The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-05-06
The Arrns and its Editor.


sons The Argus and its Editor
This paper seems determined to REMAIN :. ~
to Its instinct, and to maintain It's "en-e
reputation for low scurriIity and dirty person-
al blackguardism. For a few days, coseiins
tho TINA ~ 7 .aa,s surrender and the Presidents
trsa,c doo,b = assumed the tone and demean-
~ e daoancv and loyalty; it even decorated
a.. oaaoo WITH emblems of mourning ior the
ss.,ho - the man it had maligned, abused and
s,sndered from the day OF his election 10 the
dsv Of his death, and shed crocodile tears over
: Trash made grave, the tenant for which was
furnished by an assassin whose arm had been
neryed for its murderous work by teachings
very much like those which have blazoned its
columns. 8
We confess we were verdant enough to look
upon those badges of mourning as evidences
of real sorrow, and were deceived into the'
pleasing beli& that the head which thinks, and
the heart which inspires, the thoughts put
forth in that paper, were at least honest, and
that better spirit ruled in that establishment
than we had sometimes given creditor. Ou-
ers called us simple, verdant, unsophisticated,
and asked If we ever knew the leopard to
change his spots; If thorns could yield grapes
or thisfles figs: If sweet waters were sent
forth from bitter fountains, or good thoughts
from.a heart stepped in malignity, bitterness
and spite.
We confess we have been deceived in the
Argus and its editor. We hoped too much Of
the former gave too much credit to the lat
r. S---r--
ton in securing the murderers OF the Presi
dent; is constantly indulging in filings intend
cd for brutal and ignorant readers, to be.
get In their minds the idea that despotism
rules the hour at Washington; comes to the
rescue Of JEFF. Davis and defends him against
the suspicion OF completely in Booths crime
with the zeal Of q Knight Errant in the cause
OF his mistress. and actually froths at the
mouth whenever suggestion is madel that
leading rebels should suffer death, that slavery
In all its forms should be rooted up from our
national soil. that the loyal negroes should be
enfranchised, that blood-stained traitors should
henceforth be considered civilly dead, with no
voice in public affairs and no power even to
swell its party vote.
We would gladly believe the Argusa we'll
wisher to Its country; loyal, order.loving.
government-sustaining, good-faith-observing
paper, but its course forbids SO favorable a
judgment, and compels the belief that at
hearth sympathizes with the rebels, regrets
their failure, deplores the triumphs of the I'm
ion armies in subduing rebellion, and rejoices
that JEFF. Davis and his leading coafreres are
in so fair way to escape with their plum
der. ahsa astas
OF Its editor we have but few words to saw.
A man who might command personal respect.
ne contrives to make himself dirty and often
sive. Expose his glaring political heresies
and he resorts to dirt-fnging and scurrility.
and loads his columns with stuff so filthy that
no person having regard for decency would
soil his hands BY handling his paper.
The reason for this vileness is to our mind
perfectly apparent. 1t is the legitimate fruit Of
apostacy, -apostacy from the rich promise Of
early manhood. Then he was an active and
zealous-though pdid-worker in the Tenn
perance cause. He was public lecturer. EN-
ployed In organizing the sRechabite order
secret temperance organization-in the State.
To-day nothing seems more in harmony with
mis- feelings than to slur every temperance
movement, to malign the best temperance
workers, and to cater for the lowest grade of
whisky-selling hangers-on to his party.
He was, too, an abolitionist- active worl;.
or 1t not officer in an abolition society. To-
day ne is the most abject dirt eater of pro- !.
slaveryism, ready to denouce and defame ev-
cry man who labors to break the yoke Of on
preston and convert chatteIs into men and |
citizens.
We know that his course and that of his |
paper are an offense in the nostrils of the best
men of his party that scores II not hundreds
Of them in this city look upon him and it az
milstones about the neck of their progress - |
and we know, too, that while many Of his old
subscribers, Disguised ut his wishy.washv.
good Lord-good-devil style of doing BUSH
ness, have abandoned it for the Adoer tiser- |
which has at least the merit Of being distinct
and outspoken, there are others, and not |
few either, who, while still adhering to their
party attachments have abandoned il for the
Press, saying to US distinctly that they are no
political friends Of the Press, and would not |
patronize It were there such paper in the |
city as the Boston Post, but they wish for a |
daily paper that they are willing to introduce
to their families, and that contains something
besides scurrility, personal blackguardism, and
covert attacks upon the Government under
which we live. or the editor of the argus
we speak touching only his public character:
we are not disposed to initiate his example by I
going into his private and domestic concerns,
with those the public have nolbusiness for it
they have little or no concern. asan