Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-12-02


WAsH1NGroN, Nov, 20, 1875.
The Independent press" are at theirlabors once
more. Illustrating their self asserted title by grind
ing ont the old song under mask-anything to
beat the republican party The Speakclship OF
the coming Congress is the point Of attack, and
what these vrtuous GROWERS would have IS that
the republicans should throw away pattisanship
and support Mr.. Michael c. Kerr, the so called
| hard money democratic candidate. They assume
that Mr.. Blaine will be the republican candidate,
and so thinly do they disguise their little plot that
it is easy to see they inspired not so much by
a love OF Mr.. Kerr as q hatred Of Mr.. Blaine.
So conspicuous has this idea been made by the
newspaper which was founded by Horace Gree.
ley 10 be foandered by his successor, the amanu-
eusis OF Jay Gould and so indusiriously echoed by
that other personal organ. the Springfield Repab-
lican that it is worth while TO inquire the source
OF ihei. inspiration.
The god of their poor daylight is Mr.. Samuel
J. Tilden. I happen to know that, even before
that gossamer Statesman" was lifted into the Cub
ernatorial chair Of New York by the votes of de
uded republicans, who supposed that he was
dsinterested public servant, he was discussing
with his intimates his prospect for the Presidency
know that on more than one occasion, Mr.. Til
den with that leer of his which is SO familiar to
ward bummers Of New York, remarked that ii
would be necessary preliminary step 10 xii
or Blaine and other prominent republicans-but
Blaine in part cular because he was so good an
executive officer. / know that during the canvass
of 1874 Mr.. Tiiden "labored with the "inderend-
ent' newspapers, personally, and that certain OF
thcm like ell profess onal black mailer5, were
hard to convince, but finally surrendered; that
from the time Of his election he labored with them
again in the 'killing off process, and again pre-
vailed that in pursuance of this plan, taking Mr..
Blaine as q conspicuous mark, although not the
only one those personal organs tried with all their
little might to distroy his reputation before the
people. Mr.. Blaine, it viii be recollected, was
injured by railroad accident in the carly part Of
the canvass was forced to cancel engagements to
speak in Pennsylvania, and took very little part
even in his own State. Yet the Tribune hunted
him even in his retreat, printing insinnating par
agrat his and wringing in his name to editorials
whenever he could be hit. These filings were CT
course unjust and groundless, but they were faith
fully hashed in the moral slop dish at Spring
field.
Let me refer to one instance only. Mr.. Blaine
made speech in which he referred to Southern
affairs. Thercupon the faithful TlibuGe at once de-
clared that "Mr. Blaine was shaking out the bloody
Shirt" and had forgotten that the war was over
and that other questions had arisen. The fact was
that Mr.. Blaine, in that very speech, deprecated
keeping up the strife between the north and south.
This is of piece with the Misrepresentation OF
the Tribune and its faithful echo, under the "kill-
ing off, process of the Statesman" This brings
ms back to the point of beginning.
These organs say that the republican members
should support Mr.. Kerr as against Mr.. Bliine'
because he is the more pronounced In his financial
views They know better than this. They know
that Mr.. kerr's record has not been clear always,
while they fail to bring up one point against Mr..
Blaine, except that he did not take prominent
part in the financial discussions in the late
canvass. At the same time they know
that Mr.. Blaine, wherever he spoke, urged
the true financial course, and that where
he was forced to decline speaking, he wrote
pointedy in the same way They know that, in ey-
cry qualification for Speaker Of the House OF Rep
resentatves he is superior 10 Kerr. But facts are
are of small consideration in the "klling OF pro-
cess so it goes on, even though the chances of the
Tammany statesman declined under the frghtful
wreck of Tammany Hall. In point of fact, this
seems to be bad season for killing off Blaine
for the blunderbuss kicks
suppose it is too much to expec, that the Til
den organ which receives its financial and COM
mercia inspiration from Jay Gould, and the organ
at Springfield which vbrates between Tilden and
Adams, shall ever forgive any republican for
having qualifications for and aspiring to the Pres
idency. The editor of the first never was re-
publican, and the editor Of the second has never
forgotten that some thirty years ago, the republi-
cans Of Boston did not take kindly to his transa
planting Lis notions in that city, whence
he marched back to Springfield with his newspa-
paper trailing in the dust. Besides, you know
independence, in their dictionary means freedom
to abuse republicans only, for none are genuine
statesmen except those marked libera-democlats
or the wrapper.
Mr.. Blaine is not here and DO rot know that
he expects or cares for the nomination for Speak
err. But it is safe to say that the republicans will
vote for him some other prominent hard money
man among themselves. 1t is just as safe to say
that the democrats will vote for a man who is no,
trustworthy on that pointer any other. Mr..
Blaine represents the honest financial principle
the same in victory and defeat All the democrat
c candidates named, in greater or less degree have
represented any principle only so far and so long
as il would seem to promise victory defeat.
Two Of the more prominent candidates for the
Speakership arc Samuel j. Randall of Pernsylya-
MIA and Fernando Wood of New York. salary
crabbers well as outspokcn infatonists. which
is another name for repudiationiss. Mr.. Randall
apparently has the inside track Should he be
nominated by the democratic caucus, how many
hard money democrats will be found exhibiting
their love for principle by boiling! Will not Mr..
Kerr vote for him And what will the "indepen-
dent press do in that case? The democrats of
New England were very fierce also in denouIcing
the salary grab outgrewth Of radicaism
Let us see how many democrats will refuse TO
vote for Randall on this ground.
Randall, Kerr, Cox and Wood are all here
working like beavers in their own behalf Ii NAV