Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-09-02
A POLITICAL "REMINISCENCES.
John p. Hale's Revolt Against the
Pro- slavery Democracy.

Pro- Slavery Democracy.
From the close Of John Quincy Adams ad-
ministration in 1899 TO March 1s45, the demo
cratic party OF New Hampshire had maintain
ed uninterrupted control of that state. The
nrst open revolt in the democratic party Of
the north against the policy Of slavery extern
sion occurred In New Hampshire on account
of the scheme for the annexation of Texas.
On the 7th Of January, 1916, Mr.. John p. Hale,
who was enc OF the most popular democratic
representatives In congress- wrote hts we'll
known letter to the democratic electors OF
New Hampshire declaring his refusal to vote
for the Texas scheme. Although he had re-
ceived the regular nomination for another
term, special convention was callt d at Con-
cord, which struck his name from the ticket.
franklin Pierce, then chairman OF the state
central committee, made u tour among the
towns to urge his fellow democrats TO sustain
the action Of the special convention and
''throw Hale overheard"
This injustice TO brave man, who had gal
gantly stood by his convictions, fired some Of
the younger men Of the party. In Exeter
Amos Tuck, young lawyer, said II John p.
Hale was TO be politically ostraclsed on &C
count of his opposition TO slavery, he was
ready to go with him. To this Mr. Pierce re-
piled that he had met In his travels over the
state only one other man who had talked that
way, and that was John L. Hayes, OF Ports
mouth. Mr.. Pierce was then United States
district attorney for New Hampshire, and Mr..
Hayes was clerk OF the United States courts,
and was also chairman OF the Young Mems
him, therefore, Mr.. Pierce first unfolded his
vie after arriving in Portsmouth in the
cOui se of his tour.
But Mr., Tuck and Mr.. Hayes called meet
ing OF independent democrats at Exeter to
sustain Mr.: Hale, aud to Mr. Hayes belongs
~ ~ h.
test which appeared In New Hampshire against
the extension OF slavery after the letter OF Mr..
Hale. This protest was in the form Of q
speech which Mr. Hayes had attempted to de-
liver at q Democratic caucus In Portsmouth,
and, being suppressed by the party leaders, he
had printed and circulated It in the form Of q
pamphlet.
Franklin Pierce's motives appeared In the re-
mark: 1--WE must throw overheard Mr.. Hale, or
we shall lose favor with the southern men,"
Mr.. Pierce subsequently became president OF
the United States but Mr.. Hale did not suffer
by adhering to his convictions lie was not
only returned to congress at later period,
but was subsequently promoted TO the United
States senate Mr.. Hayes connection with
these interesting events, Of which there are
now so few survivors, has prompted him to
embody them Ia this pamphlet, entitled, "A
"Reminiscences OF the Free-Soil Movement In
New Hampshire, which will be preserved rs
an important contribution To the history of
that period. Hon. John z. Hale was great
orator. as well as man OF profound moral
convictions In the trial OF Theodore Parker
for high treason AT Boston In abettlng the res
cue Of fugitive slave named Shadrach, Mr..
Hale was counsel for the defense, and In ad
dressing the jury he ssid John Debree
claims that he owns Shadrach Owns WHAT
Owns man. Suppose John Debree should
say that he owns the moon and has an exclu-
sive right TO its beamsl Would a Massachu-
sets jury find II SO. And yet moons shall
wax and wane no more; the earth iLself shall
crumble and decay, while the soul OF the poor.
hunted, prosecuted Shadrach shall live on with
the life OF God liimselfm 1t was to this
speech that Charles Sumner referred In one OF
his letters, when he said that it had been re-
ported 10 him by these who heard it as speech
worthy of Curran or Ersiine.-Boston Adver-
tiser.