Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-02-15
POLITIC CAL.
SPEECH OF HON. G. 2. ApAns.

Nr. Sp<akct IN uis hout W iusAPs0
| bic import 10 the fate Of unborn millions, !
would tha, could clear from my syss the
nim Of oil human passions. to eco the truth
and the right in their naked living reality.
and with their aid 20 ri.S to tho grandeur
Of the opportunity to do good to my fellow
men. There have bcsn occasions when the
lifting words, uttered IN the true place.
helped TO right the scale when wsveripg
towards the ruin Of . nation. A. no time
have they been moro necessary than now.
AZ no place more requisite than here. The
mos, magnifccn. example of-elf government
known to history 10 IN imminent danger Of
suffering an abrup, mat,liAtiOn by reason
Of the preeipitate 'iolencs oi few de'psr.
ate men. ! propose to discuss briefly. and
| trust with proper calunc-,, the cause and
the effect OF this proceeding, s we'll Is the
duty It entails upon rs.
On the 9th Of November the psopls OF the
United States were called for the 10Th time
~ give in their votes for the election OF the
two highe', officer, known to the Cons,itu.
ton. Nothing marked the proceeding with
ahy unusual features. No reluctance has
been manifested in any quarter 10 fulfill the
duty. tho proof Of which is that no more
full expression OF opinion was ever made.
40 complaint Of uniairness or fraud was
heard. No contested question sprung up.
With the single exception Of the State Of
Virginia. not doubt was entertained Of the
true reflection Of the popular sense in do..
isna,ing the election whose province II Was
10 complete the process. Not . soul has
boen bold enough to deny the fact. that
from the origin Of the Government not
single elestion. which had been disputed a,
all. was ever more fairly conducted or more
unequiyocally determined. Yet no sooner
was the result positively ascertaiued than
the people OF one Of the States even while
engaged in performing the common duty as
i faithfully ~ all the rest. aud without the
/ intervention Of y single new disturbing
cause. suddenly brok" out into yiol'nt re-
mon.,ranc,. anu dashed into immeia,s ti'
forts 10 annul all the obligations OF the Con-
situation Such step bad ni'cr bciors
been taken ia any quarter. The same 'p'T''
directly manifested itseli 10 the region round
about, and IL his continued ever since TO
spr,ad until it has more or less Affected the
loyalty Of ten or t~elVs OF The States. Al
the precise period OF this occurrcnce no new
pro,oca,iou had been given. unless IL Was
to bs found in the single fact that the 'uc-
cc..fal candidates were persons Tor whom
those States had not voted. A similar in.
stance had never occurred. |, has been
alleged ,ha, various grievances have been
suffered. much oppression has been endured,
and certain ouirages have been committed
upon tho people Vi the sla'sholdips States.
which render ,heir longer stay in the Union
impossible, unless confidence can be inspired
that some remedies may be applied 70 stop
the evils for the future. They aver that
their rights are no longer secure IN remain
ing with Us. and that the alternative leIi "
to withdraw themselves before acqaieseenee
shall have prepared them Tor ultimate sub
jucal,on. They come TO US and demand
tha, these complaint, shall DO listened to.
and these apprehensions Ailayed before they
can consent to farther abide under tho au'
tboriiy Of common head.
After u fuii hearing Of all that has been
aid in coum,,tec and elsewhere, | easily
embrace the complaints under three heads.
to wit:
I. The passage Of laws In some Of the
Tree States. operating TO di'couEasc the re-
covery OF fugitive slaves.
.. Tue denial OF equal rights in the Ter.
ritories.
}. The apprehension Of such an increase
ot political power IN the free States as To
tempt to an invasion, under new forms Of
the Constitution, Of tbs rights Of the slave
State. to manage thsir domestic Affairs.
Ai'er full and calm examination Of all
the grounds furnished to sustain these com.
plants. am ready TO declare that IL thee
are oil tha, endanser the continuance Of tho
prerent common bond OF association between
the States, in my opinion no similar sacri.
Geo u nero abstraction was ever before
made amJog reasoning men. let me pro.
ceed briefly TO aualyIs them, one by one.
And first. OF the Personal Liberty laws.
Their origin 10 we'll known 10 have been
in the enactment Of the last fugitive slave
law. Their true purpose to protect inpo-
cent freemen from being dragged under the
stringent provisions. without trial and with.
out sclf.deiencc. into irredeemable bondage.
II IN attempting TO secure this object, sjms
Of them should have oversterp~i the line
20 far as to ob.,ruct the reclamation of 10.
gi,ivc slaves, surely a little may be pardon
ed to the spirit Of liberty justly wounded by
the harsh and revol ing feature. OF the law.
With u. in Massachusetts, IAN free 70
say that think both tie fus,tiSs slave law
Of 1850. and the personal liberty Law con.
.equen, upon 1t. are obsolete on the statute
books. n NO are quarrellins about either
or both. We make ground Of dispute on,
Of nero abstraction. Iask the slsvehold.
er., II you are going 10 dissolve the Uniou
about 1t on one eide. how are you likely to
improve your chances Of recovery by tha.
on tho other. ] ask my own friends, II you
are willing to stake the Union upon your