The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-08-09

UTttIe1 heSndnt.
CDR. Greeley will remedy thatp' exclaims
Democratic paper in the course of paragraph
which itregrets that the pacific disposition of
the Administration will prevent any naval en-
gagement at the fishing grounds, growing out
of the seizure by the British of American
vessels. 1t may be considered doubtful wheth-
er DIR. Greeley or any other person ought to
bring on war with a foreign power in the
defence of the unlawful acts of American
fishermen, though DR.. Butler and other san
culinary patriots have long contended that
there is no other proper course to pursue
We notice that the master of the vessel
against which the last 'outrage" is alleged to
have been committed, has just published a
letter in which he admits that he was fishing
IN British waters, when he was seized. He
also declares that he has been well treated by
the authorities, and that the reported insult
to the American flag is all mistake. But
we waive altogether the question of the right
or wrong of the transactions at the fishing
grounds for the sake of considering single
one of the favorite Democratic hypothesis in
regard to 'what Greeley would do" We are
obliged to adopt at the start that most ex-
travagant of all hypothesis, the success of
Mr.. Greeley in the November election. Be-
hold him elected, then, and confronted at the
very beginning of his administration with a
genuine difficulty with Great Britain, growing
out OF a well substantiated "British outrage"
Now Mr.. Greeley's history is known better,
Nar1,ar fho,, e.
world, so that we have all the means of form
ing pretty accurate judgment as to his prob
able action. All the world knows that the
reaction of ''the great editor's'' mind is acid
when affected by the common everyday oc-
currences of life. 1t is acid, also, when dan
gers appear in the distance. When on the
contrary, great emergencies arise and destruc-
ton is imminent the reaction is saccharine.
Whether there is such thing in Chemistry
or not there is no mistake about the; hero Ct
the prematurely prospective uiads and Odys-
seys of the Democratic journals. He is one
of the greatest fireside warriors of this or any
other age or country. Any school-boy, there
fore, can tell what the Greeley res gestg would
be under the supposed circumstances. On
the first intimatien that the British cruisers
had ''insulted our flag" Mr.. Greeley, without
waiting for legal or constitutional warrant.
would order by telegraph our gallant Maine
militia, under command of Gen. Chamberlain,
to the frontier, our troops being nearest to
the scene of the fray. The editor being
President, 'On to Richmond would now
mean something more than the troublesome
noise of garrulous elderly person. ''On to
Quebec p'-"On to MontreaP'-"On to Hall
fax? would come in strident shrieks from the
White House at all hours of the
day and highland to Halifax of
course the first little band of
few hundred red men, hurled against a
frontier hundreds of miles in length and de-
Tended by the now well-disciplined and nu-
merous Canadian troops, would inevitably 90.
The English Ambassador, calling to rsmon-
strate against hostilities without declara-
ton of war, would instantly be presented by
the President with his passport and that
choicest flower of Greeleyan diction, seYou |
lie, you villain, you lieP'-not by any means
a bad substitute for the insincere amenities
OF diplomatic intercourse And now the
bland Chappaquan, filled with martial rage,
puts Off the white hat of peace and crowns
his venerable head with the spiked helmet of
war. He girds him for battle with all the
cheerful confidence that is his wont when
about to disport himself for day chopping
trees in his loved Westchester forest. under
the admiring eyes of a corps of reporters in
wi tad 20
And SO the commander-n-chief of the ar
my and navy of the United States prances
down to the st. Croix to take personal direc-
ton OF affairs-happy as a man can be whose
sword ciu get between his martial legs and
trip him up. His aspect is now most blood
thirsty. His bucolic air is wholly gone Fire
blazes from the eyes that but now beamed
with mild philosophic light. The fair white
face is suffused with blood. The expletives
that he launches across the stream are heard
in trembling st. John and far-off Shediac, so
that his worldwide reputation as short
hand blasphemer loses nothing by that davis
wild work. But stay !-what is this hastily
defiling across the Calais bridge, over which
the virtuous smuggler has been accustomed
to wend his peaceful way in the pursuit of
honest industry? 1t is the feeble remnant of
the Maine regiment that comes bleeding
back, say from McAdam Junction, where it
met twenty thousand Blue Noses and Cana
dams drawn up behind strong breastworks.
Ihere Is hardly a corporaPs guard left. Now,
bompastes Furioso Greeley,-now, now is
your Time! This is the moment for which
you have painted! What ails thee. man2
why dost thou, like Falstaff, carry thy fat
paunch so nimbly toward thy steedp Wbv
hastily screaming to the crowd of ex-Confeder-
ate aids, dost thou clap spurs to thy horse and
ride madly over the Granger turnpike to
Bangor? Alas for the fatal influence OF forty
years of vegetable diet Alas for the emascu-
lating effects of bran bread! Our now
horoughlHdemoralized President waits MOTOR
John Bull to offer him the leek, for with true
vegetarian zeal he clamors for it. He sends
off couriers in hot haste to Lord Duffern
Offering the amplest pecuniary indemnity for
the invasion of British soil. He tells the
uoVernor-General that he has already CASH
lered zen. Chamberlain for disobedience of
orders, and dismissed the Blairs. Woods.
Seymours and Pendletons of his Cabinet
whose bad advice led to the unfortunate
misunderstanding" He apologies in the
most AFFECT terms, and offers TO send
IN IAN extra message tol Congress urging
the establishment of absolute free trade with
with the Canadas. In short Mr.. Greeley has
played the same part with the Canadians
which rendered him so illustrious I'm his !