Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-09-16
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK NAT
TIER, ONCE MORE AND FINALLYI

| To the Editor of the Kenne6ec journal:
AUGUSTA, Sept. 10, 1871.
| Asa good deal has been said lately about
a certain note that was negotiated at the First
National Bank for political purposes in 1868,
desire to make brief statement ofthe facts
in the case.
Owing to the very large number ofmeet-
ings that were held in this city in '6s the cam
paign was an expensive one. The large
mass convention that was held here Sept. ID
of that year entailed very heavy cost; partic-
ularly in connection with extra railroad
trains, parade of Tanner clubs, torch light
professions, transparencies, banners, &c.
Other meetings also involved considerable ex-
pense of the same character. -e
1t was several weeks after the election was
over before the bills were all collected, and
as the money had of course to be paid, a note
was made, signed by myself and endorsed by
the following gentlemen, viz: James G.
James A. Bicknell, and A. b. Farwell. The
note was for $l360.S 80 and carried it myself
to the First National Bank and procured its
discount there on the 18th of Nov, 1868, and
l attended to the subsequent renewals of the
same.
There was not dollar of the money used
to buy votes or for any other purpose than
the usual and legitimate expenses of politi-
cal campaign, attended with mass meetings
and demonstrations. Having discussed every
dollar of the money myself, as Treasurer of
the Republican City Committee, know
whereof affirm.
| That there were any promises in regard to
the payment of the note made by any par
ticular endorser Of it is entirely erroneous.
] make this statement after all the endors-
ers have been consulted Except Mr.. Stevens
who is not accessible) and with their full con-
currence and approval.
H. s. OsGooD. .
We do not deem it worth while to point
out how many misstatements and false
hoods the letter of Col Osgood cOnvicts
the Standard OF. That game is not worth
the candle
1 What we desire and all we desire is to
show that the accusation that "Mr. Blaine
got fifteen hundred dollars at the First
National Bank on the morning of election
day 1865" is absolutely false. Neither at
that time nor at any other time did Mr..
Blaine get dollar of money at the First
National Bank. Col. Osgood's letter ex'
plains fully and frankly all the circum
stances of an ordinary business transac
ton out of which mountain of lies has
been attempted.
The officers of the First National Bank
know perfectly well, and knew all the
time, that Mr.. Blaine did not draw Fifteen
| hundred dollars from their Bank on the
morning of election day 1865" nor on any
other day and yet they kept silent and
permitted the Maine Standard to make the
statement and repeat land to found there
on injurious aspersions respecting Mr..
Blaine.
We have said the officers of the Bank
kept silent. We are wrong. They wrote
to this paper letter framed in such way
as to create the impression that the Stand
ard charge against Mr.. Blaine was true
They thus placed themselves in an attitude,
whether so intended or not, of practical
collision with the Maine Standard in inn
! posing a falsehood on this community re.
specting Mr.. Blaine.
This conduct may be regarded as honor.
able by Nessrs. Stanley andBoothby. Blu,
we know Bank officers who would have
their fingers cut off before they would al.
low themselves, either by acts of omission
or commission, to be thus dragged into
apparent support Of mean and ground
less SANDER against one of their own
stockholders, or any one elsa SANDER
which they could have corrected in sin
gle moment, and with half the words they
used in their evasive note.
We could have published these facts any
day during the late campaign, but we
waited to see whether the Maine Standard
or the officers of the First National Bank
would be willing to give the plain unvarn-
ished facts in the case. We have now
given them, and there the matter can end
so far as we are concerned.