The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-03-04
The Citizens MecIing.

The Citizens Meeting.
This long heralded assemblage which was
to annihilate the Republican party in this
city, has come and gone like the "baseless
fabric of yision," leaving many wrecks be-
hind. So feeble and farcical failure, it has
not been the privilege of our citizens often to
see. Admission was free, and many flocked
to the entertainment. The venerable John
Neal was called to the chair. With his usual
versatility he defended the sale of the Con-
gress street lot, and assailed the PRESS. It is
OF no sort of consequence what Mr.. Neal said.
Hewill be out with card in day or two, ask
ing pardon for it. He desired the call to be
read-in order to see what sort of "metal we
have GOT un It." We think John must have
been satisfied in the course of the evening,
that it was heavy enough to be denominated
"pig iron."
Mr.. Barnes was next brought forward; the
impracticable Phinehas Barnes, who seems
never to be quite satisfied with his friends,
but always ready to give aid aid comfort to
the enemy. With his lantern, like Diogenes
of old, he was willing to look up and down
for an honest man. He thought he had got
him, in Mayor Putnam. So he extinguished
the light in his lantern, as the present city
council put out his, at the commencement of
the year. he may hope that if this sly Dem
ocratic movement is successful, loco-foco
match may light up his feeble taper. These
Office seekers have all sorts of ways of getting
al their purpose.
Next came General Anderson. The Gener-
al always goes at it, in sledge hammer style,
and he fulfilled his mission on this occasion.
He undertook, at the first plunge, to prove
that the present administration has not been
a partizan one. 1t had pledged itself that it
should not be so, and had it not been carried
out, asked the speaker boldly. If any one
were to ask the General which railroad
scheme were best deserving of support, Rut
land or Ogdensburg, he would very likely
laugh at so foolish question. And so the
audience laughed heartily when he PROFOUND
ed that ridiculous query. Not partizan! Why
the ear mark is on every movement, from the
laborer on the streets to the city marshal A
few paltry crumbs that have fallen from the
Democratic table have found their way into
the mouths Of hungry Republicans. But the
we'll spread board has been rioted over, by
these Demonstrating all the time at the
weaknesses of the voters who were drawn in
to believe any of these protestations. Not
partizan, indeed! If there was no partizan-
ship among the fallen angels, when they con-
spired to overthrow a good government, then
there has been none in this cas-. Not other
wise.
General A. then defended the use of the
sinking fund. Had we not right to borrow
1t? We say, no. 1t Is sacred fund to
strengthen our credit abroad and at home
And that reckless policy that would assail its
sacredness is fit to be trusted no longer. 1t
is but taking "from one pocket and putting
into another" says the speaker. Just so. But
this taking from pockets which you have no
right to NEEDLE with, and putting into your
own, is what has ruined more young men and
old-more corporations and copartnerships,
than can be numbered. Let us beware of any
city government that adopts such suicidal
proceedings for partizan purposes, or to cover
Its extravaganza.
That infamous transaction Of sacrificing the
Congress street lot, the speaker attempted to
defend. His daring recklessness may be in
ferred from this. transaction almost uni
versaly condemned, and yet he said it was
good thing! 1t was as much as it was WORTH
Is 1t SOP Let the city attempt to buy that
lot to-day, and it could not be purchased for
double the price given. And the city will be
in the market, before many years, Tor just
such a lot-then let the Taxpayers mark the
result. "There is land in that vicinity fol-
sale for less than that" Will he please tc
mention where 1t IS 1t will not long wait fol
customer. 1t is not true that there is an
eligible lot Of good size centrally situated on
Congress Street, for fifty cents a foot. In.
deed the speaker had "some" land there fol
sale less THAI this. Some land is very in
definite. And where? On Anderson street or
on Congress above Washington street? Why
did he not name the lot, and compare it, Is
1t on that street, and between City Hall and
India Street? All, General, you would have
been ashamed to have made so feeble an
argument before the Supreme Court. And
yet you were talking to as intelligent jury,
as are those judges. They did not believe
your argument, and the verdict is against
you. The sacred trust confded to this mo
partisan party" has been violated, and the
verdict will be rendered next Monday.
To add the capstone to the magnificent edi-
fee, the last speaker was called-James
.O'Donnel, Esq. Full many flower is born
to blush unseen, and waste its sweetness on
the desert air'-but the learned Counsellor is
not one of that kind. He is ever ready tc
lend helping hand; and is generally the
more powerful as bis cause is the more feeble.
So IN this case lie out did himself We have
heard him when he would "tear passion to
very tatters." He never did his work better
than on this evening. Being selected to
paint the rose and give new tint to the lily,
he seemed to feel that now was the time to
do or die for the cause. He struck upon a
variety of topics. His passage from the
sublime to the ridiculous was achieved as on
streak of lightning. The land question
that sore place-to which all are so DESTROYS to
apply q plaster,-received his attention. So
did Mr.. Putnam. He magnifed his hero till
the audience seemed like Lilliputians walking
between his brawny legs. Judge Kingsbury
was no more like this Richard of the noble
heart, ethan I to Hercules" Then the
thieves and rogues were commented upon,
and the audience looked at the speaker with
aquizzical leer as though he had better mind
what he said. And so the capstone was well
put on.
Other speakers were called for, but with no
effect. Who would mount the rostrum after
the work was complete? No one-and so,
after the struttiug of the four speakers, for
brief hour, the meeting adjourned.
The editor Of the Advertiser, in a rough
way, but with much sweetness, says the meet
ing 'fowed on for an hour like cold molasses
out Of bung hole, when the intermittent
current ceased altogether" This description