The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-10-23

Tues lay Morning, October %. 1866.

PORTLAND

To say that man deserves to be kicked 10
death by mosquitoes is held to be very severe
censure. We are not prepared TO say that
Mr.. Beecher deserves his fate, but ne mas suit
fercd an ignominious assault OF precisely this
nature. though happily there is no reason to
axpect ann fatal result. Mr.. Beechers recent
address has been reviewed and criticized by
Sunset" Cox, known to the public of Port
land having spoken here in times past known
also as the author of a silly book Of travels
entitled "The Buckeye abroad" and of an
other book called Eight Years in Congress, .
and composed OF his parliamentary efforts
during that time, including that wonderfully
foolish speech decrymg New England and
New England institutions. Mr.. Cox was for
merly fellow-citizen of Mr.. yallandigham's;
but having been unequivocally and hopelessiy
beaten in his last Congressional canvass In
Ohio, has removed to New York to try MS
fortune where he is not so well known. A
mole conceited, thoroughly empty popinjay
never sought or obtained office. Good-natur-
ed, as conceited men are apt to be, Mr. Cox
was not personally disliked in Washington
His opponents regarded him as hardly respon-
sible tor the opinions he advocated or the
votes he cast. BY sheer impudence the man
succeeded in thrusting himself upon the
Democrats as kind of leader in the House.
voorhees, OF Indiana was somewhat ADLER
man, but affected a dignifed reserve and left
an open field for the talents of Cox. Since
his providential removal to other fields of la
Dor, Cox's mantle has fallen upon the comedy
shoulders of Mr. Jack Rogers, who is man
Of strikingly similar characteristics. i
The truth is, the Democrats in Congress
are rather poorly off for leaders and cannot at
ford to be fastidious On the other hand, it
might be urged that the leaders are rather
poorly off for followers, and perhaps the ac-
count may be well enough balanced in that
way. 1t is none of our business, thank
Heaven! 1i :" toe'3- -H0s az 81 slo,
One evening last week, it was announced
that this Cox would review and criticise''
the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher's recent
speech. We knew that in Congress Cox was
always bore, but we did think it likely that
something endurable could be made out of
his present theme. 1t is possible the World
tells the truth about the great crowd which
assembled liz the Democratic wigwam in
Court street to see Mr.. Beecher kicked TO
DEATH The insect which was to act as exc
cutioner duly appeared and kicked for an
hour. Mr.. Beecher was not perceptibly in
jured, and the great crowd was perhaps dis
appointed, and perhaps not-whe knows9
Mr.. Cox began by speaking of the "divine
dispensa'ion which has supplied the place OF
the dead President with the courage OF An
drew Johnson" 1t is not customary, we be-
lieve, tospeak Of srch acts as Booths as di-
vinely inspired, but let that pass. .sNo less
divine" Mr. Cox proceeds, Seemed the inspir-
alton which led Henry Ward Beecher to pen
his noble letter for peace and immediate I'M
ion ON the Both of August last" Mr.. Beecher
"a on that occasion lifted the nation to heaven
ly heights" by his grand spirit and just poll
- cy'; but we are lett to infer that the nation
has since dropped into diabolical Depths for
Mr.. Cox says the clergyman has now drag
gled his weary verbiage in recantatlon of his
sentiments" a BY "draggledn Mr. Cox ploba-
bly, means dragged" while Sentiments" in
the Buckeye dialect is equivalent 10 Opinions. !,
Cox says he likes Beecher, but afterwards adj
mits that he "don't like him so well as Broth
CT Dutier;" The affection of men like Mr.. Cox
for Ben Euler has been proved in many WAYS
and needs no illustration. Recurring to the
Cleveland letter, MFR. Cox declares that "bere
was statesman's foresight, {. Christians love
and seraph's song" In month however.
the statesman has degenerated into politi-
clan, the Christian is no better than an infidel.
and the seraph appears to be suffering from a
cold. AS Cox neatly expresses it. "His heroic
q soul wilted, and the Beecher OF the stars be.
came the Beecher of the puddler' If people
believed this nonsense, they would conclude,
as the \ ation says, that man could take off
and put on his principles as readily as his
shirt, turn villain at six O'Clock in the even
ing and cnme down to breakfast the next
morning thorough saint" iqe} 4lai
The unluckiest passage in the whole ere
view" is that in which Cox NEEDLES with MI.
Beecher's recent compliments to the Demo-
cratic party Here it is: se 80 y
The Democracy was once, he holds, 'rhe
champion Of the rights of the poor man; true
TO justice, liberty, and equality, down to the
bottom of society" When was this? Did Mr.
Beecher and his clerical friends ever stand by
it then? Was 1T not dlscays moligned by the
BODY Of the clergy from the time of jefferson till
noao9 When was it that the Democracy were
a SO good? Was it in 1910? Read their platform
then. 1t denounced slavery agitation and agi-
tators as tending to destroy the rights of the
States and embroil them in civil war Was il
then the friend of the poor? Did it favor ms
tice, liberty and equality? Afterwards, when
1t adopted the doctrine of non-interventon as
to slavery in States and Territories in the in
terest OF peace and union-was it then the lust
nee, and equal party? Why did not Mr..
That will do. Mr.. Cox has reminded us
that ever since Calhoun determined to make
the anti7slavery feeling at the North a casus
belli and secure by secession what he failed to
secure by notification, the Democratic party
has been an accomplice to the plot and has
not failed to assure the South that sagitation,o
that is, free discussion, was undeniably suf-
tcient cause for revolutionl If this is the way
in which Mr.. Beecher is to be "criticised,',
his critics will do well to let him alone. Mr..
Cox has missed rare opportunity to make a
good speech and given us only tawdry rheto-
ric, questionable syntax and not a shred of
logic. We trust he will not be elected to Con-
gress. The mere prospect of being compelled
to read any more Of his speeches is wearisome
beyond measure. ~ ,...g sf1A.