The Portland daily press., 1863-09-18
A Chapter Of Political History in Oxford
COuutV.

To the Editor Of the Press:
Permit me to inform your readers that the
Representative District composed of the
towns of Fryeburg, Brownfield and Porter, is
all right The copperheads in this district
made hard struggle, they have been at work
earnestly and for a long while, spent time and
money freely, but it has been all lost to them
Their principal theater Of action has been
in this town. They commenced the campaign
in June by holding mass meetings, which
were enlightened by such distinguished cop
perheads as Hon. n. S. Littlefield of Bridgton
and j. r.. Chase of New Hampshire, and one
far lesser light of the same coppery hue, of
this town, whose remarks at their June meet
ing eked out the vocierous cheers that were
there given for jeff Davis, For this mpudence,
and another impudent act of more private
nature which has recently come to light, the
aspirations of this lesser light were very sud-
denly extinguished by the copperheads nomi-
mating Moses Howard, Esq, for their candi-
date for Representative, the most popular man
they could possibly have selected. A man
who is esteemed by both parties The only OBJ
lection that can be brought against him is his
copperhead proclivites. With this man they
felt sure of success, and by the very judcious
management of our copperhead Selectmen
in putting upon the check list the names of
paupers and aliens who made no pretense that
they had ever received naturalization papers.
and thus swelling our vote to a larger figure
than a haf ,,ix,a In
gave Mr.. Howard two hundred and one votes.
Isaac Spring, the republican candidate, receiv-
ed only one hundred and twenty-seven. The
declaration of this was signal for the COM
mencenlent of their demonstrations of reioic-
ing for which preparations had long been ma
king. The fife and drum were brought out.
and the enlivening strains of martial music
used to draw the crowd together
About this time a messenger arrived from
Porter saying the Union men had given
Spring only IA majority. They rather seemed
elated with this information; it was not SO
much as they had expected their candidate
was still 60 votes ahead. Cheers were given,
long and loud for their supposed success.
Soon messenger comes from Fryeburg
saying Mr.. Spring is II votes ahead in that
town, when it wis suddenly discovered that
the wrong man for them had been elected by
just ii majority.
When this news was read there were many
in that crowd who suddenly remembered they
had important business somewhere else. New
ertheless there was good time that night, if
some folks didn't enjoy it, as all can attest who
met under the hospitable roof of Isaac Spring
Esq, our Representative elect, where all were
welcomed and entertained, aud were after
wards periodically addressed by Lieut. Stacy
of Porter, John II. Allen and Thomas Cleaves,
Esqs. of Brownield, then after giving three
cheers for all our candidates, the Union and
our soldiers fighting for its prosperity, they
broke up, each SEEMING well pleased with his
days labor.
The election of Mr.. Spring is particularly
gratifying to the Union men by whom he was
supported, and perhaps more especially by the
older men in this section, who have known
him as most worthy citizen of this town for
more than half century, and among his ven
cradle friends and supporters we were pleased
to see Daniel Goodwin of this town, gentle
man ninety-four years Of age, who marched
up TO the polls to deposit his vote for Judge
Cony, with a carriage as erect, and step APP
parently as firm as when he performed the
same duty seventy years ago. Mr.. Spring
was also heartily and cheerlully support
ed by the younger men who believe him
both fit and able to represent the District
alike creditably to himself and his constit-
uents.
Broaonfeld, Sept. Is, 1868.