The Portland daily press., 1866-09-08
Don,t get Excited!

The Argus never appears to advantage I'M
der excitement. There is something rather adj
mirable in its way-though the way is none of
the best-in the GOODNESS with which that jour
nal proceeds to distort telegram or garble
statement of an opponent; when it assumes to
be critical, or pious, or peculiarly severe, the
failure is usually rather Notifying. We re-
ceiyed from the Hon. John Lynch last Tues
day, a note placing at our disposal specimen
of the testimony respecting the condition of
the South which was in the hands of members
of Congress last spring, and which has since
been abundantly confirmed. Wednesday
morning the Argus published rather silly let
ter purporting to have been written by o rene
pade Republican and signed "a True Union
Man." Thursday morning, in commenting on
some of the blunders of this "True Union
Man." who among other notions thinks the
right of representation belongs to the repre-
sentative and not to the people represented,
we alluded incidentally to the testimony re-
specting the condition of the Southern people
furnished by Mr.. Lynch and printed that
morning. The Argus therefore runs wild with
the absurd notion that Mr.. Lynch had taken
this way to reply to an anonymous writer
,ohose production he has neuer SEEM The Argus
will please observe that Mr.. Lynch's note is
dated Sept. 4, while ga True Union Mans"
valuable reflections were not given to the world
till Sept ..
This circumstance, which sharp eye would
certainly have noticed, effectually spikes the
gun which the Argus tried to fire yesterday
morning. Mr.. Lynch has no occasion to defend
himself His record in Congress is fresh. His
votes represent fairly the wishes of his sup
porters. We want the Union, and we will
have it; but we don't mean to sacrifice, we dare
not commit the crime of sacrificing the fruits
of war which has cost us 80 dear. Mr.. Sweat
may stultify himself with apologies. Mr..
Lynch goes before the people on his record,
and will be triumphantly elected on his rec
ord. r
Tits scandalous for the Argns to attempt to
fix the odium OF the vote for increase of Con-
gressional salary upon Mr.. Lynch. That meas
ure was introduced in the Senate by Della
ware Copperhead, and passed the Senate, re-
ceiving every Copperhead vote. 1t was reject
ed by the House, Mr. Lynch voting against it
In the Committee of Conference, Mr.. Niblack
an Indiana Democrat, urged the thing through
The House at last concurred by vote Of 81 to
so. Of the fifty members who voted against it,
Mr.. Lynch was one, and only six of the forty
three Democrats in the House were with him
The whole transaction was disgraceful 1t was
a Copperhead triumph over divided party
We repeat, there is not a vote of Mr.. Lynch's
which the Republicans Of this district would
see changed.
One word in regard to the testimony furnish
ed by Mr.. Lynch, respecting the condition Of
the Southern States last May. That testimony
has the endorsement of President Johnson
That letter was written by Mr.. Fl. B. Hawkins
of New York, gentleman appointed under
President johnson to discharge delicate
trust The Argus cannot therefore rule out
this witness, on the score of incompetency, or
inveracity, without directly impugning Presi-
dent Johnson's administration. But why talk
about the witness? Look at the testimony it
self, and at the confirmation it has since re-
ceived at Memphis, at New Orleans, at thou
sand points all over the South. Such eruptions
as occurred at New Orleans do not come with
out warning; they presuppose just such vol
canic state of society as Mr.. Hawkins pictured
in his letter months before.