Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-08-11
JOINT DISCUSSION At SIDNEY.
HEATH & LANCASTER.

day afternoon, between Herbert NJ. Heath,
Esq. for the republicans, and DR.. b. F.
Lancaster, tor the greenbackers was the oc-
caSion OF great gathering of the sturdy
farmers of Sidney and the country round
about. Quite numerous delegations of both
parties were present from Augusta, and a
number came down from Waterylle. Long
came rolling in bearing their loads of
voters and when 2 o'clock arrive ed the whole
ne, ghborhood of the church was lined with
vehicles of all sorts.
When the meeting opened the church was
crowded. on the floor in the gallery. and every
where wthinit walls. The dav was II proptious
one and the breezes which came in at all the
open windows of the large old fashioned
meeting house, was most acceptable and
served to keep the large audience in that calm
GOOD hnmor which so generally prevailed.
As to the champions of the two causes both
were in good TRIM but as to the result of the
discussion. no impartial man could but de-
clare that pr Lancaster was most sadly bea-
ten. Mr. Hcath's youth in comparison with
the matured years of his opponent. his supc-
rior ability in presenting his arguments and
and his ready tact in meeting and turning the
bald, played out assertions OF the other deba-
tor. his composurc in contrast with the so
evident nervousness of the Doctor. made
him the hero of the occasion. The republic
cans were more than satisfied " it'll their cham
piOn, and the grcenbackcrs, itthcy were all AS
honest as one ofther number, would have Joined
with him in saving that ''if they were again
to send any one out to meet Mr. Heath they
would have better man than lancaster
But their orator did his best. and more
too. for he was helped along and got some
good points at times from suggestions of his
friends Croker, Dcvine and the other green
back orators. who sat AT his elbow in one of
the side pews, oras Mr.. Heath remarked in the
course of the debate, ''docs il take four
grcenback speakers to beat one ropubican?'
Mr.. Nathan w. TAYLOR introduced Mr.
Heath and acted a. his time keeper, while.
Mr. y. \. Benson did that service for DR.
Lancaster. The rules of the debate were
that each speaker was to have one hour
and each to speak twice in that
time, the first time to speak as long "a each
cared and the last time to use up the re-
mander and also TO have FIVE minutes each
in closing. Mr.. Heath first took the floor
and occupied it 30 minutes.
In opening he reviewed the questions set
tied by resumption. the attempt of the fiat
money advocates TO ride two horses, and the
record of the republican party down to 1870.
proving by figures all legislation TO have been
for the interest of the whole people.
DIR. Lancaster, without replying to lleath's
argument, launched off in a rambling mess Of
assertions, and exploded charges, not even
attempting 10 prove anything. He said our
Legislation had al been against the poor, but
failed t. show how charged the banks with
receiving double interest, but didn't explain
his charge; sand the Granite Bank in Angus
Ia drew interest on So G, 900, with an invest
ed capital Of but SlJo.000. Amid applause
he h0urshcd a gOvcrnmt Mt bond to his audi
ence. telling them ii was mortgage on their
farms, and that they were heavily taxed to
pay the interest on it. The retunding act
was stigmatizcd as legalized robbery The
Doctor enlarged on the constitutional qucs-
ton, and claimed that their paper money
would not dcprVciate rery much. He went
on to lament that during the war the poor
soldier on account of the depreciation in
money paid but 33 cents on a dollar.
Mr.. Heath on Ia ing the stand, replied
THAT last remark is an insult to every sol
der. Did you enlist for pay, Doctor:' The
Doctor was silent while the applause of the
house was great Heath arraigncd the green
hackers as allies of the Southern democracy,
referring to the extra session; charged them
with communistic tendencies, compared Lam
cantcr's legal views with those of Chief-Jus-
ticc Chase and William Pitt Fcsscndcn.
Then he took up all the financial legislation
from 1870 to 1873, and with proof, not asser-
tons. demonstrated that it had benefited all.
Finishing that he took up the DR.. 5 assertions
and replied to them with proof, that brought
out applause. Historical illustrations were
given to show the flIlacy of fat money. His
arraignmcnt of the greenback record on the
arner silver bill was severe that IL ST.
fenced Lancaster.
The Doctor, in closing, made no attempt
to answer lieath's arguments but commenc-
ed to abuse Blaine. Davis, Hall aud Charles
Buffum. To lIeath's demonstration that the
match box was the only burden imposed by
the bonds, the DIR. made a reply that even his
friends laughed at. Lancaster closed with
misquoting English and French history.
Much to his surprise Heath pulled out those
same histories and read the truth from them,
absolutely convicting the DR.. of wilful false
hoods.
The closing speeches of five minutes each,
turned upon the increase of the interest since
'6j. The DIR. holding up the Treasury de-
parmcnt analysis, said it read ''annual inter
est paid in 60" so much, and said the report
showed smaller amount paid. I'nluckily
Heath had the same paper and passed it to
the audience, to show that the words were
annual interest charged in 6j," proving the
DIR. to have wiltully read it incorrectly, The
DR.. then attacked the paper as not being of
fetal. Unluckily Heath displayed the envel-
opc it came in. marked official business
Tfrts' Y department, and said the law torbids
the use of such envelopes for any other kind
of business. The DR.. again looked cheap,
but replied that he went into the Post Office
the other day and mailed letter to his aged
father in an envelope he obtained marked
''otiicial business" Did that make his letter
official: he inquired. As there is heavy
fine imposed by law for using official envcl-
opes, the Dir. must have drawn ON his mag
nation. It is only characteristic Of his man
ncr of making Wild assertions.