The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-09-03
SUPPLEMENT.
Monday Morning, September 8, 1866.
rrr. sweat. Political Record

MIR. Sweat, the National Union-D Democratic
copperjohnson candidate for representation
from this District has made very brilliant
record during his political career. As The
people have almost forgotten the exis-
tence OF such person as L. D. NJ. Sweat, we
propose to refresh their memories by short
rehearsal of the most prominent votes and
speeches of that gentleman while he was a
member Of the XXXVIIIth Congress. -.
He voted with the Copperheads in Deem
Der 1868 for Emerson Etheridge for clerk of
the House of Representatives against Ed
ward Mcpherson the present clerk The vote
was lO2 to 6S, a strictly party vote. Etheridge
was one of the most prominent rebels and had
laid his plans, while clerk of the House. dur
ing the previous session, to defeat the inten-
ton of the majority by placing upon the rolls
the names of members from Southern States
whose credentials had not been passed upon
| by the House. Fortunately for the country
his object was defeated by law passed at the
close of the session of 1863. He also voted
against Colfax and for Sunset" Cox for
Speaker ofthe House. Cox was next to VAL
landisham, tho leader of the Ohio Copper
heads. lie is chiefly known by speech which
he delivered at Cooper Institute, in New York,
where his principal argument was to show the
mean and contemplate character ofNew Eng
land and to exalt the glories of slavery.
Having, by his support of these two men,
fairly set himself in opposition to the senti-
ments of his cons tituency and in full defiance
of their opinions and having disgraced the
name OF "war Democrat by voting for Cox
| and Etheridge, Mr.. Sweat seems to have
thought that he might as well 'be killed for
sheep as lamb" and he went over body and
soul to the Copperhead ranks. "Fernandy
Wud" who was the opposition leader in the last
Congress introduced a resolu ton, which, in
the light OF recent events seems significant of
the opinions of the copper ohnson party.
Woods resolution was feeler and was in
tended to mark the party line which should
divide the Democrats and the Republicans
1t stated that as we had achieved great sue
cesses in the field it was no longer expedient
to continue the war, but that commissioners
should be sent to Richmond to see on what
terms the Confederate government would
make peace. Mr.. Sweat voted in company
with all the Copperheads for this ldisgraceful
resolution. ''t1' -' 1T
On the question of the increase of the paw
OF private soldiers, Mr.. Sweat undertook to
dodge, by pairing with Mr.. Gooch of Massa-
chusetts, but found to his intense disgust that
not Copperhead had courage to vote against
the bill and that be was left in minority of
one.
A resolution was introduced by Mr. Arnold
OF Illinois, that the Constitution of the Uni
ted States be so amended as to abolish slavery
wherever it exists, and to prohibit its exist
.ence forever after. Mr. Sweat voted twice
squarely against this resolution.
In accordance with the Copperhead policy
OF embarrassing the government as much as
possible, and obstructing its endeavors to fill
up our army, Mr.. Sweat voted against bill
authorizing the enlistment of Union soldiers
in rebel States.
Mr.. Sweat also voted in favor of a resnIrl-
ton denouncing the arrest and banisnment
of that notorious traitor, C. G. Vallandigham,
who was the head and front of the fire in the
rear.
He also voted against the bill empowering
the government to provide for the slaves who
were freed by the operation Of the war and
who, at that time, were flocking within our
lines by thousands
Subsequently, when the amendment to the
constitution abolishing slavery came up, Mr..
Sweat voted steadily with the Copperheads
against it. That amendment is now part of
the Constitution Of the United States and its
adoption is the pride and boast of every lover
of his country. That a representative from
the first district of Maine should have persist
emily and continually opposed even its pres
entation to the people for their suffrages seems
almost incredible, but such is the fact. L. d.
NJ. Sweat is the man who disgraced the first
district Of Maine by throwing his vote in and
of the fallen and struggling institution OF
slavery, the one accursed blot on our fair es-
cutcheon. ,..
Benjamin G. Harris, a member of the House
of Representatives from Maryland, whose
oiiiy tieAS ~ AliuC ID uC LIDS dlWdyS
justified secession and sympathized with the
rebels said, in the course Of one of his speech
es, "The South asked you to let them go in
peace. But no; you said you would bring
them into supjection. That is not done yet
April 1864 and God Almighty grant chat it
never may be. l hope you will never subju-
gate the South" These words were reported
in a resolution and declared to be reasonable
On motion to expel Mr.. Harris for making
that speech Mr. Sweat voted NAY. This same
man Harris, during the last session of Con-
gress made most incorporating and bitter
speech in which he justified seces sion and de-
nounced the Union. He had evidently gain
ed courage from the lenient treatment he had
received two years before. If Mr.. Sweat voted
against Harris's expulsion, and if his vote is
always to be found on the same side of all po-
ltical questions with Harris in 1864 how can
he be trusted in 1856 to represent the people
of Maine?
Mr.. Sweat's advocacy of the interests Of the
Camden and Amboy Railroad will not be for
gotten. He not only opposed the airline rail-
road from Washington to New York by his
votes, but was one of the two or three men,
bers who distinguished themselves by making
elaborate arguments in favor of the Camden
and Amboy railroad levying tax of one dol
lar for the benefit of the State of New Jersey
on every passenger who passes from New York
city to Philadelphia This monopoly is the
most odious in the country The State OF
New Jersey grants to a single line of railroad
the sole right of transportation through her
territory in certain direction The United
States government is denied the right to build
or charter lines of transportation from its cap
ital to the Northern States in order that
'Camden and Amboy" may be enriched and
| the state exper SEES of New Jersey be paid by