Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-07-13
PO LIT &c A l..
T,om the Heaosbcc Journal.
Smart's Accusation against
Senator Hamlin.--An APP
peal 10 the Record.

In h'sp2ech ~ PORTLAND, accepting Ihe
Gubcrna,orlal nomination, Mr.. Smart pre-.
i,rred a serious. and a, the record shows.
totally false accusation nsain., Senator
IIimlin. Referring TO the memorial Of tho
citizens Of Bangor somo years since Tor a'd
to the European and North American Rail.
road, Mr. Smart said
~ oil va, introduced into the House
" Representatives At Washington hy Mr..
Bennett Of New York. granting land grant,
lur railways IN tlle several Siatc,, including
goo 900 acre, llr Maine which ~ hoped TO
obtain i,r tie North American aud Europe.
an Railway.
TIE bin vas considered in the House, and
during thr session of the 32l Congress,
voted pine time, on the ayc- and NAYS de.
r,ctly or indlroctly 10 sustain is. IL finally
passed tho llous, py a vote of 30 % -. IL
went t1 the Sena'c and was referred - tho
Commi;tc- ON public l4ni'. On the 9th Of
August the Committee reported adversely 10
the bill. aud 10 the petition ol the citizen.
Of Bangor. On tho 2slh OF the same month
the subject was a.iin considered IN the sen-
ate. Mr.. fish Of New York moved u post
none the appropriation bills 80 ~, 10 take
on Bennett. bin aud pnss II. The vote
stood - in favor Of taking up the bill 10 y
n.ain.t i,. Among tie nays 6ud the name
%. senator llamlln. Tho friends Of Mr..
llamlin mas oblsct 10 toll statement OF
I'M, record. Blt while entertain no un.
kind feelings Tor that ssnIismau. ] shall 'ay
w,i what please on any STUMP IN Maine.
| have been put upon the stamp 10 DO -,
and there are no considerations which will
deter me. The change OF a-In.lc vote would
have taken up the bill and puI it on Its pas
ago. senator lIAmlin had that vote IN his
own kecrin. but his vote wa. the death
blow % the grant Of 900 900 acres Of West
ern land TO Maine, and tho death blow 70
o.r great enterprise. Had that bill passed,
the North American and European Railway
would have been " a cloud by day and u
pillar of fire hy night TO the children OF
the old world desiring to travel acru., the
great continent Of America-it would have
been a /" cloud by day aud a pillar Of fire
by night" to the children Of the new world
desiring to visit the far OG land Of their
lorclather,. but Mr.. President | always
wish 90 be fair and to withhold no word
that NAV be due to nv competitor. Mr.
washburn voted as did in the House. lie
al.o Introduced separate bill and made an
ablc speech"
Let u. brieay recipi,ulate the facts con.
nected with this matter, as shown by OH.
eial records. When the bill reached the
Senate II was referred to the COMMITTEES on
Pub!ic Lands. That COMMITTEES was then
composed OF three Northwestern Demo.
crai. and two Southern Wings. Wig; feleh
of Michigan. Shields OF Illinois, Dodge Of
Iowa. Underwood Of Kentucky, and Pratt
Of Maryland. The NORTHWESTERN Democ.
racy being at all times hostile To the jus,
treatment OF the Fast. this Committee re.
ported adversely to tho bill. Shields was
at that time the colleague Of Douglas
Dodge Of Iowa, and feleh OF Michigan.
were prominent among hi. No,r,r,, a. the
former !. to thi. day. Douglas could have
controlled the fate OF the bill, for Under
wood and Pratt were both IN favor OF H.
and on. vote more on the Committee would
have procured Report recommending 'ts
passage, and tha, vot. was withheld by Gen.
Shields. the solleagu. and follower OF Doug.
las. After an adverse report on the bill,
with the known hostility OF Douglas and
Cas- 10 its passage, Il was simply impossi-
bic for II to pass in the Democratic Senate,
80 largely controlled q, ,ha, time by the
Democratic leaders from the North. West.
Accordingly, when 1t was called up, there
was no hope Tor it--its fate being sealed in
advance by Douglas and bis followers. Mr.
Fish made his motion to take up merely
with the view Of (" getting ihs sense Of hs
Senate upon he BiR." and without in,ima-
ting any hope Of favorable result. His