Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-08-17
Speech of Hon. E. F. Pillsbury

The great candor and fairness which Mr.
Pillsbury expressed toward all parties In
| the beginning OF his speech last Thursday
| night, Joined with his moderate tones. gen
[ tie smile and insinusting manner were well
! calculated to mi lead an indifferent nearer
into giving some heed TO the fallacies aud
mis-statements Of which his speech was
made up.
His first point was that all the thieves
and rogues jump into the dominant par
~ Immediately IL comes in power. aud did
so when the Republican party came In
that they are there now and therefore the
party should be made TO give way 10 the
Democratic party ,cl-snsed aud purified by
IL, long rest. Ii this Is 80, We are glad to
know from whence came the worst element
OF the Republican party. We have certain
ly taken care of. aud punished our rogues.
which that party never did. But allow
Mr.. Pillsbury's reasoning to 20 one step
farther. these rogues with one accord
would rush back again into Democratic
Ranks II that party should ever aga,u get
possession OF the Government What viii
be the Improvement: Then goeth the ~
clean split and taActh with himself seven
other spirits more wicked than himself aud
they enter In and dwell there aud the last
state OF that man is worse than the first.
Even So shall it be also unto this wicked
party, worse thousand times than the old
Democratic party OF slavery, notification
and secession.
MIR. PiIsbury also stated that the office
holders had increased between the begin
ming of Bucannan's administration. and the
year ls.4. He made no allowance for the
large increase OF population in the United
States during that period, and consequent
necessary increase of officials, post Offices,
&c. Nor did he tell the truth that the sta
tesiical reports at the beginning OF Buc4n-
ans administration omit a large class OF
Government servants which existed then rs
well as now. Viz, Mai-carricrs. contrac-
tor. snd leiter-carriers, all OF " hich ar. in
cIuded in the tables OF 1874. TN, was
hardly 80 TAR and candid as might have
been expected from Mr.. PHlsbury's open
ing.
Mr.. Pillsbury's stron: statistical point
was based on the comparative amounts OF
the cost of running the Custom houses and
OF the revenue which they psv over 20 the
Government, the former being largely In
excess ot the latter. All This was charged
10 the Republican party a. corruption. and
patronage TO control votes. The gentle
man forgo, that Custom houses a-c neces.
sray machines In every Government on the
Globe. and that they existed even during
the immaculate administration OF Mr.. Bu-
oauau; also that Custom houses are main
tanned not to create a revenue. but TO give
ELECT 10 the laws Tor the protection OF
American shipping. For one item. they
collect hospital money TO an amount large
meut. But 10 come dowa from gencrali-
tie, to the particular case N which we are
most Interested. the Custom house OF
Freuchu.ans Bay. The duties OF this Office
u
has Jurisdiction over one hundred aud iily
miles OF sea coast and three hundred aud
nfiy SAL OF vessels, granting. recording
indexing their papers, collecting their hos
against smuggling sc. l. three thousand
six hundred and forty-iiyc dollar, the gross
amount oi all the salaries OF the collector
sud his deputies in this district too great
a remuneration for work OF this respou-l-
biily aud benefit to the public Of sh. p-own-
cr, aud sailors Within the last two years
tnc rAPvu>r Ui 'ni- tustom nou>v rs
Dependencies has been cut down thirty
seven and one half per cent.
How does this compare with the figures
during the reign of Mr.. Buchanan:
The emoluments OF the Collector Of IN,
Custom house have since that time been
cut down nearly one half During that
administration an appropriation of 100000
WAS necessary 10 star the little squat,
homely, poorly constructed building which
since that time has collected the revenues,
And. owing TO the wasteful expenditure of
the money AN additional appropriation was
necessary 10 make the building habiiablr.
In all, We believe 10 the amount OF sti 900.
Daring period of two years or more Mr..
Erastu. RedIam received $500 per day
for uverseein: the over-eer who ovcrsaw
the master workman. that l.. for dong
nothing.
During the same administration au eN-
pen>ive revenue boat was built by the coll
lector Of the district aud run with three
men on board. which has since been dis
continued and sold. Does Mr.. Pilsbury
know any other Custom house he can talk
better,
The gentleman expressed sympathy for
the suffering, OF the Southern soldiers and
people during the war, but 10 word for his
brothers OF Maine who suffered. and re-
quested the audience, II sny body said that
the Democratic party did not aid in sup
porting and carrying forward the war, 10
tell them they lied
Nr. Pn.,puIy dIriu5 The war. along with
Marcriius Emery and OtLers oi that liz,
"as :.Otorious copperhead and secession
list, aud. As party leader, represented the
true spirit aud purpose OF the Democratic
party. which WAS secession and opposition
to the war; and we Judge that he is still a
copperhead.
His party as "A party opposed the war
We delight to honor those many member,
OF that party wac di-regarded 1t, and Old
sup.r-tition>. and helped to ill the ranks
OF Union armies. Not they, however, but
such men as Mr.. Pillsbury. who laughed
at the reverses of our arms. and were sad
when they conquered, gave complexion to
the Democratic party during the war.
shaped its course, Great ed its sentiments,
made up its numbers, and caused It to take
its stand on the side of the South. of Sc
cession, and opposed to the war, by every
word that they dared speak, and every