Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-02-01
Union Meeting in Portland.

There was Union Meeting. IN Portiand'
on Saturday last, which m great measure
meets our views Of what such meeting
should 10.
The citizens. irrespective Of PARTY, assem-
bled in large numbers. and with an eye sim
Gle to the good Of their common country
took counsel upon the present eIieeney.
Hon. Ether Shepl-y was elected Modsra-
tor. A committee on resolutions was APP
pointed which reported the following series
Of resolutions
Resolved. That under the Providence OF
God We are indebted TO the Union OF the
United State. Tor the une,anpled rrosPer'.
Nv. which asa people We hav" bcen PER
mit,ed % ENJOY, and Tor the high considsra'
ton. which We have hcen enabled 10 attain
and maintain among the nations.
%. That the destruction OF that Union
i. the or ate, calamity that can he an'ie'-
Patel. q calamity destructive OF the groa'.
c., and noblcrt inheritance ever Transmitted
by ancestor, TO their postcriiy.
"a. Ths, il i. the duty ot each State and
Of its citizens 20 avoid all just causes OF
complaint respecting Oh. domestic affairs
and institutions Of other state. not coming
within tho jurisdiction OF the United States.
That We desire 10 perform faithfully all he
Obligation. imposed upon Us by the Cousti'
tuition and law. OF the country and expect
that Others should do 50.
9TH, That no State has q right 10 .~cede
from the Union. That iorciLlc opposition
"a Il. constitutional laws - criminal. aud
II must meet our dIsarprohaiion and rcsis-
tanca.
9Th, That it i. the duty Of the Govern.
ment Of the United States 10 cause the forts
and other public property OF the United
States 10 hc prot 'cted /; and possession there
of % d. preserved aud the revenue laws
10 he enforced and tins State should BE-
ready 10 AID the Government - 20 DO.
9th, Tha, we recognize u 10 b. our du-
" a. ci,iIen. II the State of Maine. and We
declare It 60 d. our de-irc and purIOs, 10
Ia cultivate friendly spirit towards all
our countrymrn: that We will tender every
measure of Cancellation, which w. can de.
wise Of a suitable nature TO met the prs.
cut puh,lc dangers and difficulties and will
give the most favorable consideration 30 eS.
cry friendly proposition which shall come
o. us from any part ~ our country.
eth, That to nantes, tho attachment OF
thu. State 10 the Union. aud iis disposition
20 remove all occasion iur complaint. u -
eSrsjient that the provision. ~ an act emit.
lied - An act further IN protect personal
liberty" approved March Eth lsij. which
have been incorporated into the Revised
statute. should be repealed.
Judge pa'i. did not believe ,ha,a State
had no RICH, to scecir. lie understood So
e-,sion TO mean revolution and the rish, Of
r,oluuon lic- a, the foundation Of our GOV
ernmen, lie believed ,ha, the government,
had a right % coercs a state. hut lid mol,
think IL rSteiicnt II the Southern states
thought they must 60. he for one will .ay,
.dcpar, IN peace" lie aid the &C, in this
State preventing sheriff. and Justice. OF
tie Pcac, from catching slave. "a. eons,itu-
uonal. and iha, It would be an abandon.
men, Of a moral principle - rrpsal IL lie
dd no, consider i, honest {, MAKE such q
tender t, the southern States. since IL va.
well known tina, the people Of this State
would not hc negro catch,r', At any rate.
IL wished 20 amend tie sixth resolution by
adding
Ia, we can never consent iha, Congrc..
shall pcrmi, the further extension Of .la.
yery. ~ ADM, into the Union new States in
which slavery !. not prohibited.
Thi. amcrdmcn, wa. declared u be no,
accepted"
John Neal though, the Personal Liberty
Law M, uncou,,ituiional, bu, e,a.r~t.,ins,
and ,ba, i, should b" repealed H. urged
thu, the Fugitive slave Law should bc en-.
iorccI.
The remarks Of Hon q. T. shepley, L.
:. Di.uic, Attorney were 80 juiiciou. and
w,li.umei, revealing tic hear, Of the true
patriot. ,ha, We give them in full, a, repor.
ted in the Advertiser
Hon. George I Shepley remarked ,hat~e
had come together On An occasion which las
never existed before ~ the history OF the
city We were not u decide upon mere
municipal ma'ters-np, to eciir The fate Of
a lew petty ,fIrill., nor whether the gov
eminent Of the State itself should continue
t. have an e,i.trncc-hut a. take into con.
.ideraiiun the vast question whether the
cuniriefacy Oi States should continue u con.
l-ieracy any longer. SEC -sion - a." with.
drawal Ut an ind'penient sovereignty from
a confederation OF Independent sovereign.
tics without tho consent II tho remaining
mrmb crs Of tho conlc!cracy, the suhver,iun
ot AN EXISTING government, and the es,ah-
lrshn,nt Of an Independent, one. or coniei.
GRAFTON with other independent Sia,e-, and
within the limits of the old cnniri'ricy (:
revolution W. an uprising ~ the people 10
throw "a wicked aud corrupt government.
lie believed IA the night vi the people %
reyol, u the government became manlfestly
oppressive aud .ubycr.iyc of the popular lib-
critics. but be did not believe IN secession
Tie did not believe that the County ol Cum.
bcrllnd or ArOUstODk had right o. seceie
fruul the rect of the State. and conduct u
sNtINmtut W. " pNn way w w " ruubli
do aud take possession OF the buildings
which the people had paid for. and seit, the
general property. IL was clearly the duty
of Gov Israel Washburn 20 execute the
laws (Checr-.) IL did no, believe in the
right OF Florida. for which we had paid five
millions OF money. and Tor which many mil.
lion. more had BEEN paid by the General
Government in building for,,fe,,ions and
clearing out the Seninole.. 20 .ec.ds from
the Union. | lelieye no State has right
70 soeede; but is coercion practicable. Bv
the secession Of one STATE. the law. Of the
United States Government are not repeal
ed the resolutions express tina, i, is the du.
" Of the governm ,nt to execute them. NJ
one will deny this. Every one will admit