The Portland daily press., 1874-07-07

Oh tne committee n0tl1ylnS MIN OF MS seventh
nomination, replies in letter, so full of inter-
est to the people of Maine, that we give it il
full
AUGUSTA, July Sd, 1874.
Genttemen:-I avail myself of the earliest
moment of leisure after my return from Wash
ington to reply to your favor of the 10Th of
June, communicating TO me the f1attering in
telllgence of my unanimous nomination rs the
candidate of the Republican party tor Repre-
sentative in the 44th Congress from the Third
District of Maine. Accept my sincere thanks
for the cordial tone of your letter, and permit
me, through you, to tender my profound ac-
Embellishments to the Republicans of the
Kennebec Valley for the continued manifesto
tons of approval and regard with which they
have so signaly and SO repeatedly honored
me. l have said, very frequently, in private,
sometimes in public-never. trust, in boast
full or vain-glorious spirt-that did not believe
another congressional district could be found in
the United States superior to the one you en-
power me to represent, in all the elements of
true patriotism; in public and private virtue;
in general intelligence and culture, enforced
through the common school, the academy and
the college, in universal thrift and comfort
without large individual wealth; in political
conviction firm and steadfast beyond doubt or
waver, and yet always tolerant and liberal to-
wards those who think, differently. Such
constituency confer honor upon any man they
call to represent them in the national councils,
and beg to make known through you my
grateful appreciation of the trust and conf
dence SO generously reposed 10 me for so long
period
The resolutions to which you invite nv at.
tention are so generally acceptable to the peo-
pie of the district that no issue will be made on
the matters embraced in them. The CURRENCY
question at one time threatening to divide par
ties, and what would be far more serious, to
divide sections, is in process of happy adjust
ment. partly by wise and temperate enactment
passed by large majority in both branches of
Congress and approved by the President but
in far greater degree, by the operation of
causes more powerful than any legislation can
be. In these remarks [ am, indeed, but re-
peatiug. in substance, the resolutions of your
convention, and gladly adopt as my own the
leading declaration of the series that lit is the,
imperative duty of the national government to
return to specie payment as soon as wise states !
manship can safely reach that result"
But while our political opponents in Maine
will not seriously contest any position taken by
us, they have themselves chosen to raise an
other issue on which we will not be slow to diff 4
fer from them. The Democratic State Con-
ventioD, in re-nominating their respectable
candidate Tor Governor adopted with suggest
i've unanimity the following resolution as the
leading article in their revised political creed:
Resolved, That Protective Tariff is a most un-
just, unequal oppressive and wastefu mode of rails
ing the public 1t is one of the most preg-
nant and fruitful off the CORFU otions in
administration. We, therefore, the Democracy Of
TRADE, ana IN tdUor of an ayettered and unre-
stricted commerce.
This advanced position, now formally and
boldly taken by the Maine Democracy, in their
State Convention, receives additional point and
meaning by the letter of their Gubernatorial
candidate, Mr.. Titcomb, who, in accepting the
nomination, specially approves the foregoing
resolution, and intimates his endurance of the
lowest form of Revenue Tariff, only ''until we
shall be educated up to the idea of equal, direct
and therefore moderate taxation for the support
of Government, and until this idea shall be
brought into practical operation" have quot
ed Mr.. Titcombs own words and it is quite ev-
dent that the startling dogma to which he COM
mIts himself, IS in sympathy with more i'm
pressive movements to be made elsewhere in
the same direction. and is first thrown out in
Maine as an experiment on public opinion. If
there were the slightest danger of the Demo-
cratic party, with this avowed ipolcy, coming
into power, the dangers ahead would be truly
appalling; but as no such calamity impsnds,
we may be ALLOW ed to examine with more cool
ness the wild absurdlty of the proposition.
You will observe that the issue proposed is
not the old and familiar one between those who
advocate tariff for protection and those who
wish duties imposed only for revenue. That is
an issue as old SIS the levying of imposts and,
with occasional exceptions, has been determined
largely by latitude and longitude, or by the diff
ferlng interests which change of section and
varying forms of industry have developed
But the Maine Democracy assume that all tar.
ms are more or less protective and, hence they
are hostile to them and pronounce for s.Free
Trade" pure and simple, absolute an J without
4uallhcatIon, or to quote their own words, for
an unfettered and unrestricted commerce"
Without attempting to argue the question
IN its relationsto the whole country let us see
how this new doctrine would affect Maine The
process would be simple, the results readily
deduced, the effect blighJing and disastrous
to the last degree. For some years past, to deal
in round numbers, the Federal Government
has been collecting a revenue of three hun.
dred millions of dollars one third from inter-
nal taxes two-thirds from tariff duties. 1t
is now proposed by the Maine Democracy to
abolish all these duties have absolute "free
trade" with an "unfettered and unrestricted com
merce" In other words the Maine Democracy
propose to raise the two hundred millions of
dollars in gold coin now obtained from tariff
duties by ''direct taxation" or by system of
"excises'' which might prove even more op
rresslve than direct taxation itself. There is
no other mode open under the Constitution by
winch the money can be raised than the two
named, II the tariff be abandoned, ard Mr..
lltcomb declares for direct taxation Now il
the money is to be secured by direct taxation,
as Mr.. Titcomb proposes, it will be found to be
Names great misfortune that the Constitution
requires the tax to be levied in proportion to
population and not according to wealth. By
the ninth census Maine has about one
giXti0th of the total nonu1ation of tho !