The Portland daily press., 1862-09-03
Assaults upon Portland Patriotism.

compelled reluctantly to listen to attacks upon
the cityand the citizens of Portlandand to hear
the patriotism of our people virtually question
ed, by those who have taken advantage of OPP
portunties that should have been held sacred
TO patriotism to foist their offensive speech up
on those who were assembled, not TO en-
gender strife and to indulge in ordinations,
but to quicken the pulsations of the common
heart of the people. In the City Hall, few
evenings since, gentleman, not a resident,
but who belongs in a neghboring town, took
occasion, in a meeting called to fill, not the
quota of his own town, but the quota of this
city, to make an uuustifable and malignant
attack not only upon the city authorities, but
upon the wealthy men of the city, for their
neglect of duty in the present crisis. His whole
speech was alculated-intended we have no
doubt-to foster prejudices on the part of the
laboring population of the city against the
men of wealth. 1t was such speech as none
but demagogue will allow himself to indulge
in. 1t was stated that the City Government
was unwilling to do its duty, and that the
wealthy men of the place were unwilling to
use their money to aid the cause Establishments
Now the facts show that Portland has not on
ly furnished nearly 500 men for the Naval SER
vice, but that her various quotas have been
made up with wonderful degree of prompt
ness. Indeed, when the last quota was called
for Portland had large balance on the credit
side, for while her quota of 1000 men was 2S5,
in consequence of the over-proportion of re-
cruits which she had raised for former regi-
ments, her quota of the last 1900 was only
24l. Not so with the town to which the gen.
tleman belongs who took occasion to cast
stones at the city. The quota of that town, of
the 1000 was but Sc, while of the 5000 it is
90. 1t seems to us, gentlemen thus situated
have field for their legitimate cultivation, to
which they had better attend, before attempt
ing to give lessons to their neighbors; and un-
til they do attend to home matters better. mod
esty, if not good sense, should prompt them to
hold their tongues. Portland's wealthy men
were upbraided for their neglect OF duty by
one who pays not cent in his own town to
stimulate enlistments, beyond his proportion
of the increased taxation, while the men whom
he ISLANDERS have put their hands in their pri-
vate pockets and raised upwards of 81 600 to
be distributed among those who have enlisted
under the last call. We suppose each city and
town has a perfect right to adopt its own
means by which to fill its quota. They may
raise their money by taxation or by volunteers
subscription, and it is matter in relation
to which no modest outsider will interfere If
Portland, with comparatively small bounties.
fills her quota more readily than some other
places with larger bounties, it seems to us the
fact should rebound to her glory, and not to
her shame. If patriotism does for her what
money alone can do for some other places so
much the more reason has she to be proud.
But look again. Look at the vast quantity
OF hospital stores. the large number of nurses,
and the other appliances promptly sent forward
for the relief Of the sick and wounded. The
list of names of those who yesterday morning
were sent forward to look after the wounded
and the dying, affords proud testimonial of
the readiness with which the Portland heart
responds; the efficiency with which her hand
acts.
Not only has Portland been assaulted under
the circumstances TO which we have adverted,
but in another case few days since, we heard
man in neighboring town make thrust at
her, because of the smallness of her money
bounties. He could dot make ten minutes
speech to encourage his own citizens to enlist,
without making base attack upon his neigh
bors who, in actual results were very far ahead
of him. This,too, was from an outsider. A few
nights since, on an occasion of mere testiyty.
the evening was not allowed to pass until the
city came in for gross attack for its lack of
patriotism, from men who, surely, have done
very little to prove their own. We nave very
strong-and we think just-suspicions of any
man who will labor to array the different class
es of our people against each other. We re-
gard him as very little better than rebel.who
iabors to fan the prejudices existing between
the poor and the rich, and to infiame the pas
sions of the laborer against his employer. We
don't care who does it,-whether it be the man
who rides in his carriage with his liveried SER
wants; the man who is filed with envy because
with his gross habits he cannot take and hold
social position with those whom he attempts
TO drag down, or the one who, to carry po-
litical point, would defame better men than he
ever dreamed of being.-in either case there is
an Internal and malignant spirit at the bottom.
and patriotism is as much stranger to such
heart as is manliness or honor And il is such
creatures who are ready to thrust themselves
forward on every unsuitable occasion, and to
heap their abuse upon those who are laboring,
with body, mind and purse, to accomplish
works of patriotism which they are found only
earning at