The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-10-23
Letter from Minnesota.
NoRTHFIELD, MIN, Oct. LIST, Is

| To The Editor Of the Press;
A late copy of your paper containing the
election returns is received, through the kind
ness of some friend, and perused with the
! greatest interest. My old pen shares the in
spiration of your glorious achievement, and
demands to move in response to your "greet-
ing TO all creation" Tens of thousands from
Maine in this State join your civilizations no
less heartily along our rivers and over our
praries than if mingling with their old fellow
citizens in the strife and the victory. Your
deeds will be felt to the outer verge of ciyiiza-
ton. You stood side by side with Milton and
Cromwell, Lafayette and Garibald, Washing
ton and kosciusco, in the old conflict between
Liberty and Despotism, renewed. And the
people of Maine have shown the world that
they understand the issue, and are ready to
meet it both with ballots and bullets. YOU
with California, have struck the keynote of
this years elections grandly, and the awakened
harmonies will come up from every free State
reversing the calamities of last year, blasting
the shameless cohorts of slavemongers, and
sending good cheer to the hearts of our he
roc veterans in the field. God bless the State,
But not many know what it cost to raise
that State from where it stood thirty years
ago, up TO the moral level of its present posi-
ton; and the vast difference will scarcely be
realized by its present inhabitants. The two
great causes of Freedom and Temperance
carried home TO the hearts of the people the
pnhlpst nrincnlas of nuhlic virf,,a .nJ tla ra-
suit is seen in these election returns. Behold
the fruit ripened and gathered, and "Shout the
harvest homer Sewer and reaper again unite
their joy.
1t is surprising that your debased copper
heads expected any other result. Has guilt
destroyed their common sense? Did they not
know that the body of the people had risen to
higher standards of moral and patriotic nteg-
rity, while they have been sinking deeper in
corruption? The hopeless distance between
them they now have leisure to measure.
Maine has but one danger: that the people
will allow unworthy men to get their ballots
by protesting their principles. If they will,
with unbending frmness, say, sound men or
ho tVtto, Vic DtdtC VIII hOt ucT
present proud position, but advance still high
er in manly progress.
The most humiliating part of all is, that cop
perheadsm, spurned from politics with con-
tempt, is still tolerated in religious society.
True to its native instinct, it still coils its
pent form in the bosom of some churches, if
not pulpits, under the long-abused name of
Charity" If Christian discipline does not
reach this element, better far for the honor of
Christianity that all such churches and pulpts
if they exist, be instantly blotted from recog-
nization and existence.
see it stated that Gov. G.. +. Shepley said
in Portland speech not long ago, that he
would trust slavery with the Union men of
of the South" But have we not trusted them
long enough? Eighty years we have been
trying that experiment, and the awful results
are upon US! Does history teach nothing?
Has protracted experience no lesson of wis
dom? While that portion of the South should
be aided and encouraged against slavery, the
country must not run the dreadful hasard of
giving it up TO their control. The seeding
States by secession abolished themselves as
States of the Union; on what then, does slav-
cry stand? 1t is legally extinct, and the coun-
try must see that it never comes to life.
Allow the brielest alusion to one other con-
sideration. Maine owes an extraordinary OBJ
legation to the country and to humanity in the
present contest. For the sake of admission to
TTuinp la throu0h bar ptafi
surrendered to the slave power, defeated the
last peaceful effort of the country to restrain
it and save free government from subversion
while it might. Maine was dishonored at her
birth slavery seized the scepter, to be wrest-
ed only by the carnage of successful war
Better had merciful ocean admitted" it TO the
Bay of Fundy. But it was "expedient,' they
said
And there is Missouri slavery fastened to
its vitals by the same act-had enough before,
but, for two years and half scene of vio-
lence, robbery, murder, and every other con-
ceivable form Of agony, such as has rarely been
exceeded in the history of human woe. But
it was "expedient" &c conservative" - they
said.
And then it was a single act-a brief aye
all done in moment-why not say it-make
Maine State and give peace to the country?
Now we gather the ripened fruit of it all
And there with you are the graves of those
whose agency for Maine did all this. The
State gave them graves, and received what of
temporary good resulted from their acts
Surely it is bound by bonds of honor and pa
triotic duty now, such as are not found else
where. The country was all but ruined, though
most wickedly, for Maine, and now she must
write valiant and grateful history.
You will soon hear from Minnesota what we
have heard from Maine, and Northern pro-
slavery will be ground to dust at the ballot
box this year. Then the country is saved.
Yours truly, A. WILEY.
CONVICTED OF MUIDER-The case of Ma
ry Elliott charged with poisoning with strych-
nine her daughter-in-law, Ellen Elliott, has
been on trial several DAYS Mt Machias On