Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-05-12
Chairman.
Republican
Committee.

An ISSUE BETWEEN THE PORT
LAND ADVERTISER AND OUR
SELVES as TO A MATTER OF
FACT
We have been studying for several days
past whether it We're worth while to take
any farther notice of the Portland Adver-
tiser's continued and catIseless assaults on
Speaker Blaine. After our exposure oft
utter misrepresentation of Mr.. Blaine s
course on President Johnson's vetoes of
the Freedmens Bureau and Civil Rights
Bills, we were prepared for its silence
and did not of course expect the magma
nimity of retraction or an amende. But
we confess ourselves surprised that even
the Advertiser should venture to say that
the "records Of The Globe are not IN accord
ance nth The JournaFS Statements" In
order to vindicate our own statements VIC
propose TO see precisely what those records
are.
In volume 81 of the Globe, page
172e. under date of April ?, 1866, General
Schenck, then chairman of the military
committee, made the following statement
to the House in regard to the army bill,
and we now quote the paragraph entire,
having previously only given so much as
relates to the question of absence.
''Now sir, it may relieve gentlemen to know
that the committee have had sub committee
at work on this subject, that they are prepar-
cd to report bill, but that the gentleman
from Maine (Mr. Blaine) who is on the sub
committee which has had the subject in
charge has been called away suddenly by the
death of near connection in Boston; he is
thert now, and the committee would prefer to
wait tor period of about eight days, during
which, as | understand by letter and tee-
graph from him, he may be detained there,
before making their report"
President Johnsons veto Of the Civil
Rights Bill was sent to the Senate March
9th, and was under discussion in that
body at the time of Gen. Schencks state
ment-not being voted on there till the 9th
day Of April. 1t was entirely impossible
to anticipate the time when it might be
voted on in the House.
On the 9th OF April the contested c,ec-
ton case Of Dodge VS.. Brooks was decided
in the House. At the conclusion of the
ron call Mr. Rice OF Maine, said, (see
Globe, vol. 81, page 1919 y.
II am paired on this question with my col
league (Mr. Blaine.) # he mere here he
would vote for the sitting member and should
vote against him.
On the 10th of April, the motion to re-
consider the vote by which the House had
rejected the Bankrupt Bill some time
before, was called up and decided by yeas
and nays AT the conclusion of the roll
call, AIR. Pike Of Maine, said(, see Globe,
vol. 81, page 1899
''Upon this question / am paired with my
colleague, Mr. Blaine. If he were here he
would vote against the reconsideration and l
would vote for il"
Now be it remembered that the veto of
the Civil Rights Bill was acted on in the
House on the 9th day of April-and yet
the Portland Advertiser persists in its
statement that Mr.. Blaine was present and
''sat silent during tie debate and at the roll
caVn
The Globe shows that Mr.. Blaine re-
sumed his seat in the House on the 18th of
April, and the Army Bill was Immediately
taken up on motion OF General Schenck. I
So much for the absence of Mr. Blaine |
when the veto OF the Civil Rights Bill was
disposed of in the House. The evidence
in the Globe as to his absence from sick
ness when the Freedmen's Bureau veto
was disposed of is equally conclusive. |
That veto was voted upon in the House July
10th The files of the kennebec Journal
show that Mr.. Blaine arrived at home in
i'll health on the 9TH Of July. Not recoy-
ering his health sufficiently to return to
Washington during the hot weather, the
Globe Of July 10th, volume SO, page 37ll,
has the following record:
'"ruE SPEAKER. The chair has been re-
quested by the gentleman from Maine Mr.
Blaine) to ask leave of absence for him for
the remainder Of the session on account Of an
disposftion. Leave was granted"
Six days after this record, the vote on
the veto was taken in the House, and the
Portland Advertiser persists IN its state
ment that Mr.. Blaine was present "@'sd