The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-03-06
Mr.. Bion Rradbury.s speech.

MOuufty iuOIulllS JIiC ICduCIo VI tAC argus
were astonished to find in its columns an arti-
Gle actually purporting to be logically reason
ed. At the Democratic Ratification Meeting
held in Mechanics Hall Saturday evening" Mr..
BIoN BRA DBURY made little speech, which
it is perhaps worth while to consider. Mr.
Bradbury, it will be remembered, is one of the
Democratic candidates for governor, who have
been successfully beaten of late years. His
speech as reported in the Argus, is full of in
teresting points. We are almost tempted to
give it entire, but can hardly spare the room.
Mr. Bradbury thinks it the duty of every good
citizen ''in these perilous times to do what he
@can to aid the community in forming a cor
Srect opinion on the great issues of the present
day." We heartily agree with him and propose
to follow that vocation. We can butregret that
the discovery had not been made however in the
"perilous times" when the nation rocked to its
centre, shaken by the earthquake of armed re-
bcllion. We humbly submit that's correct opin-
ion on the great issues" of that day was at
least as important and desirable as revised
and corrected opinion now; and as our recol-
lection Of the opinions of Mr.. Bradbury and
his party are, that they were very incorrect,
going so far as to pronounce the war a .@'fail-
urs," almost in the hour Of victory, we may
perhaps be excused for regarding with some
suspicion opinions from the same source now.
Indeed Mr.. Bradbury does not agree with
himself on all points, so that however much
we might desire to agree with him, it becomes
quite impossible. For instance, he says this
"is no time for clap-trap and sophistry." But
If not, why make such speech as this, one
asks. Mr.. Bradbury is certainly mistaken, as
all the "true and tried" Democratic voters who
sat before him very well knew. The party
hacks who originated and manipulated that
Ratification" meeting know perfectly well
that this is the very best time within four.
years to sow "clap-trap and sophistry" broad
cast with an unsparing hand. The Scriptural
enemy who came in the nighttime and sowed
tars, never piled his vocation more industri-
ously, nor counted more fully upon luxuri-
ant crop of mischief and confusion And ev-
identity Mr.. Bradbury himself believes that this
is a very good time for "sophistry." 49,.
Else why does he charge that the spirit and
policy Of the majority in Congress, "is oppres
sion and usurpation'?o Is it usurpation for
Congress to await proper Information at this
grave juncture, before proceeding to irrepara-'
BILE action? Has not the Chairman of the
Committee on Reconstruction informed the
Senate and the country, that the action of the
committee has been delayed by the impossibility
of obtaining needfill official Information from
the President? Papers and documents have
been called for by both Houses, and are with
held without reason assigned. It is matter of
grave regret, that the President, instead ofen-
gaging in personal squabble with individuals
whose zeal has perhaps outstripped their dis
cretion, had not chosen to devote his time and
thought to the manifest duties as wen as the
proprieties of his high station. But it is
'sophistry" to attempt to thrust upon Cons
gress the responsibility of delay oceasioned by
the neglect Of the President. Nay, the case is
still stronger. The President in unseemly
passion allowed himself to assume a tone of
arbitrary dictation, to which Congress could
not honorably submit. The Tennessee dele
cation would have been admitted to their seats
before this time, had the President been will
ing to wait courteously for the action of a CO.
ordinate branch of the government. Does
Mr.. Bradbury doubt this? We hope soon to-
see Maynard and his loyal colleagues in their
places. We hope never to see an American
Congress brow-beaten into any course of ac-
ton. And we sincerely wish the party to
which Mr.. bradbury belongs could afford to
get along without "clap-trap and sophistrys"
- ~ O.