly appropriate-What ART
the Free SOiipdrty hoping to accomplish by
separate organisation? We think it would
nnzxlc their wisest leaders to answer it,