The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-08-24
Another ors.s Meeting.

The meeting arranged to hear Hon. Henry
Wilson. Of Mass, on Wednesday evening Was
held In the area fronting the Congregational
Church. Union Hall was engaged. but some
time before the hour for assembling had come,
was filed, and graf numbers assembled
around the doors unable to gain admittance.
Under this state OF things Il was deemed eIpe-
dent to have the speaking in the open air. Mr..
Wilson was escorted to the place Of speaking by
the wide-Awakes Of our two places, who with
torches numbering two hundred and 6ny, made
q most brilliant appearance. Mr.. Wilson spoke
to the crowd numbering several thousands for
near two hours. We have no room for any eI-
tended report OF the speech. II was both elo-
quent and convincing in argument and facts,
and listened to with great earnestness and at
tention. Our people seem to be thoroughly
aroused 10 the importance Of the issues Of the
campaign, and will show by their votes on cleo
ton day that their love for free speech, free
soil and freemen, has increased rather than d.
minished.
Mr.. Wilson in the course Of his speech, after
showing up the Inconsistency and hypocrisy Of
Douglas in relation to freedom generally, and
exposing the absurdity Of his sham popular
sovereignty, recapitulatcd some Of the acts OF
the last Republican House at Washington. men-
tioning the passage Of bills to admit Kansas,
the Homestead bills, the bill to repeal the In
famous Slave Code passed by the territorialleg-
islature Of New Mexico, the bill to readjust the
tariff so as to give adequate means to carry on
the government and to protect American labor,
and other measures, all OF which had failed
through the action of the Democracy In the
Senate. This recapitulation was made to meet
and refute Douglas assertion that the Republic
can party had but one idea, and that 1t was so
busted with the niger question that II could
find no time to attend to the other interests OF
the country. Mr.. Wilson not only showed the
falsity Of this assertion, bnt he showed that It
was the Democracy In Congress and specially
in the Senate which by the agitation Of the
slavery question were responsible for the de-
feat of all measures calculated to promote the
real interest Of the country. On many Of these
measures he showed that Douglas, to gain "a
vor from the South, or for some other selfish
purpose, acted in such way as to take awsy
oil pretence that he cared either for freedom or
any OF the material interests Of the people.
One fact mentioned by him Is worth remen-
brance. Douglas has been represented here at
the North as favorable to the admittancc Of
Kansas as free State. The people acting in
the proper way, adopted q free constitution,
asked for admission, and the House passed the
bill and sent II to the Senate. 1t was there refer
red to the Committee on Territories. This Com
mittee consisting Of seven, kept the bill In their
possession long time. Douglas was member
Of the committee, and the committee being di-
yided, three being In favor Of reporting favor.
ably upon It and three against, held the bal
ance Of power. He did not attend the session,
of the committee. His vote in the committe
favorable to Recommendation for Its passage
would have taken II out the committee and
placed II before the Senate under circumstances
favorable to its passage. The bill was finally
brought before the Senate, but without any
Recommendation for its passage. There were
several important votes in relation to 1t, but
when these votes were taken, Mr.. Douglas was
not present, and throughout the entire session
seemed utterly Indifferent to the admission Of
Kansas Us q free State.