The Portland daily press., 1870-01-01

as the following. That there was nothing in
dicating that the former was communication
was the resni If accdeut
To the Editor Of the Press.
GA scene of excitement The petitioners re-
tire from the meeting"
Such is the sensation heading to Your
Thursday s report of our late town meeting-a
report which obviously came from the mind of
some one who has SO long viewed the subject
of division with the prejudiced eyes of pc
titioner that he cannot keep the truth on his
side even while reporting for pubic print the
doings of the meeting at which his cherished
scheme was voted down. To say the least,
there are some inaccuracies in your report
which, as matter Of simple justice 10 the re-
monsrants, ought to be speedily corrected
In the first place it is stated that after the
remonstrants had moved to close the polls the
petitioners appealed to their generosity in vain
until ''Mr Valentine finally prevailed upon
them TO open the polls for half an hour
That much credit is due Mr.. Valentine we are
willing to concede, but there are others still
in the cold town" who have not forgotten how
to be just. The first speaker against closing
the polls was l.. b. bennett, and he was imme-
diately followed by the writer of this article
WHO also urged that the polls should not be
closed until I'll had had a reasonable time in
which TO deposit their votes. The motion
which Immediately prevailed to keep the polls
open for half an hour, was made by Samuel
Jordan, Esq, a leading spirit among the petit
TONERS, and received the hearty support of the
majority of the remonstrants. So much for
our first act of unfarness.
But the principal charge brought against
these remonstrants, is the fact that they were
unwilling to listen to Mr.. L. B. Dement'S YER
bose refutation, article by article, of the facts
noo forth in their Iemonstrance. And why
were they unwilling to listen to Mr. bennett?
Because it was manifest from the moment he
took the floor, from unmistakable signs with
which all persons acquainted with "deiibera-
tive assemblies" are familiar, that his purpose
was not to enlighten any one with his superior
knowledge of our town needs, but to consume
time until the remonstrants tired out should
depart and leave the petitioners in undisputed
possession of the meeting. But to show tn e
temper of tie remonstrants, let it be said that
they endured Mr. Dennett's harangue
OF almost two hours, during all of which
time, Notwithstanding the noise and con-
fusion, he could be distinctly heard in
every part of the house, and yet his voice is by
no means the strongest j. Winslow Jones.
OF sweet corn nooriety who got Mr.. bennett
to give way for him "to say few remarks in
relation, &c, after few minutes of unintel-
ligible and incoherent defamation was ruled
out of order by the moderator, Mr.. bennett
declaring that he was done. Rev. w. P. Mer-
ril now got the floor by honorable possession
and improved his opportunity by telling his
neighbor petitioners few truths which they
no doubt would have preferred should not be
made public.
AS regards Mr.. Jones attempt TO reply 10
Mr. Merrill it was not clear what he was at
tempting at all, as he continued to talk and
denounce the remonstrants as rabble while
other business was being transacted, I'M
| til TIE moderator called him to order a second
| time, after which he was seen no more.
The petitioners after being outvoted on Mr.
Jordan's amendment to my resolution re-
| tired from the house as they had perfect
| right to do, and the remonstrants, who were
in the majority from. the first, concluded the
business of the meeting and adjourned, as they
had lawful right to do.
The meeting, on the whole, was by no
means riotous, your reporter to the contrary
notwithstanding; and had Messrs bennett and
Jones been left at home it is fair to presume
| that the whole affair would have passed off
both pleasantly and tremendously.
f. M. RAY.