The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-08-31
FRIDAY MORNING, AUGUST 81.


Droad shoulders and muscular arm OF the New
Aork Frlbupe, and if they want still further
recre alton for the dog-dsys, they might inter-
view the cbairmen and secretaries OF the Ma
tonal Republican Committees "prior to 1872"
What Mr.. Scburz did in the way of charging
the Democrats for his speeches in 1872 have
no means of knowing; nor have ever heard
what he has done in that regard since he re-
Joineo tne hepoohcans and was converted by
or into Cabinet position.
Since writing this, Mr.. William FL. Kemble
mas puoiisoed letter clearing the sky of all
Inc conJectures, MISUNDERSTANDING and frag-
mentary reports which made it rather difficult
10 get at the exact truth, except that there was
the current was steadily toward Mr.. Schurz's
pocket Mr.. Kemble says definitely:
Mr.. schurz received $500 from the scom-
mittee for the weeks vices as the cash-book of
the Secretary OF the Committee, Mr.. George Ham
mersley, shows. Mr.. Schurz on his
arrival at Pittsburg had provided for two things;
burg
Mr.. Kemble gives the names of many of Mr..
Schurz's political comrades who were engaged
In the same work at the same time, and neith-
er asked nor received compensation. He also
adds that in 1860, Mr.. Schurz made a tour in
pennsylvania of about one week. in which all
his expenses were paid, and $500 in money.
So 1t seems that even under the newspaper
lenses 1.-THE Kemble story" was hardly magni-
fed by one-third. For two weeks services Mr..
Schurz did receive, according to Mr.. Kemble's
authoritative statement,one thousand dollars
which is more than the average "mercenary"
office holder receives for half year. If his
little less than twenty four solid months of
campaigning were paid for at the same rate
they would yield him $4,000; and judge that
out contract to give Mr.. Schurz half of
that sum and receive in return the money
which has actually been paid to Mr.. Schurz for
his twenty -four months Of political work.
The point at issue Is not affected. need
only change a conjunction, .and instead of 'sif''
say "since" Mr.. Schurz was paid $500 for
weeks service; he should not call other men
political mercenaries or be over.ferce in de-
nouncing the immortality of asking ofice-hold
ers for money to carry on political campaigns.
Kemble's payments and passes and free lodg-
ings in lieu of the utterly false and ridiculous
story" OF the newspaper reporters. If he thinks
the Kemble letter leaves him in better posi-
ton than they did, he shall have his choice of
situations. To me confess it rather appears
that while they had him nicely trussed and
trig and comfortable in the frying-pan, Mr..
Kemble. seeing him hop about uneasily came
up and gently Topped him into the fire.
Just in season for Interpolation into my
proof comes Washington letter copied from
rampant Reform journal of August16 saying
shat Mr. Schurz has lost moral ground in bis
reply to, Gail Hamilton, not in denying the
truth of her assertion, but In going further and
stating that he had given as much or more of
time and means of others. OF much that is
said in this city, it may not be out of the way
to mention that probably, if the books of the
Ohio Republican Committee of last year could
be produced, they would not accord with the
meaning which he would convey.
THE Illinois Republican Committee during
the last campaign We're in the habit of replying
N for Mr. Sohr 4k,nk
out of money; that Mr.. s. could be had for 5000
and expenses; and that if they must have him
they would have to find the means to pay that
amount. 1t is needless to add that local Re-
publican clubs of that State did not send for
HIM; and it is but fair to say that it was gener-
alls understood that Mr.. Schurz was of the
opinion that each political speech should bring
him as much money as one of his literary lee
lures"
am afraid that Mr.. Schurz, in his deli rious-
y virtuous and suicidally sweeping denial
showed for once the disadvantages of bis for
eign birth, which prevented his early childhood
from being IDdoctrnated with the affecting
tale OF George Washington and his little hatch
ct. The loopboles left hum by the KALEIDOSCOPE
ic statements of newspapers were so alluring
that he was not content to slip safely through
them. but tore and tossed and tran, pied through.
