Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-08-19
A SELL OUT.

A correspondent of the Boston Journal
furnishes that paper with an account of
the overtures made by Joseph l.. Smith,
the Greenback candidate for Governor,
last year, to secure his election by the
Senate. The correspondent quotes from
Mr.. Smiths interview with the Lewiston
Journal reporter, as follows, to show that
Mr.. Smith was not a Greenbacker at
heart:
"Do you think an increase OF paper money
necessary? ?" we asked.
81 am OF the opinion that the volume oil cur,
rency has been contracted too fast" replied
MIR Smith. "More time should have been taken
to bring II all about 1T with the Government
as with a man OF business. He may have a
large amount OF debts outstanding and abun.
dant means wherewith 10 pay, but II he make
immediate payment he must sacrifice his prop
erty by forced sales and ruin his business by
debts Every business man realizes this. But
now that we have realized all the disadYan-
tages OF contraction" continued Mr.. Smltn,
''now that our property has shrunk In value, l.
for one am not I'm favor of retracing our steps
in order 20 endure all the misery over again.
IL has all got to come TO the gold value NJ last.
II we now get away from II, when we nave Just
reached Il, we shall have 10 come back 10 II
stay.
"Thon there is fiat money" said we "an issue
OF Government stamps which nobody VIII re-
deem. How do you regard that scheme
Mr.. Smith replied that As man with some
property at stake, as well as the same general
interest in the public welfare which all good
OF a currency which could not have gold value
somewhere behind it.
III l. cll.,,., ,,.;.b ~ occouDt Of
Mr.. Smiths conduct from that time forth,
showing that he was looking for an cleo
ton from either party to which he could
sell himself and his constituents. The
Journal declares that Smith agreed to
sell out to the Republicans, and that there
are memoranda in his own hand writing,
which state what he would agree to do.
The article proceeds as follows:
Although Smith had been engaged dur
ing the whole campaign in proclaiming In
every form that the financial Issue was the
one and the only one before the people, he
was ready 10 sink il entirely and make no
mention whatever OF IL in his message If
the Republicans would choose him for Gov
ernor. As an assurance on this point, he
submitted the following memorandum aS a
pledge OF what he would do
"ln regard 70 resumption. Ihave 10 say that
bv the time the Governors message Is dellv-
cred that will DE- an accomplished fact, or the
act OF lS7g repealed, and In either event would
appear 20 me 10 bC entirely supCrogutuTy, IS
pecially a II is a matter wholly in the power
Of Congress My present opinion is shall not
refer 20 Il in case have 10 draw up message.
In regard 20 bulldoZing, the principle you set
forth Is cmlncntly Just and proper, and would
thank You for the suggestion, and shall insert
the substance
But very soon Smith himself saw that II
would be impossible for him 10 omit all
reference 10 the financial question IN ms
message aS Governor, and that he would
Dee compelled 20 refer 10 IL in some form
whcreupon he proposed TO insert in his
message the following distinct and specific
eclaration-agrccing 20 consider the qucS-
| ton settled and advising all good citizens
/ 20 so regard IT, Here are the precise words
which Smith agreed 10 insert in his mes
sage;
.Thc financial question has been fully and
! ably discussed during The fall campaign ana
/ remains FOR Others than us 20 decide upon, anu
whatever decision may Doe reached by them ~
j. The duty OF all law-abiding citizens III a..
parts OF the country 20 give II an earnest and
cheerful support"
But the scheme would not work. The
| Republicans would not take Smith, not be-
cause they regarded him aS any worse than
| Garcclou, but because they felt and they
knew that their action if they elected him,
would be misunderstood by their friends
| i'm other States, and the cause OF honest
money thus receive a wound in the house
OF it, friends Hence the Republicans re-
! iected smith and assumed all the response
! bility Of clccting Garcclon.
Before these mems. were published,
Mr.. Smith declared that he never made
any oyertures to the Republicans. After
the Boston journal published the above,
he failed to maintain that position, and a
particular friend Of his states that he
believes that the mems. were correctly
published by the Journal He then goes
on to argue that there was no sel-out IN
the articles of agreement to which Mr..
Smith subscribed his name. OF course
the people of Maine will form their own
opinions about that matter. 1t seems
clear to US, that Mr. Smith was not true
TO his party, and that they have not now
a candidate TO be trusted