The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-09-19
Letter from Scott.
The Massachusetts, Conventions-Female
Suffrage-Rev Mr.. Murray Defended.
BosroN. Sept. 16. 1879.

Boston, Sept. 16, 1879.
The first OF the seven lState conventions to
be held in this State this year, was the simon
pure Greenbackers at Faneuil Hall. Boston, on
Friday last. 1t was not an enthusiastic affair,
nor one calculated to create high hopes in the
breast of the ten thousand Greenbackers of the
State. There were internal discussions and
internal controversies. 1t is of these matters
that propose to speak briefly. When Butler
returned from his summer yacht cruise he
found that the bottom had dropped out of
Greenbackism in this State and, in fact, every
other, save Maine, where it was being severely
ham mered with every prospect of being
knocked out i'll short time. He saw that
whereas there were not above ten or fifteen
thousand Greenbackers in the commonwealth,
thereswere great many disaffected Republi-
cans who were hard-money men, and he saw
that four-fifths OF the Democrats were this
year opposed to Gre enback lunacy. These lat
ter had boldly proclaimed that they did not be-
lieve in the doctrine at all, and had only ac-
quiesced last year for the sake of harmony
Butler saw all this and saw that he must yield
to it. He saw that the honest, but misguided
laborers and farmers to whom he had told the
story of ruin to the business of the country
which would follow resumption would not
quietly listen to that tale again when resump-
ton was already accomplished and business
already revived. He therefore gave out to
some of his friends that he should not make
finance one of his issues, but should contine
himself to State affairs. This coming to the
ears of the Greenbackers their ire was Instant
ly aroused. A meeting of their State COM
mttee was called at once and unanimous
vote was passed that unless Butler gave them
his check for $4,000 and accepted their plat
form of principles they would not nominate
him. A draft of the platform was drawn and
taken to him on Thursday last After some
squirming and securing few notifications he
promised to swallow it, and then signed
check for $4,000. He then set to work to get
control of the convention and secure still furth-
ersmodifications. He did so to a certain extent
He carried in a crowd of. bowling scalawags,
the rff-raff of Boston and captured" the con-
vention. III. B. Sargent of Salem, whom the
Democrats sent home from Maine, was his
leader. He made him president of the con-
vention. For four hours the convention was
spectacle to behold-a hooting, bowling bar
room mob controlling everything. Against
this set of "hoodlums' E. NJ. Boynton pro-
| tested And he protested against selling out
| body and soul to Butler. Boynton, as you
Maine people must know by this time, is
| wild fanatic bnt he is honest, at all events.
| Well, the result of this convention, as you
| have learned by telegraph was the nomination
| of Ben Butler and Wendell Phillips. Now, for
a moment consider the spectacle. The two
most radical of radicals, the most stalwart of
stalwarts to head the Democratic ticket. Will
it not be a spectacle to behold? Any man
who can claim to be Democrat and vote for
such a combination is capable of accepting al
most any compound. Carry the news to the
Argus.
The second convention was that of the young
Republicans Monday. 1t is quite the thing
hereaboutS to make fun OF these young men
and their organization but they did some effec-
tive political work last year and will this.
They did not nominate any candidate bnt ex-
pressed a purpose to support either Long or
Pierce.
The regular Republican party after celebtat-
ing its 25th anniversary on Monday evening at
Worcester. met in convention to-day and nom-
mated John Davis Long of bingham for gov-
ernor, and Capt Byron Weston for Lieuten-
ant-Governor. 1 believe 1 predicted Longs
nomination a month or more ago, and reiter-
ated it once since. As have said Pierce
would have been my choice because of his con-
servatism and his electoral speech, real
lied Longs superior strength and felt the
necessity for his nomination He is a thor
oughly honest man and one of great executive
ability. My first experience with MIR. Long
was toappear before him and the committee on
pardons of the council to ask for the pardon of
| a young man. The careful manner in which
the Lieut-Governor scrutinized every point in
the case, even to questioning me pretty closely,
| impressed me with him. have had faith in
him ever since. Mr.. Long is a promising law
yer as we'll as politician. Capt Weston, the
| nominee for Lieut.. Governor represents the
western part of the State and business inter-
| ests generally. With good management the
ticket can easily be elected. The sore-head
Republicans meet tomorrow, and then will
| forward you list of them with diagnosis OF
| their disease.
! Female suffrage is a failure in Massachusetts,.
The last Legislature passed a law permi tting
women to vote for school committee on pay
ment of a poll tax. They were to register on
or before September To- That was yesterday,
| so of course we do not know how many nave
registered, but from the figures of various
cities and towns L have heard from should
say that not over 1000 names mad Deen placed
| on the list out of probable female voting pop
| ulation of 100000. This is one in every 200.
| few strong-minded women have for years
been asking for the ballot, and when told that
no great numbers of women cared to vote, they
replied, 'Give us the chance and see if we
! don't" They have had the chance, but they
| don't accept Meetings have been held all
| over the State to urge women TO register, but
all to no avail. Circulars have been sent to
every house; appeals have been made through
| the press irrespective of party or sect: Still
women will not vote. The truth is they DO
not care for the ballot, never did, and probably
never will. They have higher and holier
mission. Woman prefers to exert her infiu-
ence on the government at an earlier stage
She will begin with the child in the cradle.
| The result of this experiment in this State will
probably be fatal to female suffrage on an eX-
tended scale, and quite likely the present fool
| ish law will be repealed. 1u.eLX.
The Golden Rule, a journal founded and Tor
| some time conducted by Rev. w. H. ii: MUIR
raw, mblishes a lengthy article this week ex-
planning some things about its ex-chief: The
article was probably written by w. ii. Merrill,
who was intimately connected with Mr. Muir
raw 1t is a stinging rebuke to those scandal
mongers who have trified with his good name
| in so shameless manner. A more degrading
spectacle, than that of two or three organs of
| religious denominations giving currency to
common street talk and slanderous stories
about man whom they know to be upright
and honorable, is rarely seen. Not only was
there never any truth in these rumors, but the
journals which published them knew it. In
one case at least it was done on purpose to
crowd him down. and that by a religious
! journal. SCOTT