The Portland daily press., 1872-09-20
Letter from New York.


Letter from New York,
THE INFAMOUS PIKE sLANDER-TwEED
c,rr Ry ROTH PARTIEs-BARLow AFTER
H1M-THE GOLD LoCKUP-THE CREDIT
MoBIIIER RooRBACK.
New YORK, Sept. Is, 1872.
do not know the Pike brothers except by
reputation, but have been stirred with in
dignation on reading letter from J. S. Pike
in the Tribune, dated Calais, Sept. II, wherein
he makes charges of wholesale bribery in
the 9Th. Congressional District of Maine
He is very specific in his allegations. He AYERS
that the 4th ward in Calais was canvassed
before the election and parties so evenly bal
anced that both sides claimed majority, and
vet when the vote was counted, Hale received
258, and Pike SO, showing Republlcan ma
iority of 160 and this result he attributes
to the opea purchase and sale of votes, at
prices ranging from $50 to S105 each!
IL not this an atrocious calumny? Can it
be possible that there are some 80 residents in
a single ward of Calais mean enough to sell
their votes? l cannot believe the statement.
If there are any people in the Union who are
unpurchasable have always supposed they
were the intelligent electors of your State.
And yet if j. S. Pixies story is false, /
should think Calais would be an uncomforta-
BILE place Of residence hencetorward for the
family.
take it for granted that the extraordinary
al 7 HOY +a1 ho nhsll
by the people it so ruthlessly assails, and
that Mr.. Pike will be called upon to substan-
tiate or retract the grave charge he has
made against his townsmen.
We have become so accustomed to false
hood, and perversions of fact in connection
with this campaign that no ordinary fabrica-
ton can now startle US, but when it is gravely
averred, virtually over the writer's own name,
that community in a New England State
has become debased to the lowest scale of
venality, we hesitate between two opposing
theories, to wit, whether such a thing can
possibly be true, or whether, if it were not,
there is man in the world bold and bad
enough to assert it.
Something may be pardoned, to the dsap-
pointmcnt of combination which has been
ANONYMOUSLY overwhelmed; but surely not
even the rage engendered by crushing defeat
can excuse a man for traducing his neighbors
and casting opprobrium on the commonwealth
which nurtured him. If S. P. has borne
false witness in this matter the execrations OF
all sons of Maine ought 10 follow him during
the rest of his life. We have had number
of itinersnt stump speakers of the Fitzpatrick
and Littlejohn stripe, coming or endorsing all
sorts of fictions, but none so wicked as this.
1t is a hopeful sign that neither political
party is willing to bear the odium of Tweed's
support. Even Mr.. Greeley, his old partner
in the tobacco business, tries to shake him
off. Ihave no doubt Tweed would be glad to
barter any political influence that may be sup
posed to remain to him for exemption from
the prosecution which awaits lhim; but he
will find it impossible to trade with Attorney
General Barlow, who is one of the straightest
and bravest officials in the State. So pre-
sumo Tweed will be found among his old
friends at Tammany when election day comes,
supporting Greeley, Herman and Depew, un-
less meantime he is convicted and sent to
Sing Sing. should think the Attorney Cen
eral would be unwilling to take the risk of
pushing for conviction while Hoffman is
Governor, as pardon would be very likely to
be interposed to save the culprit from punish
ment. Probably the next Governor will let
justice take its course. If it is Dix, who has
now the odds in his favor, there's an end of
all hope for malefactor. And even if Kcr-
nan should be chosen, the fact that Tlden
pushed his name in the Convention against
his city colleagues, ought to keep him straight.
The Black Friday gamblers have been in
mischief again. There was a sudden lock up
of gold yesterday, and an artificial scarcity
created, so that as high as II per cent was
paid for the use of gold coin for a single day
The victims of this conspiracy are many of
them innocent merchants, who buy goods for
gold, and are obliged to use it in their daily
transactions Thevictimizers are the disrepu-
table clique which operates under the leader
ship of that arch swindler Jay Gould.
Wall street and It's vicinity was the scene of
great excitement throughout the day. Panic
stricken money borrowers were rushing to
and fro in great numbers anxious to protect
themselves from any and all possible schemes
of the Gould confederates- The hubbub has
not subsidized yet, but is not so intense as it
was yesterday, and no doubt will soon eub-
side. 1t is unfortunate, though, that the
business interests of the country are at the
mercy of these unprlncipled spectators, who
have it in their power to infiict loss and in
jury upon legitimate traders. ...t
The Oakes-Ames letter continues to occupy
much of the space of the Greeley journals. As
each ne refltation of the insinuations of the
Sun appears, these high toned gentlemen of
the quill, exclaim, "That won't doP' And at
l. IL 49,
Greeley's own paper insists that it won't
do'' because it isn't sworn top 1 am afraid
nothing ariU suit these fellows that vindicates
the good names of leading Republicans.
Apropos of the Ames business, was talk
ing with "Lberal'' recently, and he said
he had no doubt whatever of the perfect in
tegrity of Gen. Grant personally, but he
didn't like the Rings he was sponsor for.
''What Rings?" said I. s'Why this Union
''That ring" said 1, twas formed and all its
operations completed before Gen. Grants
election He didn't know that and was 10th
to credit it. Nevertheless such is the fact.
This very letter of AmeS about which so
much ink has been spilled was written nine
months and four days before the Presidential
election of 1858, and one year, one month |
and two days prior to the Inauguration of |
President Grant.
DO you see WncH one COlncS IO andiyZc All
average opposition Roorback it discloses so |
many inconsistencies and anachronisms that |
it is very easy to refute it. The trouble is, as
fast as one is disproved, another is at once |
put on duty. So perhaps it is just as well |
that they should keep one in type for several
weeks. In fact the Sun of each morning seems
to be in the main reprint of the preceding |
number. The Tribune adapts great num-
Der ofsongs to one tune, but the air has be-
come so familiar that the words set to it have |
ceased to attract attention. YARMOUTH.
Compressed Air as a Motive Power.
Within the year, l have written two or