The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-03-09
For the Union and Journal.

before retiring, I read in the last number Of the
Union and Journal, letter dated jefferson
Co., Jan. 18th 1860. "giving an account ofa
cruel outrage upon Elk citizens Of Maine, b,
some southern planters near that place. am
quiet pcace.loying man, but must confess
that went to bed with the blood boiling
furiously through NIL my veins. 1t was lone
time before could compose myselfto rest
and INDUCED In q great variety ofejaculations
and questions, ,thc most prominent OF which
were:-How long Is this to be borne with-wil
the people of the North submit quietly to thu
many outrages upon her citizcns-especially
will the people Of Maine allow this last crue
and unproyoked insult to pass unnoticed by
anything further than newspaper account
Are the ears OF Northern men 80 filed with
southern cotton that they cannot hear the lash
applied to the backs Of their fellow citizens
Are their eyes so full Of it that they cannot SEQ
their lacerated bodiesl 1.-THE people Of Maine
let this pass, then shall believe to be true,
what was said bya certain Irish refugee
What was that Somebody will remember
But the limit beyond which patience ceases
TO be virtue has been passed. Something
Ought feel like saying. something shall be
done. We are too be noble to resort to the
lex talionis, we should degrade ourselves to
the southern level were VIC to retaliate In kind.
That we should never do. Southern people can
come among us with perfect safety OF lie and
limb. The question Is first, ought something
to be done, Will any man say no! Fit be
duty to act in the matter, and l do not hesitate
10 say that II will be cowardly disgrace not
to act, the .xeIt question Is what can be done!
What will be the most wise and d'gnihed
course, It may be said that such outrages ars
neither approved nor encouraged BY respecta-
Bile southerners. II that be the case, why do
we not hear some note Of their disapproval
Suppose that these six men had been attached
md robbed of their property in the State OF
Ca, or any other State; or suppose that for
totally different reason that the same treatment
had been applied to them, what would have
been done, But this insist Is not matter
personal to those six men, because any other
six from any Northern State would have been
treated in the same manner. What then
Those lashes were laid, by proxy, ON the backs
OF every man In Maine. They were intended
for every Northern man. As faras have ever
heard, no class in the south has raised q voice
Of disapproval. They must then oil be placed In
the same category.
But what shall be done! take II that
have right as citizen to demand that some
thing shall be done. At any rate possess the
right to enter complaint In the premises, or,
In still quieter manner. to offer advice. In
the first place the proofs Of the authenticity OF
the story should be called for by the Lesisla-
ture Of Maine. Those proofs being had, that
Legislature should In firm and dignifed man
,er demand redress Of the government OF Ga.
his course ought at onceto be pursued by every
Northern Legislature upon any ofwhose con''it-
uen,s similar outrages have been perpetrated.
livery man In the State OF Maine should insist
Upon this course in the present instance, or
ach one Is in fair way to be slave; for
,sist that men who are so wrapt up In dollars
nd cents as for the sake Of them to submit to
,sut and outrage are ct for nothing else but
1, be slaves, no matter what their color may
Q.
The present is m excellent opportunity for o
;orthcrn State to assert its rights and powers
,a member of the Union. In default Of any
.tion of redress after proper and dignifed de-
and, then the people individually should do
hat they can. They should allow southerners
come among them with perfect safety, but
,ould treat them with cold disdain, and refuse
,em all social attentions. viii Maine set q
I oble example for the rest Of the Northern
tatesi q.