The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-09-11
Lot n. Morr,ll and his pefamsrs.

mse ing Of The RiHbiioons 81 biddgord,
held at Beethoven HdH on Wtdntsdoy Ere
n,ny, Sept. o.
|. An indescribably mean, personal article,
he nature OF which appears by the follow
ng extracts, was inserted in the Democrat
Il this week:
"In q word, Lot NJ. Morrill, is moes.
,ary political dsmogcgue-ds much traitor
o principle and patriotism (his own words
'eins his judse) as 'ra' Benedict Arnold.
lIamlin has secured his reward the money
has BEN counted out and put in his hand,
and he is enjoying it. Morrill, is now CALI
Ing Tor his portion, and the contractors who
bought him are raising tho money to pay
him."
History records that, "A few deserters
and refugees, already within the British
lines and not united with any corps, and
particularly officers DESTROYS OF place and
nominally constituted Arnold's
regiment, which was never 20 lar completed
Us To DO known either for its numbers or ex.
ploits.' So let arnold Morrill's political
regiment be at its next parade. Ills treason
is exposed he Is within the reach Of the
patriots Of the State, let them reward him
politically rs our fathers would have re-
warded Arnold IL he had fallen into their
hands-hang him on a gibbst."
The remarks made by Mr. Cowan In rela.
ton to these charges, were written out from
memory since they wcre made, and arc SUBJ
siantially in the language used by him.
Mr.. Cowan on rising to respond to the call
Of the meeting, said that he should not dis.
guise the fact that |, gave him pleasure to
speak on this occasion. He WINS gnti6ed
with the call, and with the aattering man
ncr in which II had been made he was e.
pecially grati6cd, because 1t would afford
him an opportunity to reply as he had pro-
posed to do, to some charges which had APP
pearcd in public press against Hon. Lot NJ.
Morrill,, the Republican candidate for Gov.
ernor, made in spirit Of partizan nneor
and maligni,y which he had never seen
eaualled. Mr.. Morrill, was charged In this
paper as being traitor, likened to Benedict
Arnold, declared TO have been bought, and
accusations made against him which, II true,
ought to consign him to the lowest depths Of
inf,my, but which, IL untrue, rs he knew
them to be, should brand with disgrace the
foul libeller who had uttered them. Asa
personal and political friend Of Mr. Morrill,,
he felt it his duty to repel the charges and
place the accusations where they really be.
long, on to the aecuser.
Before however proceeding to the subjee.
on which he proposed chiefly to speak, he
desired to say that, in tho presence Of an in
tclligcnt audience such as bc was addressing,
there was little need Of dwelling on general
political matters his hearers were as lamil.
lar rs he was with the questions Of the day,
understood their bearing, and duties arising
out of them, as well or better than himself.
and Inc srw in tho number present and the
interest manifested, that the Republicans of
Biddeford were to take no step backward
lie could then speak with more freedom on
the particular topic to which he had reierr-
ed. Fellow Republicans. your candidate for
Governor is accused with treason similar 10
that of Benedict Arnold's, with having been
bought. Let Inc read to you several pass
ages from the article in the Democrat, where
these chargcshrc made.
I,Ir. Cowan read the extracts given ut the
head OF tho article.
Such, fellow Republicans, is the indecent
language applied to your candidate. He is
accused Of being traitor, Of being pur-
man. He, Mr.. c.. was aware that
the authority on which these accusations
were made was not the most respectable, but
it was entitled to some consideration from
the fact that they were spread through the
press, and on this account, no felt called
to notice them. In all his experience he had
never seen an article 80 indescribably mean
md malicious, SO destitute Of foundation as
the one from which they are taken. Tho
ordinary courtesics Of political warfare hal
been laid inside in its preparation, and polit-
cal rancor and q natural spite embittered by
leicat, had entered into Its composition to
IN extent which he had hardly conceived
possible to be. In determini & the ques-
ion Of supporting candidates for public
,lice, the frt question which an elector
'hould ask, is the candidate presented an
honest man? has he unpurchas,ble integri.
y? does he occupy sound moral positions?
These were questions which the electors had
right to have answered in the affirmative.
4 gamblers, licentious men, men who could
" bought. or men whose influence was al.
Ways given on tho side Of immortality were
nominated for Office, no party obligations
rerc binding on the electors to give such
heir support. lie acknowledged the rule,
nd If Mr.. Morrill, was man such rs he Is
llcsed to he in this most foul libel, he would
lot give him his vote. While he wns sorry
or the yilcncss Of the motive which had die.
atcd II, he was glad that II would afford
lin an opportunity to relate some facts in
,Ir. Morrill's history which would endear
i'm to the hearts of MI true men, and shed
additional lustrc on the man, and these facts
vould % to show who were the real ccl-
'rlts, guilty Of treason like that Of Benedict
Irnold =, and who had been bought by oiiicc
0 sell their principles and t'eir country.
What are the facts to which allusion has
cen made? The position Of oil parties in
Iaine up to few years has been one Of I'M
opposition to the extension
slavery. Wing and Democratic, both
led with each other In maintaining il. Mr..
Iorrill was n prominent member Of the
party, and as such rympithired