The Portland daily press., 1876-08-09
"Shame and Indignation "--.Nash of
Wiudham.

VAuundua
There was one scene in the late Democratic
District Convention which deserves not to
be forgotten. There is one resolution in the
platform on which Hon. John NJ Goodwin
stands, so utterly unparalleled in its i'll nature
and bad taste, that the managers might well
bemoan themselves over the fatal mistake.
It was not their mistake. Crafty, shrewd
and cunning as they are unscrupulous, they
knew too well the temper of fair-minded peo-
pie to allow such a resolution to be reported
by the committee appointed to engineer the
meeting. 1t was reserved for that true and
honest Democrat, Nash of Windham, to
show how much more thoroughly he appre-
ciated what was in the hearts of the dele
gates present; and the cheers and shouting
which greeted his resolution showed all too
plainly the true sentiments of the meeting.
However decorousy the assembled Democ-
racy is coaxed to behave it always shows its
real nature at last. ''Scratch a Russian and
you will find Tartar;" scratch a Democrat
and Confederate appears.
General Selden Connor is a Young soldier
who has given more than life itself to his
country. The men are yet alive who remem-
ber in what well fought field and with what
disastrous wound he was stricken down.
They remember the long months of suffering.
the weary months of waiting on the verge of
death, more dreadful than death itself. They
remember well the brave, gallant, unassum-
ing and uncomplaining gentleman whose
quiet modesty of demeanor and frank OPEN
ness Of character have thus far disarmed envy
and enmity alike. OF all the men in the
State he is the last whom the people will will
lingly see the target of insult and abuse.
And yet this is the uan whom the Democrats
of the First District have selected, with
cheers and shouts. as their object of attack.
A Democratic Convention presided over by
Samuel J. Anderson, formerly a General of
militia who did not serve in the last rebellion
but who-at this safe distance of time thinks
he will in the next, proclaimed and resolved
"that we, the Democracy of the First Con-
gressional District, in convention assembled,
forgetting all party preudices but remember
ing we are American citizens (since the war),
do regard with SHAME and Indignation the
recent act of the Chief Executive of this State
in appointing to the bigh and honorable Of
flee of Senator man against whom there
exists grave and well founded suspicious of
malfeasance in Office, and we do most espec.
tally regard this an act of OFFICIAL TURPI-
TUDE from the fact that it shields the ap-
pointee from any punishment which an inves-
tigation of his case may show that he mer-
it's"
That Democratic Convention anywhere,
presided ever by any Bourbon Democrat
whether Anderson, Boynton, Pillsbury, or
Proctor Knott should attempt 10 wreak its
impotent malice upon Mr.. Blaine is not Won
Gerful. Down to the bitterest of them, they
have reeled under the stroke of his good
right arm. But that they should go out of
their way and, with shouts and cheers assait
with reproaches and insult brave, consci-
enticus and reputable gentleman in the dis
charge of his duty, was certainly not TO be
expected even from them.
The Hon. John M Goodwin is represented
to the world as a blameless gentleman with
neutral tendencies, clothed upon with ethe-
rial hopes for Republican votes. 1t is true,
they say, he is a Democrat but then he is a
very mild one. Too mild, much too mild, it
is to be feared to meet in the House the ene-
mics that General Connor met in the field.
He is said TO have been present when that
resolution was passed and yet not one word
hoo rd from, ;,,o IL.
ton or reproof, nor has been to this day. On
that resolution Hon. john NJ. Goodwin
stands at this moment proclaiming that he
VIII not enter upon campaign of vitupera.
ton and abuse. Does lie mean to repudiate
that resolution or does he mean to stand by
| It, cheers and all? Does he consider such res
olution as that ''vituperation and abuse' or
only the gentle expression of harmless Dem
ocratic exuberance? The Republicans whose
votes he solicits would like from him what he
thinks Of this matter. They do not deny his
goodness, bis amiable desire for peace, but
they want to know whether he endorses that
resolution. While he may not be in any
proper sense politician, is he so far from it
that he will repudiste that resolution? If he
cannot" give political topics his time and
thought will he not spare time enough to
let the people know whether he, forgetting
all party prejud;ces," looks upon the brave
General Connor with ''shame and indgna-
tion' for ''oficial turpitude?' If he remains
silent under these circumstances men who
have been disposed to think we'll of him will
regard his neutral language to Zouaves and
Conventions not as the candor of an honest
gentleman but as the deluding bid of a poll :
tician for dissatisfied voters.