The Republican journal., 1873-03-13
Tho Barney of Barnev.

first, because we are willing that every
one with whom we have difference shall
state his case in his own way and second.
for the reason that the Collector, in this
communication, has justified all we said
of him. The only complaint we make is
that he has broken faith with us; and after
promising column and a half. has cut
down the amount by two thirds. So if in
our hunt after him we do not bag as much
game as was expected. it will he under
stood that the shooting ground has been
circumscribed unfairly.
The whole scope, meaning and inter-
probation of Mr. Roberts letter is simply
that the people of Belfast do not know
what is best for them. and that he does.
The two hundred and fifty leading citizens
and business men Of Belfast who asked
that the bridge might be restricted to GER
tain limits, as feasible as any other, are
held by him to be mere ignoramuses,
while with him dwells all experience, per
ception knowledge and wisdom So that
in importing Barnabus the Collector, we
have received the surplusage of Barnabus
the Sage, Barnabus the Philanthropst
and Barnabus the Preserver We are to
be saved from the conse quence Of our own
folly and ignorance, by this se!f-sacrifcing
interposition Belfast is under guardian
ship-that's what it means, if it means
anything We are to be pitied and pre-
served.
1t will be seen that Mr. Roberts denies
that the opinion he gave at Augusta in
favor of bridging the harbor, was given as
Collector, That is only one of series of
eases in which the collector claims that
his official identity is lost or suspended.
The law requires that he shall reside in
Belfast, in order to properly discharge his
duties; he claims that he lives in Stockton,
not las Collector" but as private ind-
vidual. The law forbds that he shall en-
gage in trade because Ct the improperly
OF the same individual who sells foreign
goods also collecting duty on their impor-
tation therefore when he is seen daily
tratficking i'll such goods behind his counter
at Stockton, he does 80 not as collector,
born. These examples are contagious. If
the collector doubly violates the law, his
subordinates can scarcely be expected to
observe it. SO we find the name of Mr.
Thorndike, one of his under officials, con
spicuously displayed over his door on
Main street as a dealer iii imported wares
and in order 10 keep up with his official
SUPERIOR he becomes partner in another
like establishment at Bath If the law is
wise in removing the temptation from
custom house officials to illegally import
goods, by torbidding them to sci! goods
then are these officials, to say the least,
under most serious allurements to become
smugglers, with scarcely chance of de-
lection When in these DAYS of proclaimed
civil service reform, the Collector of Bel
fast not only permits these violations of
law, but sets high examples of the kind,
it is not strange that his perceptions be-
come obtuse. 1t is not strange that the
gross lndecency OF his position in lobby
ing for the obstruction of the harbor that
Is in his charge, is not to him apparent
But he may be assured that there are
those who thoroughly appreciate the slip
perry ground on which he stands, and that
the contemplated railroad bridge may
prove to be for him & veritable Bridge of
Signs
The talk about beneftting Belfast by
connecting the city with 1.-THE great net
work of railroads. is too cheap for con
sideration That network will catch only
very small fish. All that Belfast is and
all Belfast expects to be, must be attribut-
ed TO her fine harbor, and the tirrE of
Roberts 4 Hichborn may write themselves
blind before anybody here, save their de-
pendents and tools, can be made to as
sent to the proposition that the city is to
be benefited by closing up the harbor
But it will be observed that Mr.. Roberts
claims to have been magnanimous toward
Belfast. He has opened that wonderfully
sympathetic heart of his, and loosened his
purse strings by subscription to the
stock of the shoe-tactory, in amount, as
hnndrnI
sublime contemplation for the admirers Of
virtue and liberality. How the mind Of
the reader runs over the list of humanity's
benetactors, from Peabody back to the
rich man that gave all to the poor and
followed the great Teacher 1t is said
that there is nothing like leather" for
almost any purpose But who ever be
fore knew it to be applied to measure the
greatness of soul OF him who in a news
paper challenges public admiration for
having made secure investment of
one sixtieth of his four years salary in
the city where his duty lies Plying our
depressed condition and the burden OF
taxation, he cautiously invests a hundred
dollars in an exempted manufacturing
| corporation, and then fastening as a lob
byist to Augusta, labors to seal our har-
Dor against all business. Pollok happily
describes just such cheerful giver-
with one hand he put
A penny in the urn of poverty.
And with the other took shilling out
If this individual had boosted in the
newspapers of his penny, he would have
stood about where the Collector does.
Mr.. Roberts concludes with paragraph
so remarkable, that we shall print it twice
in this issue 1t is as follows
Whether the slurring of neghboring town
or the slaughter OF the innocents" in said town
is manly journalism, or even wit, the intelli-
gent readers of the Republican Journal must
Judge.
Louis the Magnificent. of France, used
to say 81 am the state" When we in
quire into the conduct of the Collector of
Belfast who unlaWtullv resides in 50