Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-05-05
The Record of Both.

MR. EDITOR a shamcd OF the action OF
the Governor and his monsrel council in the
removal Of Gen b. f. lIarri, from the SUPER
intendcncy Of the State House. the on
position papers are doing their best to make
II appear that his successor has as good a
record a. soldier. and was As much disabled
~ wounds received in the service, a, General
Harris. Onc democratic paper in iustfca-
ton OF the act, saws the Governor had the
right to remove one of his opponents and az
point lone of hi own way of thinking" Now
it would be interesting to know to lust what
extent GOV Garcclon and DR.. Lancaster are
of the same mind upon the political que stions of
the day. 1t Il not three months since heard
the Doctor say that except upon the financial
question. he was a. much in accord with the
republican party a. he ever was. 1t follow,
therefore. that if he and the Governor are
nov 20: the same Mimi" one of them must
have met with sudden almost miraculous
change. Has the Governor abandoned hi.
hard money, or the doctor his fiat money no.
tons?
Now as to the military record Of these two
men. Gen. Harris was mustered into the ser
vice July -, lS6l, when no bounticS were
paid either hv towns or by the general goy-
eminent. \ wear and one month later when
dollars for men to fill their quotas. Mr.. Ian
caster was mustered in. viz August Il. lsG2
| do not know that liberal bounty was the
ins piring motive with Mr. Lancaster | would
not do him the least injustice; but | do
know that at the time he joined the service
towns were paving such buunties. Whether
the town of Alison to which he stands credited
in the Aliutant Generals records paid him Il
bounty, know not. nor does il matter Mr.
Lancaster was wounded. transferred TO the
invalid corps. and mustered out of the army
Sept. Il. 1868, having been in service one
wear and one month. | have not the least
doubt that his service was every way
credtable. General IIarr. was mustered in
July L. 1861. and discharged for disability.
from wounds, Nov. :, 1868, having been in
the service two years and nearly four months
Now with regard to the nature of their
wounds. Gen Harris had the upper part of
the thigh bone broken and splintered, losing
several inches of the bone and shortening the
limb to that extent. 1t was a very dangerous
wound, and he escaped from the very Jaws of
death, manned and deformed for life He
pensioncd according to his rank
at the rate of $50 per month, which stipend
he has since received. and it is none too much
Mr.. Lancaster received flesh wound of the
leg, and was discharged and pcnsioned at the
rate of 81 per month. The terrific i0cer0fioH
to which the itgnS refers, is entirely mythi-
cal. He is not dcformed. nor from his wonnd
seriously disabled from manual labor
One paper undertook to make point by
stating that the difference in their pensions
was on account of thcditforcncc in their rank
This diScloscs either ignorance of the subject
or wilful misrepresentation. The highest
pension to which field officer is entitled a.
such. i $50 per month. while it is pcs, ihle
for pri ate soldier To draw S3i -. and in
certain eases S12.ou per month. The DIFF
ference in the pensions of these two cN-
soldiers fairly represents the difference III
their disabilities.
find no fault with he removal of Gen.
Harris; the wonder i, that he was allowed to
retain his position 81 long. considering the
horde of Finishing place seekers continually
DIGGING the steps of the Chief Executive. and
the peculiur makeup of the Conn ii hut it is
not fair To bcittle the disabilities of General
Harris. and magnify those of DIR. Lancaster. il
order to Justify the act of removal, for the
tvs eases are widely different. Better call
things by their right names and honestly pro-
claim the doctrine which in effect il carried ont.
viz. that TO the yictors belong the spoils 8
OMICRoN.