Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-09-20

TO the Editor Of the Journal
An article appeared in your paper of Sept.
18th, protesting to show how it was brought
about that Henry Woodward, Esq, the regu-
lar nominee Of the republican party for
representative to the Legislature, was defeated
in this district. We believe that article sadly
misrepresents the facts in the case, and we
wish to give, through the columns of your
paper, an impartial account of the affair, I'M
biased by prejudice, and uninfluenced by any
party or selfish motive. The writer of that
article asserts first, that Mr.. Woodward was
defeated because of his prominence in the
temperance cause.
We do not know why this is so, when every
| one in town knows George A. Longfelow
the successful candidate, to be, and always
has been, as firm temperance man in every
| sense of the word as Mr.. Woodward. We
believe that not one dozen votes were thrown
against him for this reason; it is passing
strange that the writer of that article should
be SO addle-brained as to suppose that this
GOOD old town of Winthrop" which celebra-
ted her centennial two years ago with so
much eclat, and which will compare favorably
with other towns of its size, in Temperance,
Morals, and Religion, is SO far controlled BY
rum influence as TO defeat the regular nomi-
nee of the republican party, by the splendid
majority Of one hundred and fourteen.
lie asserts, secondly, in his article, that
Mr.. Longtellow sold himself for the support
OF the Democratic party. Nothing could be
farther from the truth than this Immediately
after the caucus which nominated Mr.. Wood
ward, MIR. Longfellow was waited upon by
delegation of Republicans, in behalf of the
large number of Republicans who would in no
case vote Tor Mr.. Woodward, to get him to
consent 10 run as an independent republican
cahuioate; this is doubtless news to the an
thor OF that article, but it is true nevertheless
MI Loh9ieiiow stated that he did not want
the ONCE and would make no effort to obtain
~ VA. nc was IN 1ull sympathy with the
lepuol1an party and II elected it would be as
a republican; we ask in all candor that ;f
Democrats voted for him under these circnm.
stances II ne mas In any way sold himself? To
try to make out that he did is like the one we
read OF ''stralnlng at gnat and swallowino a
camel"
He says thirdly that rum republicans yoU;,d
TO has support; this is entirely in keeping
with his other statements we protest against
| it in the name of truth and decency: we
believe we can show that more professors of
religion supported Mr.. Lonefellow than Mr..
Woodward, among them official members of
our churches, president of our Y. M. c. A.
and ma ority of our temperance men in
town, and last but not least, the soldiers who
served in the late war, almost unanimously
went against Mr.. Woodward; others regret
not having done so; these are the ones whom
the author or authors of that article stigma
ties as rum republicans.
He says furthermore that Mr.. Woodward
was defeated because republicans stayed at
home; we have been told by good authority
that Mr.. Woodwards friends did considerable
electioneering for him. However that NAV
be, we are assured from every quarter that
had every vote in town been thrown his de-
feat would have been more complete.
We cheerfally bear record to his good