The Portland daily press., 1863-03-05

c0pperhead papers, purporting to have been
cotton up by the non-commissioned officers OF
the ununiformed militia companies of the city,
70 create, if possible, prejudice against Hon.
SAMUEL E SPRING, one of the Cumberland
Senators, and one Of our best, most honorable,
public-spirited and most highly esteemed citi-
Gems. As this trick OF the leaders, for which
very few OF those who signed the Gard are in
the slightest degree accountable, is evidently
thought to be trump card, we propose, to
make . few explanatory statements.
Late in January Mr.. Wiggin Of York, who
seems-judging from his official acts---to have
been sent to the Senate for the special purpose
that he might exhibit himself. very much as
monkey is exhibited when he climbs a pole,
undertook to make astounding disclosures by
calling for the circumstances sent to the Gov
ernor against commissioning the officers chosen
for the militia companies Of the State. Mr..
Spring frankly stated that he himself had been
one Of the remonstrants, and that he remon-
strated because he was satisfied that some of
the men proposed to be commissioned, were
disloyal. He said, Il am ready to own up to
sthat l thought at the time that the officers
"dgainst rhom Iurote were disloyal, and
ssthink so now"
Mr.. Wiggin was not satisfied with this, but
be pressed Mr.. Spring for the evidence on
wlich he based the opinion thus frankly ex-
pressed. Mr.. S., willing at all times to state
the ground of his opinions, replied. that after
the first hattie of Bull Run-which was more
than year before the officers referred TO
were elected-he witnessed certain dsloyal
demonstrations IN this city that men met in
the streets and cheered over the defeat Of our
arms, hurrahed for jeff Davis, and insulted
Union men by their remarks about the war,
&C. Mr.. Spring only stated facts that were
painfully true and patent all orer the State, land
no one but those bent on mischief, or who
wished to screen their own disloyalty, would
execrable conduct was confined TO those who
had been elected officers of the Militia, or that
be Intended to include or to incupate them
generally. His remarks, fairly Interpreted,
meant only that some of the men elected to
militia offices-and they the one against
their disloyalty by their completely in the
scenes and orgies to which he referred.
That his remarks about the disgraceful
scenes In the "public square in the streets Of
Portland" were not to be understood as refer,
ring specially to the officers of the militia, is
evident from the fact that he said. The Sena-
@tor from York knows these men. tthe actors
ain the orgies referred to.) He associates
with them, goes to their houses, and partakes
"of their hospitality when he goes to Port
aland. They are his [politicall friends
Mr.. Spring referred to the disloyai copper
head leaders in this Cit; such pen as were
prominently conspicuous in the Democratic
State Convention OF last year. and of the Da-
ma Convention Of the year before. Such as
4are represented by the Saco Democrat; such
- clamor for compromise with the rebels;
such Is prefer the triumph of JEFF Davis to
that of the government as administered by
Republican President, - and wiggin knew
that he referred to such. and that he only
meant to say of the militia officers, that some
Of their Number were of this same stripe. 1t
will not be extensively doubted that, with
this explanation. Mr.. Spring told the truth,
and only did justice TO facts, and he can be ac-
cused of slandering the loyal people Of Port
land only by forcing upon his remarks mean
ing that was totally foreign to his purpose
But for the "trump card"
The fugemen of secession in this city, feel
ing bound to Back Wiggin, and supposing
Mr.. Spring might be in the way of their
schemes at the spring election, and wishing TO
set back fire In advance. put 1t into the heads
Of some Of the militia officers to get up
card denying Mr.. Springs accusations. and
to puIlishit in the Argus and Advertiser. The
deed has been done, apd what deed!
The card, after reciting the report of Mr..
Springs remarks in the Senate, says:
Whereas, the above statements containing
gross charges agai st us as officers of the COM
panes, we feel that il is incumbent upon us 10y
al men to pronounce the above charges false in
the aggregate and in every particular, so far as
they relate to us individually, and according to
our best knowledge and belief that they are also
equally false as relating 10 the citizens of Port
land, and libel upon the good name of our ci-
ty
Now tor few facts. This card is signed by
serenty-seren of the officers referred TO, of all
grades, from Captains to 4th Lieutenants.
This looks formidable upon its face, but not
90 upon careful analysis. There are "a mill
tia companies In the city, and each company
elected foe officers, an aggregate of 135. OF
these n signed the card, but where are the
other So? or the II there are IL Repubi-
cans, some of whom, we are assured, were
perfectly indignant when they found out the
base uses to which the card was put. One
man, loyal Democrat, when called upon to
sign the card by another officer, refused, and
said he should not sign because Mr.. Spring
did not allude to such as he was. ITO whom
did he allude, then ?" was the question put to
him by the applicant for his name. $40 Your
was the emphatic aud scathing reply.
In another instance an honest copperhead-
honest In that he would not play deceptive
part; honest in the sense that the Devil may
Be honest = refused to sign because, said he,
lso the report comes TO u.s. "Spring told the
truth; and 1 am one Of the men included in
his remarkP We also learn that when men
hesitated to commit their names TO the card.
they were met by the forcing argument -
" Then you plead guilty, do you, and are one
Of Springs disloyal menw In this way the
card was put through, and loyal men suffered
themselves to be badgered into position of
which they are heartily ashamed.
The whole thing was mere trick, perfectly