The Portland daily press., 1876-05-19
The Argus and the Address

The Argus ingenuously remarks that the
address of the Fifth Avenue Conference sis a
severe arraignment of the men in power"
Really! The address calls for "the removal,
not later than the time provided by existing
law, of the cause of our redundant and ire
deemable paper currency" That reads like
an arrangement" of the Ohio Democrats,
who have just pledged themselves to soft
money. The address declares that "the
settlements of the civil war, as constitution
ally fixed must be conscientiously main
tained." That reads like an ''arraignment''
OF the Democratic White-leasuers of Mis-
sissippi and Louisiana, who have of late been
shooting down negroes by scores, and of the
Democratic orators and journals of the South
for their reasonable utterances. The ad-
dress declares that ''never before in our his
tory has the public mind been so profoundly
agitated by an apprehension of the dangers
arising from the prevalence of corrupt ten
denotes and practices in our political life."
That reads like an "arraignment'' of the Con-
necticut Democrats for the sale of senator.
ship to Mr.. Barnrm. The address says ''the
records of courts, of state legislatures. and of
the national Congress speak with terrible
plainness, and still they are adding to
the scandalous exhibition" That reads
like an "arraignment' of the corrupt
Democratic judges Of Indiana, the scan
dal-causing Democratic legislatures of
Ohio, Missouri and Pennsylvania, the
inefficient and do-nothing Democratic
national House. The address condemns
''that system which has made the offices OF
government the mere spoils of party victory"
That reads like an "arraignment'' of the
Democratic spoils system introduced by the
Democratic Jackson, practiced by every Dem
ocratic administration since, and endorsed by
the present Democratic House. The address
declares that "the country cannot now afford
to have any man elected 10 the presidency
whose very name is not conclusive evidence
of the most uncompromising determination
of the American people to make this pure
government" That reads like an "arraign-
ment" of Democratic candidate Pendleton,
for his questionable financial transactions.
The address declares against any Candidate
who, in public position, ever couDtenanced
corrupt practices or combinations" That
reads like an ''arraignment' of Democratic
candidate Tiden, for his combination with
Tweed and Tammany in 1868. The address
protests against any candidate ''however
conspicuous his position or brilliant his abili-
ty, in whom the impulses of the party mana
ger have shown themselves predominant over
those OF the reformer." That reads like an
"arragnment" of Democratic candidate
Hendricks, trickiest of time-servers and poll
ticans. The address condemns any man
"who however favorably judged by his near
est friends, is not publicly known to possess
those qualities of mind and character which
the stern task of genuine reform requires"
That reads like an ''arraignment" of Demo-
cratic candidate Thurman, who fiinched
when he was called upon to choose between
hard money and soft. The argus had better
read the address again and "read it slow"
Few will be so simple as to put any credit
in the story which certain newspapers, noto-
riously addicted to untruth, are telling about
MIR. Blaine. To begin with there is not
bit OF testimony in substantiation of it, and
to follow up, the whole story is too absurd
for moments credence. Who believes that
the Speaker left the chair while the House
was in session and when to a little back room
to receive package which could have been
delivered as well elsewhere and at another
time? Were Mr.. Blaine the briJe-taker his
enemies would have us believe he would
never be so foolish as to invite detection, to
| needlessly place himself in the power Of un-
known men