The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-09-16
A Local Matter.

n 1OOui
Last Saturday large posters werc printc'
fora meeting in front of tho Biddeford Ilous
in the evening, to be addressed by William
p. Haines, Esq, Agent of the Pcpperel
Manufacturing Company, and returned
delegate from Chicago, and by other lesser
lights. Knowing the characteristics of thu
principal speaker we were attracted thithel
to listen to remarkable speech, whic!
brcathcd forth not one loyal word, nor was
it dcnunciatory, but artful and scrpcntine
The speech was made with two-fold object
first, to air the vocabulary and position Of
the speaker, and second. to influence the
local election by means of the speakers con.
nection with the Pepperell Company. II
was, then, local and personal matter, and
as such we treat it.
The burden OF Mr.. Haincs' disjointed
speech was to show that he was proud Of the
Democratic party and Of its loyalty, which
party, he averred, was the only loyal party
in existence, and that tho Chicago Conven.
ton was made up of the best blood in the
country, and each delegate was patriot,
himself included. Mr.. Haincs is proud of
the Democratic party, is he? He is proud
OF the fact that the strength of that party
always lay in those States that inauguratcd
war against the government he is proud Of
the fact that not ono man who voted for
Abraham Lincoln has been or is now in arms
against the national forces. but that. every
overt act of treason has been committed by
his party, and every gun pointed ut the ma.
ton is aimed by Democrats; proud of the
fact that had there been any admnistr ,tiOn
in power in 1860 other than Democratic
one. no set of men would have dared raise
their hand against the flag; proud that every
conspirator in the country has hitherto voted
and acted with him. and would probably do
the same il they could. What is the only
conclusion attainablc from this assertion ?
That he outraged his sel-respcct by stating
what he knew to be false. or that his patr.
otism is measured by that Of every traitor in
tho land. We cannot afford space to recitc
this extraordinary speech further. Our only
object is to placs Mr.. Haincs just where he
has placed himself, as copporhead politi-
clan who announces himself as an cndorscr
of the right Of secession, and rs a politician
embracing the treason Of Vallandigham and
Wood witiom a single reservation, and there
we leave that record. The people of Maine
have sufficiently made reply to all such in
fiammatory harangues.
But there is one other phase Of that polit-
ical meeting to which We wish to call attcn.
ton. Mr.. H.. as agent Of the Pcppcrcll
Corporation was brought out to influence the
operatives .. the mills. What has given
this city a reputation neither desired nor en-
joycd by any other city in tho State? Why
is it that it is ruled by as graccless a set of
scamps rs ever controlled the ballot box in
Kansas times, tho knowledge OF which fact
prevents the growth Of the city. and, like
the Old Man Of the Sea, hangs like an In.
cubus to its prosperity? What is it that
fosters and supports the almost innumerablc
quantity of run shops in this city, and that
drives capital from investment here, and
thereby increases our taxcs2 The influence
OF the Pcpperell and Laconia Corporations,
arbitrarily brought to bear through their
Agents. and this unparalleled circumstance
has given them notoriety through the State.
II is but justice to the stockholders OF
these corporations that wo should mako
known, that such blighting, unwarrantablo
influence is not sanctioned by them, and has
none OF their sympathy. Not a stakeholder
was present at the recent annual meeting
who was not chagrined and mortified at the
platform of the Chicago Convention. Not
word in those traitorous Resolves. and not
u person endorsing them, has any sympathy
from them, while, on the contrary, they took
occasion to privately express their opinions
in strong language. The Treasurer Of the
three corporations has given four us noble
sons as have yet gone to the war, to the ser.
vice OF his country. All OF them were Off
GERS, and one is Brigadier General, but two
OF them are sleeping in patriot graves, slain
by Democratic bullets. lie has poured out
Of his means without stint in hid Of the war,
and is now stronger than over for putting
down the accarsed rebellion, while no has
expressed himself in the most vigorous terms
against tho Chicago Convention, and all
pcrsous who took u part IN Il.