The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-03-12
An Incident of 1S4O.

During the heated political campaign of
lS+O party spirit ran high III Northtield,
a. in other towns, and sharp things We're
practiced on both sides TO insure success
NOrthlield was an evenly balanced town,
Wings and Democrats carrying it by turns
nc lawyers III town We're all with the
Wings, which, with the late GOV vernon
Paine's powerful influence also that way,
gave them an immense advantage. Hence
Democrats We're compelled to rely more
upon the individual Ingenuity and proves
II the farmers and mechanics for their
managing strength The wings did not
~cruple 70 take advantage Of the poorer
class, through their attorneys, through the
pressure that may often be brought to bear
toy suelng them tor their debts, and apply
ing arrears therein to be found in compell-
ing unwilling votes There lived there at
mat time an honest and worthy but poor
man, with learge family Of children to
support, who was sometimes unable to
meet al his bills at maturity He was a
BASKET maker by occupation, and in poll
ties an answering Democrat just prior
10 Freeman meeting that wear he was
approached by certain lawyer, Who then
lvcd al the Center village, and his vote
ullcted ion the Whlg candidate This he
tllmly declined to give, when the "fi1lb
OF the law intimatcd 10 him that If he
thus persisted he had in his office an nm
paid demand against q b0Shet mater that
he might expect would turn mp trouble
9ome to HIM. This, however, made no
difference with the basket maker. Town
meeting came, and he faithfully deposited
his vote in the ballot box for the Moses
# his choice
he next day sheriff tapped al his door,
md informed him he had writ to serve
WA him, which run against his body-(this
being before the inhunian imprisonment
ion debt law was repealed and that he
must accompany him at once to the Jail
Basket maker Immediately put himself in
readiness, and, saying consoling word to
ms wife and children. who We're surround
ing him in sobs and tears, he left with the
man with the 'Greeting" On the way to
Montpelier they would pass the Office of
the lawyer who had this business in CHARGE.
and the officer with his prisoner drew mp.
negotiation was at once began between
the basket maker and the lawyer, the
basket maker having in view the hope of
avoiding going to jail. Finally an agree
ment was made by which the basket
49, ~ letI llIt tttDI anu tOSUS Ill
baskets, the whole amounting to about
forty dollars, In arranging this, mach
chatting took place as to the price to be
allowed for the baskets the LAWYER insist
ing on having the price in some way made
certain. 1t was finally agreed that he
should receive the baskets at dollar a
bushel for what their measuring capacity
amounted to, but nothing was said about
the particular size of any Of the baskets.
a note was duly made in accordance with
the sad agreement, the terms being fully
Stated IN the same, and it was to be paid
on certain day fixed. This being duly
signed, the basket maker was allowed to
return on foot to his distressed family
When the day arrived on which the nofe
was to be paid, the payor was promnt on
time, and in the early part of the dav
hauled up in front of Blackstone'sn Office
with his old mare and lumber wagon
with the baskets to tender on his debt
The lawyers discontinue can only be i'm
agined when he discovered the clever
manner in which he had been '.done for
The baskets consisted of one forty bushel
basket, which was the largest basket ever
seen in that part of the country, and one
that held one peck, which two were ten
dered in satisfaction Of the debt. The
limb" refused to receive them, but there
was plenty of help at hand and they were