rending the fabric in all directions, till of the
fair and lustrous web of truth are left only a
few unseemly rags futtering in the sorrowful
breeze.
cannot say that regret that Mr.. Schurz
and his friends are annoyed by the reeppear
ance of these stories. 1t would be nearer the
truth to admit that when, like the prophet
Isaiah, seemed to hear the voice of the Lord
saying, "Whom shall send, and who will so
for him? replied, with the Prophet Here am
lr SEND me. fancy discern signs that my
mission has not been in vain The snddep dis
taste of Mr.. Schurz and his friends for s'mean'
and frivolous" and malicious personalities
and 'played-out campaign stories is a sign of
returning sanity and reviving conscience /
trust the distaste may be permanent. 1 trust
that hereafter it may seem to them as mean
and malicious to love and make lie into a
campaign story, as it is to hold it up to the
light after the campaign is over. l trust Mr.
Scburz will remember that there are $4,000
Federal ofice-holders, American citizens, some
OF them as accomplished many of them as in
tellIgent, most OF them as honest, and proud
and as sensitive as himself and that it is just
as offensive to every one of them as 1t is to him
to be branded as political mercenary. l wish
him to remember that President Grant and
Secretary Fish and Judge Taft and Mr. Nor
rill, and most of the leading men officially COM
posing the late Administration, were men
whose honesty and honor were as unmpeach a.
BILE as his own, and that when he stood up be-
fore the Chamber of Commerce and intimated
that it was only after their withdrawal and his
own advent that the American people could
look for an honest Government, he was dis
playing TRAITS which, though perhaps not in.
compatible with, are entirely unallied to honesty.
The only pertinent objection to my letters
which l have seen appeared in the New Vol
Evening Post, and concerned "the dangero us
practice of making quotations " to
criticise, without naming the persons or the
newspapers from whom or which the passages
are,taken."
so long as the letters referred to few grave
personal matters the names and dates were
fully given. Afterwards, as my topics became
more general and my illustrations more numer-
GUS and my quotations seemed too widely
spread In the newspaper, to be disputed,
omitted names and dates merely to economic
time and space. For the only statements L
have seen disputed have cited my authority
IN this letter, and 1 have at all times been
ready to verify every questioned quotation.
In closing desire to express my thanks to
New York Tribune-the living and the dead
Tor furnishing me an opportunity to speak my
mind in and to q generation which, whatever
may be its faults, its blindnesses, or its stumb-
lings, is honestly DESTROYS of the truth and res
olute that every one shall have fair hear
ing
1 beg also to tender my Acknowledgements
for the very delicate and distinguished compile
ment that has been SO widely paid me in at
tributing the authorship, of my letters to the
Junior Senator from Maine. My commentat-
oto uafo IiRubiy Juukeu tudI no trlDut6 could
be more gratifying. But while yielding to no
one in admiration for that gentleman, cannot
admit that he monopolIzes the major premise.
Those editors who have done me the honor to
think it impossible that one brain should have
produced these articles, have magnified the
difficulty of the undertaking. The gentleman
to whom the credit, if credit there be, chiefly
belongs, is Archbishop Whatey, late of Dub
lin, now, 1 trust in glory. A speaking &C.
quaintance with his text book on Logic, or
even careful and prayerful perusal Of his
Easy Lessons in Reasoning, following close
upon good, thorough, old-fashionej orthodox
"change of heart" would enable my bewdered
admirers to do the same thing themselves
And lastly desire to express my profound
gratitude to all the prophets, apostles and mar
tyrs, in all the ages. who have done what
never could do-have died for the truth, and
thereby secured me the privilege of speaking
the truth without dying for it. AS have sat
safe In my serene seclusion, hearing afar off
the harmless howlings of the storm which
my few simple, artless words have so unac-
countably raised, have felt, as never before.
that the one thing which makes the world
worth while, the one thing which gives mean
ing to history, dignity to conflict value to life
the one thing in all the universe is freedom |!
GAIL HAMILTON.
August 10, 1877.
MINOR TELEGRAMs.