The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-08-19
General o. o. Howard.
To the Editor of the Press:

To the Editor of the Press:
To build up is not ALWAYS easy; to find
fault with what has been built up requires no
genius or force. To create a sun would be,
for a human being, impossible; to see spots
on one created by Infinite Wisdom is within
the province of the humblest The criti-
cism may be made by "a person wholly incom-
petent to pronounce an opinion and may be
ridiculous. 1t may be made through malice
or envy. However incompetent the person
may be to pronounce an opinion or however
wicked his motives, his incompetency or mo-
tives being unknown to the world, he may
control the judgments of thousands, and in
fiict grievous wounds on good men and the
best of causes. Socrates and the Saviour of
men were put to death by wicked men. In
deed, the better the cause, the more noble
the work, especially if it conflicts with the
interests or opinions of Others, the moae ma
lignity will be aroused and the more bitter the
persecution. The best of men may be injur-
ed by an angry dog.
Gen. Howard's noble war record, his labors
in the Freedmen's Bureau, the building up of
church in our National Capital for people
irrespective of color, and of a grand Universi-
ty on the same broad principle are matters of
history no more to be forgotten than are the
works of the greatest philanthIopists of the
past. His detractors are such men as F.
Wood, Gen. Boynton and an ex-Professor of
Howard University. Their motives are easi-
ly seen. To elevate the freedmen and place
them on an equality with the whites was a
crime in the opinion of the member of Con-
gress. 1t was opposed to his political preju-
dices. To seek the removal of pastor who
set himself against the very principles on
which the 1st Congregational Church was
established, freedom TO all however lowly or
whatever complexion, provoked the bitter hos
til:ty of the son who, as correspondent of
some of our most prominent western papers,
has sought every opportunity in season and
out of sesaon to injure the reputation and de-
stroy the influence of its acknowledged found
er. When it was found necessary to contract
the penses of Howard University and the
salaries of its officers, professor, ever before
the warm personal friend and admirer of Gen.
H., became his enemy and sought through the
press and in other ways to create, most I'M
Justly. the impression that it had been badly
and selfishly managed. This same gentle
man was formerly trustee at the same
time that he was professor. When it was
found necessary in consequence of evils re-
sulting from this double relationship to insist
on his retirement from the Board of Trustees
as we'll as all other salaried professors and
officers, threats were made of exposures OF
the University and of its transactions with
Gen. Howard. His removal from the Board
was insisted ON, and afterwards from the po-
sition of professor. AS consequence we
have his attacks on the University and Gen.
Howard.
As friends to Gen. Howard, anxious to
know fine facts in relation to all the charges
brought against him, the Boynton letter,
hack bay, antedating the charter of the Uni
yersity, Ioaning money to the First Congre-
gational Church, bonds of Young Mems
Christian Association, renting rooms of First
Congregational Church, public funds and the
two salaries, we have devoted much time to
a careful consideration of all the evidence