Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-08-07

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But while the greenbackers were thus
treasured of Mr.. Smiths good faith to the
party that voted for him, and the democrats
were relevedof their fright at the thought
OF the republicans capturing the green
back candidate, the candidate himself was
busy coaxing and caressing republicans to
induce them TO take him Tor Governor in
stead of Garcelon. He was compelled to
publicly disavow or qualify the Lewiston
Journal interview. lest his grcenback sup
porters should disown him and send up
Governor Connor's name To the Senate
with Garcelon's instead of Smith s-as
there was nj one time open threat of do
ing. But underneath this disavowal Smith
assured republicans that his financial views
were sound, and private interviews fol
lowed for the purpose of seeing if an ar
rangement could not be effected whereby
Smith could be taken for Governor.
The republicans generally throughout
the State dislkcd the idea of taking Gar
celon; they had no confidence in his sound
money views; they remembered that he
had left the republican party ten ortwclvc
wears before under circumstances pecul-
iarlv irritating to his old party associates
and that he had been needlessly abusive
OF the party and its leading men after he
left Many Of the strongest and most sa-
gacious republicans in the State were very
| anxious to reject Garcelon and take
Smith, but still larger number
of the wiser heads said, 1--WE
can take Smith and throw Garcelon over
board very safely so far rs our own State
is concerned, but beyond our limits and
throughout the Union we shall be misun-
derstood as being engaged in a compro-
missing trade with the greenbackers, whom
we have been fighting. Garcelon. though
in reality no more sound than Smith. is
yet popularity understood to he hard
money man of the same type as Abbott in
Massachusetts. and our electing him will
leave us right before the country
This was the view that prevailed. but
Smith was eager to prove to republicans
that he was better for their party than
Garcelon, and he offered to sacrifice the
whole greenback party if the republicans
would seat him in the Gubernatorial chair.
Smiths first offer was to go to as full length
on the Southern question and its latest
phase of bulldozing as the republicans
IN, 81.
financial question he would agree to drop
it entirely, making no reference whatever
to it in his message as Governor. Although
Smith had been engaged during 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 to sink it entirely and make no
mention whatever of it 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:
Sin regard TO resumption. have to say
that by the time the Governors message
is delivered that will be an accomplished
fact. or the act of 1869 repealed, and in
either event would appear to me to be en-
tirely supererogatory. especially as it is a
matter wholly in the power and duty of
Congress. My present opinion is shall
not refer TO IL an case Ihdre TO draW up a
message. In regard to bulldozing. the
principle you set forth is eminentlv Just
and proper. and would thank you for the
suggestion, and shall insert the sub
stance
But very soon Smith himself saw that it
would be impossible for him to omit all
reference to the financial question in his
message as Governor, and that he would
be compelled to refer to it in some form {;
whereupon he proposed to insert in his
message the following distinct and specf-
ic declaration-agreeing to consider the
question settled and advising all good cit
liens to so regard it. Here are the pre-
else words which Smith agreed to insert
in his message
1.-The financial question has been fully
and ably discussed during the fall cam
paign and remains for others than us to
decide upon and whatever decision may
be reached by them it is the duty of all
law-abiding citizens in all parts of the
country to give it 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 Garcelon, but because they felt and
they knew that their action, if they elect
ed him, would be misunderstood by their
friends in other States, and the cause of
honest money thus receive Il wonnd in the
house of ies friends. Hence the republic
cans rejected Smith and assumed all the
responsibility of electing Garcelon.
AS soon as this was achieved, Smith
caused some intimate friends to raise the
cry that he had been greatly besought
and implored by the republicans to be-
come their candidate, but that with lofty
and mighty virtue he had withstood all
temptation. How absurdly untrue all
these statements of Smith and his friends