Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-05-15

me take it," If the Chicago Tribune is "deceu
people" l Indignantly deny that Mr.. Blaine's par.
ents were "decent people"
1t is q matter, however, of public record, easily
accessible to those interested in the facts, that Mr.
Blaine's parents both belonged to old colonial
families settled in Pennsylvania long anterior to
the Revolution. in which struggle bis ancestors on
both sides bore an honorable and not inconspcu
Gus part. The whole Blaine family in all its
branches were never anything else than Scotch
Presbyterians. In this faith Mr.. Blaine rs him l..
self reared, and his father before him, and all the
generations of his psternsl ancestry. His mother
was through life a Catholic, held in high esteem
not only by her own church. but by the Protestant
churches, and followed reverently to her honoIed
grave not only by Catholic priests but by all the
cergymen eff the different Protestant demon ina
tons in the community where she was born, anil
where. after sweet and pious life of threescoe
and ten, she sleeps with the sacred dead of her
kindred and her blood. Mr. Blaine himself set
tied in Maine when young man, and his Presby-
terrain faith and rearing naturally transferred HIM
to the Congregational church, of which he has
been member for nearly or quite 20 years His
"auiable and excellent wife, whom the Chicago
Tribune. without qualification. declares To he
ALSO u Catholic was born in the New England
town where she lives; OF a Puritan family that
hs- eig ht generations OF New England orthodoxy
behind 1t; family for which have some right
to speak Of whose character have some reason
to be proud, AMI of whose history perhaps know
in-chef of the Chicago Tribune and whllom
commissioner of civil service reform.
| speak a fool, but am compelled by a knsve.
mention these facts, which ought not to be 50
much rs named among Us, simply to show the
weapons which the Chicago Tribune WELD. in the
publication OF the civil service. Without even
paying to truth the tribute of probablllty without
tnching at the thought that thousands will in
stantly detect its mendacity, it fabricates and
launches its falsehoods with portentous calmness.
1t knows well that the remote community and the
thousands everywhere who Will see its iaseness
and discern its motives are people who would new
er be won away from Mr.. Blame or won over to
its own candidate, while those who do not recog-
ME its falsehoOds might be influenced by them
10 marshal themselves under its banner. More
over, one cannot dscam Catholicism one d.,
claims dishonesty. ANY denial of -nch Hs-ert m.
would carry somewhat of odum Ia Il large num-
Der OF interested partisIns in time Ot gre At po-
litical excitement So that 1t seemed highly prob
able that cool, brave well-arranged ser'es OF
simple, categorical fsbricntlons might hinder the
advance of Mr.. Blaine without marrns The for
tunes of its own candidate.
The Chicago Tribune came up handsomely to
the emergency, and issued the series! The deli-
cate domestic compliment difLses an air of can
dor over the whole paragi aph, while the touch Ct
sentiment wherewth the innuendo of the closing
pai sgraph il winged reveals master hand For
the Ilead-Cenire ranpaging over the God-iorsak-
en- wastes outside of all churches, II can say htle
but, being magnanliDous toe, II VIII not thrust
his family also into that outer darkness. Nay
this emine PUrist, over generous to the erring,
holds out the hope that the "amiable and excel
lent wife" and the religious mother may between
them, st the last gasp, lug even the mscreant him
self through the pearly gates, though, let Piotes
tants be warned, the gates VIII most likely be
opened by Catholic key.
Before this spectacle of fslsehood raised TO a
fine art, how coarse and clumsy seems Ordinary
abuse by men who are not reiormers Now, |
maintain that smuggling silks across the border
or distilling midnight whskey, or even tax lug
er upon the revenue of the country--is harmless
and honest compared to the ingenious, elaborate,
and malignant ,nendacitv of the Chicago Tnbn ne.
Tue silk-and- whiskey thief steals money from
rich, remote, intangible corporation called the
Government. lie does not mean harm 10 any one
else only benefit to himself. AGd the harm which
he does is harm TO property aud of a definite val
uaiion. But the civil service reiormer deberates
definite and specific harm, harm TO reputation,
a harm to a certain designated man, a harm OF
vast and incalculabe extent; and ia carry ing out
this design, he filings truth and honesty TO the
winds. The organ of reform is willing to
| strengthen its cause, not by showing the ability
and availability of Its candidate, but by wanton-
ly, wifally, and with malice sforethougnt, utter
ing ISLANDERS against rival candidate.
great point will be gained when revenue
theft is prevented; but a greater will be gained
when the organs OF reform shall have risen to the
level Of thieves honor, and cease their busy SLAM
ders of the party whose banner they borrow only
to befoul and of the faith which they profess only
70 profsne. GAIL HAMILTON.
April 2S 1877.