Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-04-03

IHE GOVERNOR AND THE PRINCE" War
rington writes from Boston to the Springfield
Republican as follows, in regard to the affair be-
tween His Excellency and his quondam friend,
Rev. Mr. Prince of Essex =
al have been informed of some further par
ticulars of the remarkable exhibition of exec
utive dignity which took place the other day.
1t appears that Mr.. Prince visited the State
House by express invitation of the Governor.
having come to Boston from the town of Els.
sex, distance of thirty miles, in obedience to
a letter unde- the Governors hand. Mr.,
Pike Of the executive council, was present at
the interview, which commenced with a Sc
ries of complimentary remarks by the Gov
ernor, in relation TO Mr.. Princes services in
1866 in his behalf The Governor professed
deeply to regret that Mr.. Prince had not been
better paid, but excused himselfon the ground
that he had more friends to provide for than
places to give. He had desired, he said. to
give him the registry of insolvency of Essex
county, but circumstances prevented. He
then aided in procuring him the place in the
Secretary Of States Office. The Governor
here fell into slight anachTonism, for Mr..
Prince went into the office of the Secretary
several weeks if not months before the insol-
vency court bill was passed. And how the
Governor could have intended to appoint him
to an Office (the registry which was not in
the Governors gift, may be slight puzzle to
those who do not understand all the workings
ofexecutive influence.
Having got through with the soft sawder'
branch of his discourse, the Governor began
to speak of certain rumors which he he had
heard as to Mr.. Princes conversation in the
cars. He said he had been told that Mr.. p.
had called him an unconsconable liar or
an unmitigated liar. Both these terms were
used in the course of the conversation, and it
is immaterial which was used at this particu.
lar point. Mr.. Prince said that he could not
remember this particular expression, and
could not undertake to say whethere he did
or did not use it. Pretty soon, His Excellen.
cy proceeded to make demand or req uest for
some written statement in the nature of an
apology or retraction. This Mr.. Prince de-
clined to furnish. He said he could not say
that he had not made use OF this language,
for whether he had or not, he had unques.
tionably expressed the identical idea which
the Governor was in search of. The CONVEX
sation then becoming slightly warm, Mr..
Prince, in reply to some provocation, ventured
to cay that he did not consider it dignifed to
hunt up private conversations of this, or any
sort, and that his own remarks were of COM
paratively small importance, and would not
weigh an ounce, while those of prominent
Americans, to the same effect. would weigh a
ton. The Governor evidently took this
remark in the sense in which it was con-
veyed, and approached Mr.. Prince, shaking
his fists in his face. and calling him mean,
dirty dog, and saying, the sooner you leave
the room the better. Mr.. Prince, still keep.
ing his chair, replied that this interview was
not Of his seekiDg-that he came in compli-
ance with request of the Governor, convey
ed in letter sent by mail; that he came at
considerable Inconvenience, and should leave
with great pleasure. The Governor then said
he had better be leaving very quick, and re-
peated the offensive remark, to wit, that Mr..
Prince was mean dog To which Mr..
Prince mado this reply :-' Very well, if you
are Governor, / wish you to understand that
| am citizen Of this Commonwealth, and an
independent man, and am not to be brow
beaten by you. / return your compliment /;
it expresses just my opinion of you.' He
then left, and the interview, sought by the
Governor, ended
l leave il to you whether the Common
wealth of Massachusetts, is likely to derive
any new lustre or importance from this event.
The Governor seems to me to be rapidly 'run.
ming emptins.' His attempt to dictate to cler.
gymen what they all preach on Fast Day,
was bad enough, but not quite so bad as his
espionage over the conversations Of private cit.
liens IN the railroad cars, and his attempt to
brow6eat them into written apology or re
traction. lie evidently got foul of the wrong
customer when he undertook to put Mr..
Prince through course of discipline"