The Portland daily press., 1863-10-24
A. Political Scaramouch.

Our neighbor of the Argus perpetrates SO
many antics and puts himself through so many
contortions, that he is Justly entitled to the ap
pelation given him above. In his paper of
yesterday he says, intending the last words to
be understood ironically:
For General Shepley tc come and prepare an elab-
crate address to be circulated the CHIEF scedpon 10
defeat the democratic party wrs virtue of the mob
lest type.
Here we have the assertion that the speech
of Gen. Shepley, delivered in this city on the
evening Of Aug. 10th, was adverse to the DEM
ocratic party, and was made "the chief weap-
on to defeat" it, and yet if the reader will turn
to the Argus of August 1lth-the very next
morning after the speech was delivered - he
will find two editorials relating to it, the first
being brief but fair and candid report of the
speech, and the second article being the edi-
tors reflections and comments upon the same,
which opened as follows:
Welistened with much interest and with no little
curiosity, to the speech of Gen. Shepley last evening
. brief summary of which we give in another col.
umu The first part of 1t, devoted to the history of
the successful progress OF our arms ana ,ae waning
Of military operations, presenting lew new facts
AlCtC VIC haFC 6ChCi" apPioNoa Va bAN
"frst part" of the speech-commendation with
no subsequent drawback. The balance of the
speech-the last part-the part hot historical,
was devoted to consideration of the ques-
ton, "After this armed rebellion is put down,
Ii put down it should be, can this once glori-
Gus Union be restored?" On the discussion
of this question - the great feature of the
speech, and the portion which prompted its
publication in extra form and its circulation
during the then pending campaign, the editor
of the Argus said, in the article already quot
ed from:
la regard to bringing back the rebel States. the
Generals views, far expressed, agreed in the
main eifh those WE HAVE OFTEN STATED IN THESE
SAY 1T Too-are TO be brought back by Union men
organizing State governments in accordance with
the federal Constitution and laws
Such was the cordial notice given of the
speech by the Argus when lis delivery was
fresh, and before the tempting devil of party
spirit had suggested any disloyal calculations
relating to the effect such speech, from a
loyal democrat fresh from the field of rebel
lion, would have upon party interests and up
on the worship offered to the false gods set up
by party leaders. Now when the Tempter has
done his work we find a speech which only
two months since was commended, and repre-
scented as in harmony with the Argus own
soften stated" views, denounced as "the chief
weapon" used "to defeat the democratic par
ty'! Truly, our neighbor is political scara-
mouch, who has rendered himself ridiculous
by his queer and inconsistent antics, and who
now ends his farcical performance by eating
his own acts Such is one of the penalties Of
worshipping at the shrine of party, when pa
triotism demands that the whole hearts offer
ings should be laid upon the altar of an i'm
perilled but common country.
In closing this brief article justice to Gen.
Shepley demands the statement, that he never
came here to the neglect of his duties, either
to prepare or to detirer a speech for political
or any other effect. Gen. Shepley came
North on official business; he came to Port
land by permission to visit briefly his family,
and it was not at his instance that he spoke at
all. 1t was at the request Of the Mayor, who
was urged to extend the invitation to Gen. S.
to address his fellow-townsmen on the affairs
Of the country, 10 letter numerously signed
by our citizens without respect to party, many
leading democrats uniting in the request,
though the small coterie OF select party spir-
its that cluster around the Argus office refused
to participate in this ordinary compliment to
= distinguished and honored citizen and neigh