The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-07-29
DAILY PRESS
PORTLAND
SATURDAY, JULY 20, 1871.



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''Percie" and Her Democratic Assailants'
d" 1t is not often that the Argus is able to
hurt our feelings even by its most atroeious
falseEoods, but We confess to good deai Vi
sensitiveness on the subject OF the charge 'na'
the PRESS has assailed the brilliant young Id
DIV who writes for the Democratic papers over
the SIGNATURE of"Percie." 1t is true mat We
have often mentioned her name since she
made her debut as reporter Oh t"e Pioceeu-
inos of political conventions ana Inc CONVEX. |
sations Of public men, but it is only because |
she has so far in the present canvass given
the only evidence of activity anywhere mani |
tested in the Democratic ranks. She has re.
ported almost the only noteworthy things
that have been written Or said by Democrats
this year. If the argus really thinks the
PRESS has been guilty of unchvalrous con-
duet toward this young lady, it can easily re-
print from our columns some one paragraph,
or sentence, or at least some one word. that
justifies it in so believing In Justice to us
and to itself it can hardly refuse to do so.
Now we wish to put the PRESS on record
in the matter of''Percie' in the most empha-
. tic and the most conspicuous manner. We
do this with the double purpose of remov-
ing the sad misapprehensons that might be
caused by the falsehoods that our neighbors
tells in its drear poverty oflegitimate controver
sial weapons and of gaining the credit due to
those who first recognize and announce the
advent of genius. In our opinion "Percie"
will speedily be known throughout the coun-
try as one of the most brilliant women writ
ers within its limits. Her contributors to the
Belfast journal and the Boston Post have al
ways been characterized in singular degree
by animation and piquancy witout coarseness
and by cool taste without affectation. In
her more recent essays in politics she has
shown clear understanding of questions at
issue which should silence those who deny
that women are capable of taking an intelli-
gent part in public affairs. We repeat i'm the
utmost sincerity and with genuine exultation
atthe honor thus conferred on our State that
"Percie" is morally certain Of such fame-and
we regard 1t as most envable-- as will come
from the association of her name with those
of such truely great and noble women as An
ma Dickinson, Mrs. Livermore, "Gail Hamil-
ton" and Lucy Stone. We welcome "Percie"
all the more heartily because she has the adj
ditional distinction of taking different view
public affairs from that taken by all other
eminent American women, and identifying
herself, unlike her sisters, with the conser-
vative instead of the radical side of politics.
We cannot stop here. "Percie" has been
assalled and in the most uugenerous and
cowardly manner, but not by us. In his in
terview with the lady Mr.. Kmball expressed
some views on economical questions toithe
striking originality of which we in due time
called attention. We thought it too remark
able to be overlooked that gentleman
who is thought worthy to fill position of
SO much distinction as that of Governor
should express the opinion that protection is
duty imposed on an article not produced
in this country, while pronouncing prohibit
DRY duty of 30 per cent Oh, articles produced
by American industry not protection. We
said so. OF course Mr.. Kimball and his
friends were annoyed at finding him
placed In so ridiculous a position, and
cried out that he had been attacked"
and that MIR. Lynch was "attacking" him.
DC. We were not surprised. 1t added
but one more instance to the score of cases
IN our experience where gentlemen to whose
private worth we have uniformly borne cheer
ful testimony have affirmed that they were
"recklessly assailed" and that The "attacks" in
the PRESS were "inspired" by outside parties
These things are the unfailing resources of
weakness. 1t is so much easier to saw such
things than to reply to arguments. We were
not therefore, we repeat, surprised at the posi-
ton first assumed by Mr.. Kimball's friends
but we were not prepared for the course they
or he took when they found that there was
small probability of their being able to enlist
much sympathy for him or excite much hor-
ror at the conduct of this paper on account
of cur mild criticism of his political views
publicly expressed, for political effect and for
public consideration. On Thursday the A,-
gus published an article in which it says "7His
interviewing wds entirely neao business to
"Percie." Sheno doubt left out many &C.
ptdnotory remarks of Mr.. Kimbdu concern
ing the tariff" And then the argus explains
at some length what it supposes Mr.. Kimball
meant by his extraordinary assertions If the
Democratic candidate for Governor were a
soldier, and shonld be guilty of skulking in
this way, he would be tried by drum-head
court-martial and shot. There, "Percie," is
the hero whom your romantic fancy adorned
with SO many manly graces ~-there is your
preuI che0Glier, shrinking behind YOU for
shelter! He has been kind of favorite of
ssours, too, and we have always had good
opinion OF his private character, but unless
"Perce" herself wrote the article of which
we are speaking, and with true womanly gen.
crosby took Mr.. Kimbalps gross blunders on
her own shoulders, there Is no excuse for this
exhibition of moral cowardice.