The Portland daily press., 1872-07-04
MIR. Lang's Letter.


Hon. Thomas S. Lang appears in long
letter of formal adieu to the Republican party,
which is published in the Advertiser Mr..
Lang is not silent man; consequently those
who have met him the past year knew that
whatever else he might be politically, he was
mot a Republican, SO that his letter will sur
prise no one. The letter as whole is well
written, but in substance is rather feeble re-
hash of matters that have been repeated ad
nauseam for three years in every Democratic
newspaper in the country. The only thing
remarkable is the spite and malice that is con-
spicuous in various parts of the letter, which,
as his personal friends know, is the main
spring of Mr.. Lang's action. 1t-.-...r.
In October, 1870, we heard Mr.. Lang warm
ly praise the policy and management of Pres
ident Grant. Earlier Mr.. Lang was one of
the most ardent workers in the so called
''ring'' that favored Gen. Hersey for Cover
nor, doing some things on his own motion (if
we take his own word for it, to bring it about,
the recital whereof would sound queerly in
contrast with his glitterins generalties about
rings controlling nominations. The same sea-
son he was the most vehement opponent of
Gen. Chamberlain's candidacy for the U. S.
Senate on the ground that he was not an or
thodox Republican, and was opposed to the
principle of protective duties. So warm did
Mr. Lang become in this contest that he made
certain statements, which being used by his
friends, placed him and them in no enviable
light. . ... f-. .ta-.-.-
Mr.. Lang's conversion like Mr.. Greeley's,
is little too late to be consistent: for if Pres
ident Grant is an arbitrary despot, and his
administration so corrupt and demoralizing
as Mr.. Lang says it is, it certainly was then,
for he has simply followed out the line of pol
icy that he was then pursuing. All the Off
GERS had then been appointed that now hold
places except such as have been discontinued
His policy toward the South was the same,
except that since that time he has recon-
mended general amnesty and taken advanced
ground in favor of civil service reform. If
the ''wicked ring" which Mr.. Lang denounc-
es so severely exists now it did then, the only
difference being that he was one of its most
active members. If Mr.. Lang then undertook
to control nominations against the will of the
people, we are glad to know that he has re-
pented; but if he had made a simple confess
sion of his own past sins in this respect, and
left idle and vague defamation out, it would
have been better evidence of his own CONVEX
sion. Mr.. Lang, as his friends know, is
gentleman always outspoken. Indeed, he
"wears his heart upon his seeve.' He was
an outspoken and active member of what he
denounces now as the ''ring," as late as JAN
uary, 1871. He has made it no secret to anv
of those who have since met him that he did
not obtain a revenue Office that he thinks he
should have had. On account of this he cool
ed toward his associates. Goodness has ripen-
ed into the animosity so conspicuous in his
letter. He has drifted away until he has
gradually lost sight of his former strong polit-
ical convictions; and, flattered with the pro-
posed Democratic nomination for Congress,
he has been led to write his formal adieu. If
there had been no liberal party it would have
been all the same. Mr.. Lang's personal feel
ings have triumphed over his better judgment.
That is all.