Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-12-28
The Gordon Meeting in Au,tlnburs.

Aict.
Tho Gordon Meeting in Austinburg.
Pursuant TO q notice a meeting of the
people of Austnburg assembled in the Con.
gregationaI Church, on Wednesday even
lug Dec. 18th, when Rev. A. D. Barber
was chosen Chairman aud Mr. Walker of
the Grand River Institute was appointed
Secretary. After a statement of the object
of the meeting, MessrS j. Ii Barnum, Rev.
Rob-. Cochran, Simon Reed d. S. Alvord,
and Orrin Orcutt, were appointed Com
mittee to Report resolutions, who present.
cd a series, which was read. After the
reading Of the Resolutions, Mr.. Walker
asked to be excused from serving as Sucre.
,ary, as he did not wish TO be committed to
the resolutions After some discussion of
this motion and the resolutions, Mr. w.
was excused, and j.. Il. Ba mum appointed
in his stead.
On motion Of Gen. T. A. Miller the reso.
lutonS were recOmmitted and The meeting
adjourned to the evening OF the 10th.
On the 18th the meeting resumed It's
business, when the resolutions were report
ed back in the following form, (Which is
su u6stantlally the same us The first reporteu.) J
After pretty full discussion aud one or
rwo slight amendments they were adopted
as follows:
WHEhEAs, We believe that neither Con
gresS nor the Executive, nor the judiciary,
nor ull these branches OF Government, act.
ing together, hold any authority whatever
to kldnap or enSlave any innocent person,
or TO make it right or lawful for any one
to kiduap or enslaye an uuofeudng pei sou,
and further We believe that tue Fugltlve
Slave Act imposed no obligation whatever
on The fugitive, TO submit to be kidnapped
or enslaved, and that II gives no moral or
legal authority 10 any officer or person, 10
enslave or return 10 slavery any person
cha ged with lowing service or labor aud
that said act possesses no attribute, quality
or eemcu of law aud is Subve"Sive OF the
essential elements of government, aud that
the passage and enforcement OF said act IA e
| reasonable Ia their nature aud tendency
and calculated TO subvert the fuudament
principles Of our government aud those
who AID in its reintorcemeuIS as richly de-
serves The penalty attached 10 kidnapping
and piracy AS ii the act had been commit
ed Oh the Airicuu coast.
Rcs0Lred, That If Rev. Geo Gordon had
resisted the execution OF process, under
the Fugi,lve Slave Act, (Which we are well
assured be did noL) We should then as we
do now honor him for his fidelity to God
and humanity, aud regard his prosecution,
conviction, Gue aud Imprisonment, Us u Ia Q
exercise OF Judicial power, involving III
guilt Judge, Jurors, Counsel and all who
were in any way accessory thereto aud
we wish hereby TO indentify ourselves with
Mr.. Gordon in approval of resistance 10 all
such unjust, illegal enactmeuts.
! ResOircd. That we hereby express our
unqualified and heat felt sympathy for Rev,
George Gordon and family, In this Their
hour of sore trial and tffiierion, aud that
we assure them that they are not forgotten
by us when in public or private we invoke
supplication TO Him who has said THE
rod of the wicked shall not rest on the
righteous"
ResOlred. That we regard Judge Will
son in his enforcement of the Fugitive Slave
Act as willing representative OF pro.sla
very rage, curSing and bitterness, blending
fendsh hate with Judicial malsvOlence
useful only as an illustration of total de
pravity, and for that unnecessary, in an
age that has read of Jeffreys, and known
Buchanan, Wise, Floyd, Mason and JEFF
Davis
Resolrcd. That the course pursued by
the Cleveland Herald, aud especially by The
Leader, in the sacrifice of the Slave Lucy,
and the persecution Of Rev. George Gordon
contrasts IN sad degeneracy with the course
they pursued when under a Democratic
Administration they spoke out manfully
and earnestly against the Fugitive Slave
Act, its aders aud abettors on the trial OF
the Oberlin and Wellington Rescuers.
Rss0lced. That our abhurrence Of the
Fugitive Slave Act, is in no sense diminish
ed when its execution is enforced by Re
publieians and that the anathemus bestow
ed upon the Democratic Marshal, johnson
and District Attorney Be!den, ought to be
a thousand fold Increased. intensified aud
concentrated, upon the Republican District
Attorney Paine, andapy other officers who
may engage in the iHiernal work Of enfoTc'
ing this Act
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