The Republican journal., 1873-04-17
Verdict in the Case The Journal vs.. Bar
nahas

The collector of Belfast is out in the
Age with another column of that drearv
drivel. We suspect that the editor of the
Prog. Age, in permitting the Collector to
make such pitiful exhibition of himself
in the columns of that paper, is taking
quiet revenge of the appointing power
As the editor OF the Are was a candidate
for the position of collector, and failed,
he must now be taking satisfaction in al
lowing the present incumbent to prove,
over his own signature, whata consummate
ass was placed there by the powers that
be. We have to thank the Age for the
very efficient aid it has lent to our pur-
poses. For once we have labored in the
same direction.
As showing public sentiment in respect
to the exhibition that the collector has
made Of himself, we have heretofore
quoted from fhe papers of the State. A
few more, and all that have appeared,
will be appropriate here. The Lewiston
Gazette, edited by that veteran of the
press, Col. Waldron. says
Simpson, of the Belfast journal, has some
reputation tor sharpness when he drives the
quill editorial. Recently one Barnabas NJ
Roberts, Collector of Customs in the Belfast
district, thought he saw a chance to be funny
at the expense of Simpson, and displayed his
wit and his lack OF Judgment at the same time
in an elaborate article in the Age, whereupon
Simpson peels off his coat and goes for Barna-
has in the following touching strains.
Here follow copious extracts.
The Portland Transcript, always dis
eliminating and just, remarks
A fearful conflict is raging between the col
lector of customs al Belfast and the editor of
the Republican journal, and the whole county
is laughing at the rare spot The collector has
missed it in trying to fight Simpson on his own
ground, for there are very few men in this or
any other State who are his match iii a warfare
OF pasquinade He carries Gatlm gun into
such skrmshes.
1T there is a paper in the State which is
thoroughly devoted to the defence of the
administration, its measures and officials,
when 1t can possibly do so, that paper is
the Machias Republican. But it can't
stomach Barnabas, and notices him in the
following terms:
Barnabas NJ Roberts, the Collector at Bel
fast. is the son of very respectable and quite
distinguished Quaker Doctor, always resident
OF Brooks in the County of Waldo. The only
fault the old gentleman ever committed, besides
prescribing calomel and jalap. was to be the
father of man who has not the sense to main
tain the dignity which an important office re-
qulres OF him as due to the people of his dis
trct. and to the service Of the United States.
We refer to controversy between Mr.. Roberts
and the editor of the Republican Journal, in
which the Collector dsgraces the service. and
his respectable ancestry.
When papers like the Republican de-
clare that the collector is disgrace to the
service, what need have we to seek
further for a verdict? Occasionally that
official may feel shaft, when we incline
to ''use him for our mirth, yea for our
laughter'-but a set reply to such stuff as
ne puts out, would be preposterous, espec-
tally after the case has been decided