The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-03-02

PORTLAND.
Monday Morning. March Q. 1868
Henry Clay Dean aud nj. C.mn...r.

y 1uhlVu q, lOCO
Henry Clay Dean aud IIis Compeers.
| Friday we published an extract from a late
speech of Henry Clay Dean of Iowa, which
we found going the rounds Of the press. II
was no more atrocious than hundred things
he is proved to have said by the admission of
all parties. The Argus denies that he said
| this particular thing, however, and proves il
| by calling names. II doesn't like TO have
| the soldiers know what the most prominent
Democratic speakers tbiak of them. Now
we have every reason in the world to believe
that the paragraph in question is faithful
representation of what Dean actually said. We
have never been guilty of publishing anything
for the purpose Of eifecting party purposes,
unless we believed it to be true In this case
we adduce an argument in favor of the genu-
ineness Of Deans speech which we confess
has no great weight with us, but one which
the Argus is bound to receive as conclusive.
The paragraph is TO be found in the New
York Commercial Advertiser. Again and
again have we been called upon to admit
without question whatever is said by that
rather weak journal. win the Argus dispute
its oracle? 1t is not fitting that the pub
ic should lose the benefit of Mfr. Deans ora
tory,and we republish the extract for the bene-
fit ofthose who overlooked it in Fridays paper:
Ii could have my way would place JEFF
Davis in Congress, where he r:ghttully be-
longs; then l would 60 to Concord, take all
those miserable batte-fags from the State
House. and make bonfire OF them in the
State House yard; then would go all through
the North, and destroy all the monuments
and grayestones erected to the memory of
soldiers; in short, 1 would put out of sight
everything which reminds us that we ever
had war with our Southern brethren. l do
not know as i would hang Cne-legged and
one-armed soldiers, but / would pray God to
get them out OF our way as soon as possible.
Is not that an appropriate sentiment for
man who pronounced Abraham Lireoln San
ignorant baboon" and has recently limited at
the assassination of Gen. Grant? What is
there in his history or in his published
speeches that does not render it altogether
probable that he uttered it?
Neither is this little ebulition of Deans pat
riotic feeling any worse than sentiments ut
tered hundred times by Burr, voorhees, and
his other associate Democratic stumpers OF
New Hampshire. During The war Burr said,
You cannot conquer the South ann pray
God you never may The temper of this
renegade citizen of Maine is further illustrat-
ed by declaration made in the course of a
speech at Hampstead, New Hampshire, on
the 2lst of February. Speaking of the mill
tary government of the South, be said that if
the thing sh Iuld be attempted in his State,
my hand, by the eternal Ged, shall strike
the dagger to the tyrant's heart that shall at
tempt it,"
Vallandigham is not in New Hampshire, it
appears, as Democratic papers have announc-
ed, but it will be universally conceded that
his presence there would add respectability
to the crowd Of political blacklegs and trai-
tors that the Democratic managers had mar
shalled there. Vallandigham has brair $
Dean and Burr have nothing but reckless
ness, traitorous impulses and good lungs.
Franklin Pierce, who wrote the famous let
ter to JEFF. Davis, promising him the aid OF
the North, belongs to their dark compan-
ionship.
There is no reason why the war should be
ignored in the discussions of this campaign,
though with good reason the Democratic
party would pass it by in silence. 1t was the
great event OF the century. 1t tried every
man and every party as by fire, and all must
stand or fall according to the manner in
which the ordeal was passed. Especially
must those men who even at Ahis late day
are unrepentant be forever the objects of pa
triotic aversion. The Democratic party does
not repent. No longer ago than Friday night
at City Hall we listened to the apoloqists
of the rebellion and of the rebels. Their
crimes were extenuated. Their fate was
commiserated, though since the world was
created no conquered people was ever treated
with like magnanimity. Gen. Anderson, in
speaking Of the rebellion called it crime;
then pausing he added, "if it ,cas a crime.'
Mr.. Brewster, whom the Democratic commit
tee imported from Boston to tell US that the
whole corporation ought to be placed under
guardianship, asked ii we could expect the
South to forgire us all at once. He wondered
that we should expect them to abstain from
occasional outbreaks. We do not profess to
give his precise language, but are sure that
we do not misrepresent the sentiment. Even
Mr.. Putnam, who was more guarded In his
language, extenuated the rebel responsibility
for the public debt. He held the South an
swerable only for that part of the expendi-
ture of the government which is made nec-
essary by payment of interest. How abb
surd? Did he forget the pensions and boun-
ties and the thousand other items of expense
arising directly from the Democratic rebel
lion?
1t was thus chat on Friday night the
Democrats of Portland placed themselves
squarely on the Dean-Bun-Valland
platform. The voters of Portland will to-day
repudiate them and their platform together.