The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-08-26
Letter to Hon. John B. Neatly.

We publish the following answer to a
letter received by the editor Of the jour
NAL. inasmuch as it is Of public import
ance, II 1t has any importance at oil, and
may answer inquiries thar may be In the
minds of Others besides the honorable gen.
tleman to whom IL Is addressed:
BIDpksoRD, Aug. %, 20.
IIoN. JoHS d. NEALLY,-
NV dear Sir.-Your letter addressed to me
Is Chairman Of the Republican County Commit
tee was duly received, and was laid before the
Committee at their meeting on Wednesday last,
as you requested. That meeting was OF I'VE
hours duration, and II 1t failed to accomplish
all or any part Of what Mr.. Lynch desired, the
responsibility does not rest with me except as .
single member Of that committee with whom the
Republican party Of York County have vested
its interests at the present time. An onslaught
was made by q certain gentleman not OF
the Committe, for whose own sake will not call
his name, TO induce the honorable COMMITTEES to
request its chairman to resign, declaring that
"whateyer was said in the present relation, by the
editor Of this paper was and would be considered
as the expression Of the party Of the County, and
As Il G party did not endorse the JOURNALS war
upon Mr.. Lynch, IL was Incompatible with his
DC siton." I need not tell you that the effort
failed unanimously. then stated to the COM
mittee that the JOURNAL should cease Its oppo-
sitiou, not to Mr.. Lynch, but to what II ccnsid-
cred as q high handed outrage upon the repub-
can party Of this county in the person Of Mr..
Lynch, II the committee 50 advised. That COM
n,ittee declin~i to offer any advice in the matter
pro or con. The same offer was then made to
the candidates present. with the proSiso that the
people Of York should be informed that II was
done against my Judgment and only in defer
ence to those candidates who desired II. The
gentleman who lei of In the matter declined to
take that responsibility. admitting that such
course would &c, tainty bury the county ticket.
I thought so myself. and no enc can blame me
that decline to pull somebody's else ohesnuts
out Of the fire.
Now, my dear sir, the position Of the County
Committe ought not to be misunderstood. AS .
Committee they have only one duty to perform,
viz 10 labor for the success Of the ticket and
guard the interests Of the party in this County.
That they will do faithfully and energetically.
and rill do nothing else. But you know very
well that majority Of that committee, exercis-
ing the private right which you and every man
claim, have their individual opinions which they
have thought proper and necessary TO make
known. Those opinions must be known TO you,
and because they have officially expressed them,
and because they have been endorsed bya re
election, Il is not incumbent upon me to speak
for them.
The determined feeling among the Republic
cans OF this County against the nomination and
against the election Of Mr.. Lynch, has got be-
You'd your control or mine. Words were not
lacking to point out the disaster that the viola
ton OF our rights would bring; warnings were
not lacking that his contemplated crime against
the Republican party would never be submitted
to implorations were not lacking beseeching
him not to sacrifice the party for his personal
ambition. They all fell upon deaf ears, and as
be sows 30 shall he reap, even though 1t be
whirlwind.
There never has been in the political annals OF
this State such bare and shsme-hced attempt
to cheat the people. deprive them Of what has
been undisputingly accorded them, and misrep-
resent all those who did not dance to bis adding
as has characterized the campaign on the,
part Of Mr.. Lynch and his friends. Let me
cite you to one particular. lie states on the
corner ofthe streets wherever he can fnl lis
tener, that he never should have been candi-
date, IL IL hadn't been for me! II is among the
first rules Of law which read ten years age, that
that evidence which proves too much is no evil
dence at all. Irate myself fully up TO my 'present
worth" and doubtless far beyond IL, but his
statement gives me indeed more consequences than
ever dreamed Of claiming. Perhaps . short
examination may shed some light More than
eighteen mouths ago. long before this paper had
anything but good 10 say OF him. he bought the
Portland Pres. lie either bought u. as any
other man would buy IL. for the rate Of interest
Il would yield on the capital invested. or for the
power il was deemed Il would give him. But
none save those who believed that two and two
make Eve. could be induced to give As much by
SIC, OOO' as be gave for il, and none believed
that il could be made TO pay over six per cent,
nor has Il paid over that since he owned con-
trolling interest therein. II would not be doing
his financial abilities justice to suppose that he
bought Il TO make money.
Journalism. like managing . railroad, re
quirss IN intricate knowledge Of the profess
sion 10 ensure success. You cannot take Rich
ard and John and put them into your hopper
and grind out r. r superintepdents and JOUR-
nalistic editors just when you want them. Mr..
Lynch had made up his mind that he could
manage Cumbet land. but how TO manage York
was q question. He had or could make two va
cancies, Is tub to throw to whale. There
fore, with view, not to get able or experienced
men, one to edit his paper and the other to man
age his railroad, he came out to York, and TO
this city; and here he found two men who hap
psnsd 10 be In favor Of his nomination, but who
had not . moments experience for the duties
osteusibly required Of them, and neither Of
whose abilities were overrated II the move
mcut was not .mstursly planned by these APP
pointments, 10 divide the political strength Of
York with conspiracy to bind down lis politi-
cal rights, Il Is at least . singular coincidence
that men Of ability and experience near at home
were overlooked!
In noting these transactions beg you TO bear
in mind that they happened bsfors the JouRSAI
had ever taken issue with him, and therefore
cannot for the life Of me, zee how could have
been instrumental In causing Mr.. Lynch to
lay all the main pipes Of his plan % long ego,
10 encompass his denomination, unless II wss BE-
cause he was well convinced that would not
ioin him in his raid to prustrste my own county
At his victorious feet. But supposing the jour
NAL ras the means OF forcing him, IS he says
10 seek denomination, how does that help the
matter Tor himr In saying that am response
bic for his acts, he says Il for one object and only
one objcct-to excuse himself But men don't
seek an excuse for just act. they only 90 u
when they are convinced the act uas wrong and
therefore desire TO shirk the responsibility. 10
swinjle this county out Of 10 political rights
and always acknowIsdgei privileges, Vas either
right or Il was wrong. II Il was right and ne
vas driven to do . right. what thanks has bel II
Il vas wrong and he Vas driven to do wrong.
d he such . man - the people can trxstf
The fact Is. Bro. Neally, all such shallow sub
terfagcs are put forward by Mr.. Lynch 70 catch
gudgcous and men Of gushing simplicity"
His campaign has been carried on BY desper-
ate game Of bluf. How many delegates do yvu
suppose he would have had In this county.
vv, 'in-oshs,. words: .how many delegates would
have ben fsas,fto tsru nsir osoAs upon ihair
STATED y ye.sa s.Ass".