The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-12-13


A paper man would seem, reasoning
priori, to be as harmless a parsonage as can
be. But those invisible, intangible fellows
who were used in that demoralizing war Pc
Rod to fill up the quotas of some of our
towns, and who are known as paper men,"
prove more mischievous than Frankensein's
monster, the Newark steam man, the man
with the iron mask or he of the broken ear.
They were bought with price, but there was
and ID an exasperating evanescence, an atten-
uatiOn, an absence of all the elements of per-
sonality about them that has proved trouble
some to their purchasers. They are like
mankind in general, according to Fichte, the
metaphysician, "shadows of shadows and
dreams of dreams" They have &c name
IL is true, but only the substitute broker with
his eye sin fine frenzy rolling" can pre-
tend to give these airy nott ings /" "local
habitation." Towns might have laid out
their money on disembodied spirits with as
much profit to themselves and to the country,
as resulted from their investment in these
ghostly squadrons. There has been all along,
since 1854, an uneasy feeling about the paper
men, and many good people have desired to
know what conjurer, mightier than Glendow-
er, summoned the shadowy legions from the
Vastly deep. One winter there was an "inves-
tigation," but yet, somehow, the apparition Of
the paper men still haunts the imagination OF
taxpayers in divers inland towns. "a .
Especially has the bucolic mind of Sidney
fair town on the Kennebec, where the mar
tyr Lovejoy and his brother Owen were born
been exercised. 1t seems 10 be conceded that
certain dealer in credits" A. B. Farwell
Esq, of Augusta, furnished .tmen" to fill the
quota of Sidney, and was paid for them. The
quota of the town was filled, and so far all
was well. But when the commission on the
equalization of the municipal war debts came
TO make up their Jewels they refused to rec
ognize the claim of Sidney for reimbursement
for the names furnished as above stated, and
the town has sued Mr.. Farwell. Such is sue.
stantially the account given in review of the
whole subject which has recently appeared
and which has such claim to credibility as
arises from the appearance of having been
prepared under Mr.. Farwelps imme diate su.
pervsion. a -
We refer to the Sidney case only inciden-
tally, and because it suggests method by
which the whole mystery hanging over the
paper men can be solved. Mr. Farwell
whether rightfuIly or wrongfully we cannot
say, is regarded in some quarters as the rep.
resentative man of those alleged to have
been engaged in the bounty frauds. He is a
member elect Of the Legislature which will
probably be called upon to reopen the inves-
tigation of these frauds His friends suggest
that he be chosen Speaker of the House, so
that he can appoint just the right sort ofmen
to determine impartially whether he is guilty
or not guilty. No doubt this method Of pro-
cedure would be an innovation upon estab-
lished usage and novelty in any system OF
jurisprudence now known, as it is not usual
for the person charged, however wrongfully,
q with an offense, to have the appointment of
his judges. But the novelty of the plan
ought not to detract from our estimation Of
z Its excellence. A verdict so obtained. es-
pecialy If favorable to Mr.. Farwell, would be
perfectly conclusive as to the whole subject
and lay forever the ghost of the paper men.