The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-11-05
A Good Word for George Fr.uci. Trai.

Good Word for George Francis Train.
George Alfred Townsend writing in his
garrulous way to the Hartford Post has some
thing to say in behalf OF an individual who
was never before spoken of respectfully in
any publication whatever on either side of
the Atlantic, if we accept the Revolution:
Reverdy johnson was sent off with the per-
sonal encomiums oil no less gentleman than
Mr.. Sumner. Except the little Baltimore
Sun, l have not seen an endorsement of our
Minister'S extraordinary course. 1t is i'm
probable that we shall keep at peace with
England, being about to enter into direct ri
valry with her ON the Pacific, and the Liver
pool banquet recommending free trade, must
have touched the senslbilities of an old line
Wing down to the uttermost kidney. Mr..
johnson, seriously speaking, is man with
out enough moral stability of character TO
loo4 an enemy in the face. Accepting an
obligation he becomes merely ductile being
OF loose amiabilities, and such man has no
business to go to dinner or have stomach.
Being dined and wined excessively, he has
spoken from his bowels of compassion rather
than his hunger OF patriotism, and as piece
of dignity his mission is already an epicure-
anism and failure To accept Artemus
Wards phrase, we want a man with only
lone bowel" at every court In Europe. Let
him leave the other at home.
Mr.. johnson, full of benevolerce for the
old Kite of nations, paid no attention to
Train in jail, returning to the latter's request
for aid an opinion of Lord Stanley. Train is
fellow whose folly permits little sympathy,
but he is generous and honest man, whose
mad vanity is doing nobody more wrong than
Mr.. Johnson's silly gratulations Train is
being punished in England for debts contract
ed by the bad faith of the government in the
matter of his tramways. | was in London
during his busy period there, and it was no.
torious that his misfortunes arose from his
earnest advocacy of the Union, which he
sustained as ably and calamity as any editor
or orator at home or abroad.
Hounds like George Augustus Sala borrow
ed his money and drank his champagne, and
then abused him. He has been going down
hill for some time, but he is still brilliant
generous, selfafllicting man, and if L were
Mr.. Johnson, with everybody so pleasant to
me, should have made personal effort to
get poor Train out of Jail. A word from an
ambassador is hint to justice in England
All any rate, Trains denunciations of Eng
land in prison are more officially from the
American people than Johnson's wine bib
bing and calumet smoking embr-ces. We
cannot be self-respecting, and not feel in our
heart OF hearts, that British treatment OF Us Is
has been, for the past eight rears, Piece , os
ruffianism and prostitution. IN Tue poon VI
the history OF mans progress ~ IL IeSi9.e.oN S'D.
up, bold and high, that IN tue uay Vi 0uI ca
Iam;tv lar, She " mocEed the nation of the People,
and in m our victory over the powers of dark
ness she tempted Us again with wit the earesses
made street-walker's tour OF mankind! As
TO Laird, the pirate-buider, he is no worse
than two-thirds of his countrymen. He
made the hull, and their hate buoyed it up
1t went fiom port with their flag at the mast
head, and that is the only flag we recognize
as responsible.