The Portland daily press., 1874-10-14

p'tter 10 the Bangor Wing dated Wateryille
Oct. 8, and published Oct. z:
vINDIcrrvE BOHEMIAN
WGiford's baseness might give you MANY
deeails. AS specimen take this: His Hessian
pen has been hired for the past wear or two hv
an obscure sheet especially to abuse Senator
Hamlin and Speaker Blaine 1t being suspect
ed that Clifford was the author of the dirty ar
ticles, Hon. Eugene Hale, Gifford's brother-in-
law felt embarrassed thereby because of his
intimate associations, personal and political.
with the gentlemen on whom Clifford was
throwing mud at ten dollars per article. Mr.
aaIe wrote an earnest letter of renoustrance to
Giiord, and Clifford wrote a letter in reply as
suring Mr.. Hale that he was not the author of
the articles and requesting Mr.. Hale to so as
sure Mr.. Hamlin and Mr. Blaine Subseouent-
~ Mr Hale ascertained that Clifford had delib-
erateiy deceived him and that he had written
every article whose authorship he denied
am SO sure of the correctness of these facts
tnat You need have no hesitation in publishing
tnem: Gihord lives as recipient ofMr Hale's
bounty, while expendDg all his malignity ia
Ionsing Mr, Hale's most Intimate friends and
then, when accused of his baseness deliberately
adds to his degraded conduct by absolute false.
hood. Let him be seen in his true colors.
FAIR PLAY.
[From Editorial in Wing of Oct. ~
Such Democratic organs as the Maine Stand
ara and others, however, keep. Mr.. Gifford's
effusions in circulation, and their unscrupulous
and malignant spirit seems to justify the sever
ity with which their author is handled by our
correspondent. Mr.. Clifford has been sailing
under the black flag now for several years,
villifying individuals without stint dragging
honorable names through the mire of his as
persion, and making war alike upon public and
private character from behind the shield of an
anonymous, writer. He can hardly complain
now that the curtain is rung up and the lights
turned on himself. 90 s-1
[From the PRESS Of Oct, OIL
The Bangor Wing prints, as communica-
ton, with corroborative and commendatory
editorial words, an assault on gentleman for
merly connected with journalism in this state,
so gross and indecent in its references TO his
family relations as to excite renewed wonder
at the very remarkable conduct of the Who in
these latter days. The printing of this letter
from an anonymous writer, making personal
attack of 8 worse character than apy complain-
ed of as justification, is a shameful thing and
disgrace to journalism. 1t is deplorable that
such production should find place in re.
spectacle newspaper i ra
ar (From the Whig of Oct. 12l a7a Fl. 81.
While failing to give Its readers any knowl-
edge of what we printed, it (the PREss) accuses
us Of publishing q gross and Indecent as
sault upon persons family relations" there
by intending wilfully to deceive; seeks to ag-
gravate the offence by describing the victim as
one formerly" but not now connected with
journalism and thus relatively defeuceless,
while the person mentioned himself claims to
10 De now, and to have been for a long time
past, the editor of paper; states with direct
1alsehood that our communication made "per-
sonal at tack OF worse character than any of
Clifford in the Star; and insolently assumes to
denounce our course as disgrace to journal
ism.'' il has in every in
stance misrepresented US to its readers to the
extent of actual falsehood. 1
[From the Wing of Oct. I2.l i
LETTER FROM MR. CLIFFORD.
aNa VAssALBoRo', Oct. 10, 1874.
To the Editor of the Whig and Courier:
From certain very generous expressions of
yours in the past 1 fattered myself that had
your esteem and hearty good will But 1 hear
that IN your paper of Oct. 7th, you allow a COR
respondent to assail me with almost unparal-
leled virulence, adding approving comments of
your own. have not been able to obtain a
copy OF THE WING containing the letter, but 1
am told that the material charges made against
me are, first, that conspired with three other
gentlemen to defeat the Republican ticket in
this town; second, that have written letter
falsely denying the authorship of certain polit-
ical articles; and third, that am supported by
the bounty of my friends. ! most solemnly
aver that none of these charges have the slight
est foundation in fact, and despairing of being
able fifty to characterize your correspondent,
who secures the insertion Of his fabrications in
your paper by assuring you that he is certain
that they are facts, 1 abandon the attempt
voted for the Republican nominee for Rep.
resentative, not knowing whether he was a
had any influence exerted it in favor of the
candidates on the Republican ticket except
Mr. Blaine. So far was from acting in con-
cert with the other gentlemen named in Fair
Plays" communication, that / do not even en-
Joy the acquaintance of two Of them.
l never wrote a letter denying the authorship
of the articles in the Star. l challenge your
correspondent to produce such letter or any
proof of its existence - j.
am supported by no mans bounty. It has
been the care of my life SO to preserve my in
dependence that no one could, without gross
impertinence, claim the control or guardianship
OF my political action. Irepel with honest in
dgnation the assertion that my pen is mer-
cenary one, at the service of any one who can
afford to pay for having an enemy aspersed.
Such, am told, is the charge made by your
correspondent 1t would be idle for me to af-
feet indifference to such slander. 1t is true
that, like every other editor, 1 am paid for my
services, but utterly deny that anything but
disin terested sense of right has prompted
me in any of my criticisms of public men. No
human being has ever suggested to me the
course which have taken in my contributions
to the public press. l7l1l n -l
could tell you the true story of the political
revolution in the stanch Republican town of
Vassaboro', but feeling sure that it would af-
ford you anything but qualification, 1 forbear.
,.. GEORGE CLIFFORD.