Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-06-18

compromised, the tendeIest feelings of human
ity were outraged by an apparently pur
posely made omission" the dead insulted by
''reproachful action" and more Of the same
tenor, charges ''no improper motives" a nd
'least OF all upon the Capital Guards" for
quote his language, then it is impossible to
guess his meaning from his words, and he has
abundant use for his law maxims of falsus an
uhot aisus IN omnibus which he quotes so glib
Iy at home He must charge improper motives.
1t is the very gist OF his accusations, without
II no wrong has been done. He cannot es-
cape it turn as he will and this "honest man
only raises the cry ot ''iItr' and ''sneak' and
'vilIifer" and "slandrreI" because forced
10 utter the accusations of his own conscience,
and ANONYMOUSLY to accept the old dodge OF
the pickpUck.t,w ho cries stop tibet the loud
est OF any to divert ttention while he crawls
silently away. The conmonest charity would
berpeak Tor him better order and greater de-
cency in his retreat than he has shown in his
advance and attack in this matter.
| 1t is matter of little consequence to the
public with what vigCr and success he may
carry Oh his warfare upon individuals among
his fellow citizens, and perhaps as harmless
an amusement AS any i'll which he can be en-
gagged; certainly il is one III which he evinc, S
peculiar interest For myself, confess hi,
4 criticism on few words OF reply to his ''kind
article, written, as he tells us now, while he
like the countenance of the Ghost of uamlet's
! father was "more in sorrow than in anger,
seem to be quite in keeping with his former
attack upon the organizations. which he now
disclaims.
sand II could not believe the author OF
| the suggestion that the religious sentiments
or nationality OF these dead heroes contributed
to this cruel neglect saw the full force OF the
.ha md tI.f h,r hn., Il mis-
! take" for here was the whole matter, if no
omission was made on purpose because the
| graves were those of Catholics and lrishmen,
then no crime and 10 blame, no dishonor to
the city no ''in,idious discrimination or re-
proachtul action" all Of which he charges. l
thought it was charity to him to say he could
not believe a hundred citizens guilty of with,
holding flowers from a soldiers grave for so
mean prejudice, and that he could not de-
UJerateiy charge it. What is his answer !
| He says 1.-The reply is artfully written" "un-
fair, 'disingenuous, dishonest in purpose
and interest" and "casts vile, wickedly false
| insnua,ion.' Ia the next verse it is ever
bose" "untair" again, and "dishonest' and
displays "much malice" lis accusations are
| base "to name its author were sufficient to
stamp its untruthfulness." The "charges'
| are "wickedly false in esprit and asser-
tions all solid abuse, done by certain willy
| politician who does not love the sollers so
well TO make political capital and closed
! with the sentence Faith without works is
| dead, which EXPIRE SEES fine sentiment though
without connection, and sounds like scripture
| though it is not quoted. All this is the mild
| and gsnidl reply Of the editor fall of 'soemn
regret to my statement that | though he
could not deliberately accuse community or
believe them guilty of an intentional wrong
like the one he specifies. He has since thought
better of it, and takes off all but dozen. the
committee of arrangements. lie did not
like the picture he had drawn when held up
for his examination and nothing WAS left for
him but denial of the legitimate construction
of his own language.
He becomes greatly excited over the qnes
ton why, if present. he forgot then, who feels
so tenderly now to secure the decoration OF
these graves, or If absent. to give single
hour OF his time to this service, for all the ma
tons dead, Protestant and Catholic alik Z
and the suggestion that mo mourning friend
of the Catholic soldier will be gratitied by
angry words or pleased by the abuse OF those
who were his comrades on account of an
| omission to decorate his grave, by those who
were too careless to prevent II. or permitted
the occurrence tor an opportunity and pur-
pose" Whether present or absent he gives
no sign, but coldly asks if it was q citizens du
~ TO follow each squad of soldiers as they
marched to their duty of scattering flowers,
and that he be told what opportunity or pur
pose we imagined lie sought by this neglect -
As he is especially familiar with the assign
ment of motives Tor others, We beg leave to
decline to answer. and permit him to assign
the motive himself As he says in the next
two lines, it is a ''vile Islander" "wickedly
false in spirit and assertion it appears he
will have the courage alter time 10 deny il
quite vigorously.
lie claims to have seen a letter from Father
Eagan, the former priest here, who he says
declars 'that he made no objection and 'd,d
feel 1t his duty TO join in the service. llav-
ing attended the decorations and participated
in them from their establishment, and having
no recollection of the presence and assistance
OF Father Easan in these rites, am conf
dent he will find he did not assist, and he
puts Father Eagan in the position of knowing
ms duty without doing it, which those who
know HIM cannot credit, and is as awkward in
his n, job champion of the clergy, as in
his former attempt to defend the honor of the
city. But, saws he, could not the flowers
have been strewn without Il praycr?' lis
praying essential to decoratingt" We sup
pose the flowers could he scattered without
prayer, but most persons believe in some
recognition Of IA Supreme being on such oc
casiuns; and he is much mistaken if he be-
lieves that any light illusions to christian
pray r or other ceremonies of the religion Of
the cross will be pleasing to any Catholic ear,
however witty they may seem to his own.
In reference to the general custom of deco
ration among other things said las remem-
bered no special detachment had been sent
to the Catholic cemetery since the ceremony
was practiced, giving at length the custom
and reasons AS | understood them, and that