The Portland daily press., 1863-01-23
Firing upon ones own Friends.

casionally happen that ones own friends can
not be distinguished from the enemy, and in
stances are not lacking in which, through such
mistake, men have turned their guns upon
their own friends and allies, and sent DEATH
dealing missels where, but for the darkness,
they would have sent words of cheer and en-
enlargement. Such a mistake occurred In
the advance upon Big Bethel, in the early
stages of the war; such catastrophe occur
red, If We mistake not, in connection with the
battle of Inkerman, in the Crimean campaign.
A case of this kind has just occurred in the
war now being waged by unprincipled parti-
san demagogues upon the friends of loyalty
and constitutional government. Adopting
the motto that "all is fair in politics" the New
York World, in its eagerness to break down
the administration by charging upon it and
the agents of the government unnumbered-
frauds, developes scheme of alleged infamy,
in which it curiously groups Gov. Andrew,
Ex-Gov. Washburn, and gentleman upon the
Kennebec whom it charges with being in
league with Washburn to work him into the
U. S. Senate, while in return he is enabled
himself through Washburn's influence, to get
his hands deeply inserted in the pockets Of
Uncle Sam, as an understood guild pro quo.
The article In the World is headed, "The
Banks Expedition" and the attempt is made
to fasten special wickedness upon Gov. WASH
burn for having recommended an unworthy
favorite as an agent for the purchase of gov
eminent vessels, by whom the rotten, unsea-
worthy hulks that came so near swapping
Gen. Banks's expedition, were imposed upon
Commodore Vanderbilt" We copy from the
World:
To the patient labors of committee of the
Senate the public owe the gratifying information
that Commodore Vanderbilt did actually buy
unseaworthy steamers for the government in
spirit of disinterested patriotism; and that no
commission was paid to that eminent man of
steam for the purchase and transfer to the ma
tion Of the transports which came SO near pre-
venting the suppression of Gen. Butler by car
rying Gen. Banks and his troops to the bottom
of the sea.
This fact we record with pleasure to the honor
of the commrdore's heart. But we regret to be
obliged to accompany it with a revelation not
quite so creditable TO his head. Innocent of CON-
missions himself the inexperienced ex-manager
of the Nicaragua Transit Company was made
the cause ofcommission to another. 1t is pain
fui to think of magnanimous integrity made the
TOOL OF intriguing speculation, and Commodore
Vanderbilt in the hands of Southland presents al
most as touching picture Moses at the fair
buying green spectacles by the gross.
While the commodore was consecrating him.
selfto the service Of the state he was approached
by certain Mr. Southland, who came TO him
with credentials from General Banks. These
credentials, it would appear, were based upon
the following letter, written by the Republican
governor of Maine to the equally Republican
governor of MISREPRESENTATION honorable
men,"
STATE OF MAINE, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
AUGUSTA, Dec. rs, 1862.
HIS Erceiiency Cor Andrer:
DEAR SIR: II. j. Southland, ESQ., of Richmond
shipbuilders; is large shipowner .and understands
his business thoroughly
II you have anything to say or do about getting Off
ships from Boston for Gen. Banks expedition and
TO His IN s@nn work M a.
Yours truly, l. wAsHBuRsE, JR
This letter recommending Southland to Banks,
Banks recommended Southland to Vanderbilt,
who thereupon took Southland into the conf
dence of his scheme of gratutous ship-contract-
ing. and, wholly conhding in the friend of SO
many governors, seems TO have pretty much
turned over the practical part OF the business in
to his hands Southland, whose 'ssucceess in a
similar work had been so very marked" fell
to, bought the vessels which we all know and
charged the government a commission for his
~ IL
purchases, thus proving himself worthy mem
Der Of that great company of "loyal' contract
ors, who have filled the land with glory of
shoddy and Austrian muskets from Maine to
Missouri; and earning for Cows Andrew and
Washburn a full measure of that popular graf
itude which was excited toward the President
and Mrs. Grimsby by the developments of the
great Mckinstry court-snartial at ST. Louis.
The World, the immacu:ste organ of that
orr, r.l,pdarar Eo 40 Al.
few filings at somebody for 'impertinence" in
sending all the way to Maine to employ South
ard, when the Empire City is full of men
ready and willing to perform such services for
the government, and then, with degree of
wisdom and gravity BETTING an occupant of
the English Woolsack, says:
If we are not greatly mistaken this ingenious
patriot, made a contractor by Gov. Washburn.
is now busy in his turn making Gov Washburn
q senator. His "success in similar work. war
rants the belief that he will not fail in this and
when the Senate catches him 1t will probably
hnd his commissions so invested that they cam
not be ''disgorgeds' without importing the best
interests of the nation, and the harmony of
the grand Senatorial Ring at Washington.
The reader will mark in the above extracts
the repeated sneers at the "loyalty" of South
"hus diS iaoofcu uttcnpt 10 lnpHcate the TWO
Governors in a fraudulent transaction for
commencing him to Gen. Banks, and particu-
larry Ia the last, the convenient intimation
that the whole thing was Republican trick to
make Washburn Senator through Southards
fundamentally.
Now for a single fact, and one sufficient
to stamp with dainning malignity and infamy
this whole attempt to injure Gov. Washburn
for an act of neighborly courtesy to political
opponent The fact is this Thomas j. South
ard, of Richmond, the gentleman spoken of
by the World, is a prominent Democrat, and
one Of the most active and persistent oppo-
nents of Gov. Washburn TO be found in the
whole Kennebec Valley. This fact must have
been all unknown to the World. Mr.. South
ard Is an extensive shipbuiIder, and he doubt
less went to Gov. Washburn for letter of in
PRODUCTION to Gov. Andrew, that through the
latter he might get still further introduction
to Gen. Banks. Gov. Washburn, with a full |
knowledge of Southards political associations,
but having undoubted faith in his loyalty and
good motives, gave him the letter desired.
thus showing that, in business matters. he
was above party considerations. and disposed |
TO act In perfect harmony with that famous |
declaration in his special message Immediate |
ly after the surrender of Sumter, that he |
mould ahrid that mar u,an@;,,. T..