The Portland daily press., 1871-01-07
The Gentleman from Calais.

Those who find the most satisfaction in &C
cusing the PRESS of delighting in personal
controversy will hardly be ebe to charge 1t
with seeking a renewal of its quarrel with
Mr.. Pike, of Calais, since that gentleman has
seen fit to take the initiative himself. Like
several other gentlemen with whom the
PRESS has been obliged TO deal as a wa!ehful
guardian of the interests of the Republican
party, he has lost his identity in that of ex.
Governor Chamberlain, and imagines that in
some vicarous way Chamberlain is hurt by
the blows that fall upon Pixies own shout
ders.
WN,a Mr.. Pike was pleased to refer tou us
in dispa.-aing manner at the Senatorial
caucus tne oIhef night. it was the recollec-
uon ol no wrongs Oh Va Chamberlain that
ranked ia his bosom, but OF :e~tain lust and
richly deserved rebukes we have administered
to him in the course of the last disgracefu,
years of his public life. Since "the gentle
man from Calais" invites it, and since he has
been guilty of inspiring certain low personali-
ties in the Calais Advertiser, we shall briefly
recapitulate some of the salient points in his
career for the past few years.
First: In 1858, like many other an unprinci-
pied dema.ogue he was so destitute of true
political insight ON account of the moral blind
ness engendered by se.fshness, that he imag-
ined that the advocacy of some form of repu-
diation was Of al things the best calculated
to give him strength with the people and Sc
cure his continuance in public life for an in
definite period. But, like Butler, Pendleton,
and hundreds of other insincere adventures,
he soon found himself mistaken. Repudia-
ton in all the forms that sprung up 50 luxuri-
antly two years ago is dead-as dead as the
Pharaohs. Not even the Democratic plat
forms now mention reputation, either pure
or modified or mixed-neither the preparation
prescribed By Pomeroy, PendIeton, Butler
nor Pike. Henceforth let all men remember
that it is dangerous to propose dishonorable
thing to the people. Even Buffers traDscen-
dent ability, coupled with the moral perversi-
ty indicated by his position on financial ques-
tons, does not serve to give him anything
like the prominence to which his intellectual
qualities enttle him. What then can our
Pike expect?
Second: In 1869, being out of Office, he sud
denly made the astounding discovery that the
Republican party's days of usefulness are over
that it is obsolete, tAactus c6icio and de-
funct. He was "ready for a revolution" But
the people were not,and so the gentleman from
Calais wheeled into line again, the United,
States Senatorship Becoming an alluringoB-
ject about this lime.
Third: Last year bill being reported from,
the select committee on navigation interests
accompanied by an elaborate and exhaustive
report, Mr.. Pike vigorously attacked the
whole plan Of the committee on the ground
that the Maine coasting interest was ignored,
hoping thereby to lift himself out of the OBJ
security into which he had fallen. His action
in this matter was the most thoroughly dis.
honest that politician was ever guilty of.
Though the coasting trade is the only part of
American commerce that is thoroughly pro-
tected and though it has suffered least of all,
Committee made up of gentlemen repre-
senting..al sections of country, some of which
are morbidly Jealous of New Englacd, was in
duced through the influence of its chairman
to include it in the extraordinary benefits of
fered in the proposed laws. Coasting vessels
from all competition with which foreign vessels
are excluded, were to share the drawback on
material, III. bounty and the exemption from
local dues, with tonnage engaged in foreign
commerce that completes with the ships of all
the world. The objectionto the measure, both
then and now, on the part of its leading op-
posers is that it ignores everything but the
coasting trade. This consideration more
than anything else defeated it. Yet Mr. Pike
undertook to make the people of Maine be.
lieve that their interests were betrayed by
their Representatives! He confessed, too,
that he had never read the Committees re-
port. or taken any other means to speak in
diligently ON the subject. If Mr.. Pixies in
fuence at Washington were not fortunately
so small as to make it impossible that it
should in ever so slight degree affect legis
lation on any subject, his conduct in this mat
ter would not be speedily forgotten.
Fourth: Mr.. Pike is the last man in the
world who should talk OF "attacks on Gen.
Chamberlain" Tor it is known by all we'll in
formed men that he has been that gentle
mans evil genius. We are somewhat en-
barassed by finding that VIC are assuming the
vindcation of Gen. Chamberlain, and we beg
the Advertisers pardon and "hope we don't
intrude," but while we have opposed him for
what we sincerely believed to be his faults,
we are none the less indignant at those who
have opposed him because of his virtues. OF
this grave offence several politicians, notably
Mr.. Pike and familiar of his in this city,
have been guilty. Thoroughly disguised with
the Republican party themselves on account |
of the deserved neglect into which they had |
fallen, they approached the Governor with |
all sorts of evil solicitations having reference
to conspiracy to break up the Republican
party SO that they might once more become
prominent in organizing party out of the
political chaos that would ensue. They want
ed him to run as an independent candidate |
and even as Democratic candidate for Gov
ernor, and that too after some of them had
taken an active part in the Convention that
nominated Gov. Perham. But Gen. Cham |
berlain concluded. after some elaboration |
that it were better not to tread ways that |
are dark and indulge in tricks that are sure |
to be vain; whereupon Messrs. Pike, Black & /
Co. Immediately discovered that they were |
mistaken in their impressions concerning |
Chamberlan's singular fitness for official posi-
ton, and they became "Morrill men" forth
with. Alter industriously filling the Gov
ernor's ear with all sorts of batteries, and |
persuading that be was man of genius, des
tined by Providence to become great politi- |
cal leader, these Jeremy Dlddlers abandoned |
their protege when they found he was
troubled with conscientious scruples and had
an inclination to be an honest man.
Such has been the political career of the /
gentleman from Calais during the last three
years. II the comparison were less coarse we
should say that he had proceeded like the
"yaller dorg" described by Mark Twain, "on
diagonal trot, as if undecided which end OF
him is entitled to the preference"
Political Notes.
Mr.. Ferry of Michigan, who is to succeed |
Jacob W. Howard in the United States Sen