Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1857-01-02
Letter from Portland.
PORTLAND, Dec, 30, 1856


ing particularly noteworthy to relate,
yet may as we'll redeem my promise,
and trust to luck for matter of inter-
est to your readers.
Money is very tight here. and l
presume the same complaint prevails ex
tensively in your region. Nevertheless
business isprctty brisk, and the pros
pect for the coming season is an encour-
aging one. Portland is bound to be
a great place in the future, and that not
a very distant one. She is now the At
lantic terminus of one Of the longest,
and most important thoroughfarcs on
this continent, with harbor unsurpassed
in many respects by any other IN the
( Union. which facts are and will contin-
ne to be discovered by capitalists and
merchants Ii needs ne prophetic eye
to see that ten years hence Portland
will rival if not surpass in wealth and
( "'iP'i ''i''e 'do P'''N'' t''''' VI
t New England boston.
i Col. Benton opened the course Of
nome lectures ot'ote '1e Nercah'i'e
LIBRARY ASSOCIATE HeFe'some weeks ago
l had the pleasure of hearing the old
veteran ana must Sd! 'nA' l was lnuch
and agrcoably dis lpp1intcd in the mat
tel OF his lecture. lie placed the re-
Sponsioliity OF the slavery agitation
wtere properly belongs,-a; the South
Johh T. 'athouh was the hrst asitator
OF tue Slavery question: Tor the express
purpose OF preparing the South Tor
dissolution Ana MS olseiples have
pefsis'eu IN 'Ae same course Tor the
same ooJec' up 10 the present hour
And his whole appeal to the North was
to cease agitation, fof IL did not help
the slave, and 1t only gave these disun-
ionists fuel to increase the fame. He
tells US we must submit to the repeal of
the missouri compromise, because to stri-
We for its repeal will renew the agita-
ton and lead to dissolution OF the Ca-
ion which he much fears, and Of whose
consequences he drew terrible picture.
Very good, but MIR. benton did not tel
US how, II the South should propose in
Congress to renew the Slave trade, or
seek to strengthen and extend in some
other way the malisn institution. we
could resist 1t without increasing agta-
ton. lie tells us these Southern Hot
spurs are eon'inua " contr'vins some
new plot to break up the Union. using
Slavery agitation as a basis. Shall we
Weld to their demands and buster. as
Mr.. Benton would have us in the case
of the Nebraska bill. or how shall we
do Mr.. Benten did not tell US, lie
stopped there, very conveniently
odd Bullion is man Of great Vi.
gor, energy and power, He is man OF
mark, and VII at is more, lie knors il, and
plainly minated as much to his audi
encc. His most prominent chayacteris-
tic, esotism' stuck out very p1intedly
so much so, as to cause some ''audibe
smiles" Nevertheless his lecture was
, one. which would that every Northern
man might hear, notwithstanding there
were some notorious non seqaitgrs, and
one or two. honestly made, | have ne
! doubt, mistatements. His declaration
n that the raising and sale of slaves a.
such is not ptacticed at the South, sur
. prised me. as presume it did every in
telligent man in the audience, and is a,
. variance with tAc most notorious facts
/ and voluntary admissions Of even South
ern men. On. this head NAV send yor
l 90'". ''N'S ' ~ -
are 10 nave a thorough course Of
= Anti-Slavery Lect ures here also, by