Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-12-30
THE BANGOR MEETING.

THE BANGOR MEETING.
Saturday evening, an immense meet
ing was held at Bangor. Speeches were
made by Senator Hamlin, Mayor Brown,
+. A. Wilson, c. A. Boutelle, Hon. j..
S. Wheelwright, Revs. K. l.. Howard,
f. W. Preble, H. w Bolton, and Paul
X. Seavey, esq, and large number Of
letters and kilograms were read, express
ing sympathy with the meeting. We
publish Senator Hamlin'S speech, as given
by the Bangor Wing; also the resolu-
tions:
SENATOR HAMLGN's SPEECH.
Mr.. Chairman and fellow citizens ::
These plaudits are grateful to me, because
they are the evidences of earnest and
honest hearts who have met here tonight
to take counsel together in the greatest
crisis which has ever come to our State,
and to say that they will not submit to
this attempted subversion of their rights.
Why is it that | look down upon this sea
of gray heads and upturned faces |
have asked this question in this hall in
other days. | asked it in the days when
Sumpter was fired upon, when the whole
North uprose against the attempt to over
throw our republic Then the integrity
of our nation was threatened, now it IS
the integrity Of our State.
There are various ways in which revo-
luton may be brought about; it may be
done by force of arms, as 1t was IN 1861 (;
it may be done by starving the govern
ment through withholding supplies to
carry on its work; it may be done by the
bold faced usurpation of powers not be-
longing to them, by those sitting IN high
places in the State, as is the case which
we have come together to consider tonight.
In view of the present situation of affairs
what is to be done: Let us have no vain
yaunting, but, like cool, reasonable and
considerate men, let US look mildly and
calmly upon the conditions imposed upon
us and upon the remedy for these condi-
tions.
have been absent from our pleasant
little city and never have | returned to
my native State with the mantling blush
of shame upon my face and humiliation
in my heart, until now. Our State has
been honored in the past by the virtue,
intelligence and patriotism of her sons.
| have been asked frequently while away,
how is it about our State; VIII the
Governor and Council commit this high
handed act against the rights Of the peo-
Pile: | told them did not believe 1t
would be done. | did not believe that
eight men could be found outside of the
walls of the penitentiary who would do
such a thing. 1t has been done, and
what is it that has been done: Why, its
magnitude is so great that | can hardly
comprehend it. Icannot realize the enor-
nifty of it.
They have sought in direct opposition
to the provisions of the Constitution and
the Statute laws of our State to subvert
the will of the people. | want you, my
friends, to bear with you away from here
in clear and distinct manner the way
this has been done. They say it has
been done under the forms Of law. Jesus
Christ was crucifed under the forms OF
law. There has been no act of oppres-
sion or cruelty written in the pages Of
history which has not been done under
the forms of law. We want something
more than the forms of law, we want tc
vindicate the spirit of the law. The
Governor and his seven Councillors-and
one of them lives in this city-have by
their arbitrary and unwaranted acts re-
versed the will of the people as expressed
by them through the ballot. And
want to say to you what | believe to be
the duty of the citizens of Maine. Shur
every one of these men as you would q
pestilence; make every one of them ar
outcast and Wandering Jew; point the
finger of scom at them; shun them as
moral lepers who are covered with sore;
from the crown of the head to the sole o.
! the foot: make them to feel that they are