The Portland daily press., 1864-08-18
Misapurehension Corrected.

Misrepresentation Corrected.
1t is to be deeply regretted that any news
paper in this State should lend itself to excite
suspicion on the part OF our people against
the Congregational Committee now on tour
of inspection at the East, aud to create the
impression that they have come here TO squan-
der the public money, or to have good time
at the expense OF the national treasury, when
that treasury has SO many unavoidable drafts
upon it growing out Of the necessities OF the
times. One paper goes so far as to intimate
almost assert postiyely-that the Congress
men receive 'ss day and travelling expenses
during their trip, over and above their sala-
ries,' and inquiries, with a view TO excite
public feeling against the excursion, "what
great public bennett is expected to arise from
it?"
The exposed condition OF our State, ia case
OF any future trouble with foreign power,
that of Great Britain particularly, is well un-
derstood by intelligent men. Lying between
the vast inland possessions OF England and
the sea coast, Maine would be a choice NOR
sci for her to seize upon In the event of
trouble, and she would be all the more dispos-
ed to do so for the convenience it would al
ford her upper colonies in communicating
with the seaboard, as well as for the conve-
nienee of the home government In keeping
up uninterrupted communication with her
colonies.
With knowledge of our exposure in this
IL 81 20. L. If a.,
to fnd the attention of the national Congress,
for the first time, specially turned to this de-
fenseless condition of our Coast and Frontier,
and disposition shown TO look more closely
into the matter with view TO "provide for
the common defence" Ii Is not 10 be sup
posed that our entire eastern frontier can be
fortified, but the means OF easy and rapid
communication may be opened between the
eastern terminus Of our present railroads and
the Boundary Line. TO be used for military
the transmission Of men and stores In twelve
hours't points that can now be reached in
not less than week or ten days. And when
the House OF Representatives had SO far rec
ognized our necessities as to appoint special
Committee TO Investigate aud report upon the
matter, the people of our defenseless coast
and equally defenseless frontier began to take
heart aud 10 feel that they were not TO be lett
out In the cold, but were to be protected as an
important integral part Of the common Union.
In view of this state of things we say, it is TO
be regretted that any paper should be so i'm
polite and unjust as to asperse that Commit
tee, and to labor to inspire false and ground
less prejudice against their mission.
The truth is-dnd ice knou tchereof zoe
speak-the members of the Committee re-
ceive not single cent for time or expenses
from the government, on account of this trip. !
II costs the government not one extra dime In
any form. True, the Cutter Mahoning, by |
authority Of Secretary Fessenden, was per-
mitted to carry the party from this city to |
Eastport, from which point she returns. She
does not leave her legitimate cruising ground, |
which is the entire coast of Maine. We know |
that in Capt. Webster's opinion it was better
and cheaper, all things considered, for the |
Cutter to be engaged in cruising on the coast |
lsaou W hc Nv htt ohSuois al AuC UUfs
Not one dollars worth of provisions, not |
one cents worth Of stores OF any kind, were |
put on board for the party at the governments /
expense. Not gun has been fired by the |
Cutter on the trip, though her guns are all /
'hotted ready for instant use in case of neces-
'ity. The expenses of the trip are betrayed
solely by private means. This we know.
More than this; the excursion was not got
up either at the suggestion Of the Chairman,
Mr.. Rice, or Mr.. Poor, or any man or set of
men in this State. We have the authority of
Mr.. Patterson of n. H., member of the
that the suggestion came from
members of the committe from other states.
They felt that, as the committee was to re-
port upon the matter next winter, it would
De well to 60 over the ground beforehand that
hey might report intelligibly. This was the
suggestion from which the excursion started,
md the people of Maine owe debt of graft
Jude to Hon. JOHN II. RICE, the efficient
Representative OF the 4th District, for his I'M
firing efforts to carry out this suggestion and
to secure favorable report to Congress, for
'he State, In relation to the imperious neces-
'iiy oil more and better means of coast de-
fence.
The filings that have been made at the
because they invited New York
md Boston papers to be represented before
attending invitations to the press of the
State, and for restricting their invitations In
he State to the daily papers, are equally un.
ust with those above alluded to, but the
character of the committee, and particular
y of the Chairman, will not materially suffer
rom such churlish aud ill-natured assaults. !