Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-06-14


which presume il. your duty To do, but you
have-negecied 10 do so. | AN ready and ever
| have been To execute bond aud discharge the
duties of the ofiitA 10 which have been cho-
sen by the Grand Council. Nearly six mouths
have expired since the organization OF The ".
| c. and YET M nutice has been taken OF ex-
pressed for me To discharge the duties. what
does this mean think an explanation IS
due TO me.
Yonrs truly. G. NJ. ATWOOD.
r., his no,e MIR. Lincoln made no reply
| Al meeting Of the State Council in Augusta
IN the month of FEBRUARY, an opportunity was
1 aifurded me to examine the records oi the
Council. Judge of any surprise when dis
COVERED that the official course of Mr.. Lincoln
had been auliie-,rashed by the Council at their
November session in Portland, at which meet
ing a vote was passed instruciing Mr.. H. 10
pay all debts of The Council ,chich had accrued
as iceH as those TO be made in the Prospccf1re, as
soon as he rccdred the necessary funds AT
once was led 10 believe that this was dune at
the ins,isation Of Mr.. Lincoln himself, whose
sole aim and end was To make sure of his Four
HUNDRED DOLLAR SALARY, which in an evil
momeni he had SO unblushingly CHARGED
the Council for his extraordinary sacrifices and
inralua6le serrices! This vote Of the Council
deemed direct violation of the Constitution,
as Article Cd, Sect Sd, provides that the Sec
rotary " shall collect and pay 10 the State Treas
urer all sums due The State Council" Sect
Alb SAYS, The Treasurer shall have charge
of all muneys belonging 10 the State Council.
He shall attend 10 all receipts and disburse-
mells. He shall Keep regular and correct
account of his doings, which shall at all times
he open 10 the inspection of the officers Of the
State Council.n Now in all sincerity would
ask what was this vote passed for, if it was
not TO enable Mr. Lincoln TO have erciusiUe con-
troll of the funds Of the Grand Council to appro-
pirate them as he in his own remarkable finan-
cial magnanimiiy saw fit. reside only four
miles trom Mr.. Lincoln, and if had been al
lowed to act as Treasurer, as long as | was
chosen, could have easily called, when neces-
sary, or that gentleman, and taken what mon
eys he had in his possession, rightiully belong
ing To me- Ia answer 10 this Mr.. Lincoln n-
nuceaily says that he has never had any money
10 paw over 10 me, but al the very next mo-
ment he acknowledges that he has paid out ev
ery dollar as he received it, (Save his $500
salary y BY what authority, 1 would ask, has
Mr. Linculn made disbursements from the
! funds in his hands prior 10 the vote of which !
have made mention None but his own,
would answer. And during his assumed au-
| ihority what advantages has he taken, Why
| he has paid away moneys out of the Council
| fluids Just when policy dictated. And do you
think, brethren, that | was to be tempered with
and imposed upon any longer with impunity-
to voluntarily allow myself TO wear the name
| of an office over which had no control No
| | resolved at once not TO submit any longer 90
such an outrage Without any further delay
| | resigned, after briefly stating to the Council
nv reasons for so doing. If employ per
son To engage 10 any kind of business for me,
| require him to render me correct account OF
his stewardship. Ii MIR. Lincoln had handed
the moneys he received over 10 me, | should
1 have been enabled tu shaw at any meeting II
the Council, had been called upon, how and
/ for what purposes | had expended the moneys
of The Treasury.
In conclusion, would remark that | hope
the Council will demand Of Mr.. Lincoln spe-
cifc account of his expenditures. Let every
item be shown by him, not forgetting 10 require
! him 10 account for the Sl,s5 on each copy he
has received for some rs or.l00 old Rituals
| would also remind them 10 inquire of Mr.. l.
If THE POSTAGE ON HIS FAMOUS
SPEECH, which he so profnsely scattered
thrnup hnut the State, WAS PAID FROM
/ THE FUNDS OF THE COUNCIL. There
are many uIrUI ca iISruTrur<s vi Mr.. l.. ., >~hi
in my opinion were wholly unnecessary-amunn
which | would instance the celebrated decreei
issued at Bangor on the 18Th day of Sept. LAS,
Had such decree emanaied from the Pope o.
Rome, or the Emperor of France, or the Au.
tocrat of Russia, il might have done them hon
or But for r. G. Lincoln and Il. H. Morse
tn attempt 10 force the Freemen of Maine ,c
submit 10 such humilatiug and burning out
ton Of every true and noble-hear,ed American
g. NJ. ATWOOD.
! Gardiner, May IS. 1856.
*By way of note l would remark that a,
the organization of the State Council was ap.
| pointed Deputy for kennebec County, and
| spent some three or four weeks time, with
another gentleman, who held the same Office,
in organizing Councils in nearly every town in
the County. On the 7th day os Sept, while
discharging the various functions of my Office,
l was without ceremony removed by the man
| date of MIR. Lincoln. for which act no reason
was assigned My friends can draw their own
| infercnces of SO small and nigSardly an act, as
they are the best judges of how competent
was to fulfil the conditions required of me. as
we'll as aware how creditably | discharged
them. 1 would venture to assert, however, that
| it is not improbable that the ambitious Mr.. Lin
| coin for his own personal ACKNOWLEDGMENT de-
seconded to this step, in order that he might
the better rule at the proper time with that
rod of iron" which came like thief in the
night" in the Intangible form of that celebrated
decree. But leave the subject for the consid-
Grafton of the honest members of the Order.
RI would here state that Mr.. Lincoln never
| notified me that there was to be meeting Of
the officers at Bangor, and never saw the de.
cree until after it was printed.