Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-05-19
From the New York Times
A laxative Governor.

If Gov. Garcelon is vet at large his demo.
cratic constituents in Maine should send a
committee to fetch him home. He has fatal
facility for talk, which may amuse disin-
terested public, but which, if persisted in
will be fatal to his budding reputation. Tn,
Maine Governor at last accounts, was visit.
ing the South. He was received with ''open-
handed hospitality and unvarying kindness. 50
At least, he says so, and though he seems to
have been surprised by this, there is no sub
stantial reason why he shouldn't be believed.
He did not go South to preach sedition and
emigration to the ex-slaves, nor to write let
tiers for republican news papers. Why should
not northern democratic governor be re-
ceived with hospitality and kindness which
should be open-handed and unvarying? But
If Gov. Garcelon, who has been talking to a
reporter Of the Atlanta (Ga.) Chronicle. had
gone South with the apprehension that he
might be mobbed as northern governor, he
was agreeably disappointed. Being. as most
democratic governors are. Il constant reader
of the republican newspapers, he was pre-.
pared for the worst. A Southern democratic
governor in Maine would not apprehcnd any
unfriendly or cool treatment, but Garceler
seems to have looked for something unpleas.
ant in the South. Overioyed at his escape
the worthy governor embraced the first re.
porter whom he met and confided to him hi,
feelings Of delight; He had not even been
twitted with being 'red-handed oppressor
eff a free people"
Gov. Garcelon was not only surprised h,
his own kind treatment. but he WAS amazed
that he did not see any Kuklux and White
Leaguers. He was not able, in all his Jour
ney, To find any cx-slaves who had hccr
hogged or otherwise ill-treatcd, and although
he looked out of the car-windows as ne tray
eled on the railroads, he never saw any mem
Der of the black race ben.g deprived of IN.
rights and privileges given him under tn,
constitution. He pursued his inquiries so ia
as to talk with his open-handed and unvary
ingly kind entertainers, and they invariabl
assured him that the negroes were almost a
happy and contented a. they were during tn
golden days when the patriarchal institution
extened its blessings over them. He saw n,
use for pistols and bowic-knives at any time
while he was on his travels and as the Cover
nors peregrinations were confined TO tb,
tlickly-settled parts of the country, il wal
natural that he shodld infer that these deadl,
weapons were not used in the rural district,
II they were not seen in the cities. There
fore, the Governor concluded. with a glow a.
honest Indignation, that he was fully salts
ned that there was not an atom of truth il
the stories that republican politicians and pa
pers were constantly telling the Northern peo
pie about the treatment of the negro in ia,
South" Good honest soul he had bee,
imposed upon by mendaci0ns republicans
Now he could 90 home and tell his fellow
citizens in Maine that these stories were false
Hadn't he been there, and wouldn't he hay,
seen the ill-treatment, if there were anv;
But, with sudden consciousness of his ow =
reputation as truth-teller, the Governor add
ed, sadly, that she would not be believed :
Such is the inyincible repugnance of the av
erage Maine man to receive the truth as il
comes from a democratic politician.
Gov. Garcelon is the product of green
back and democratic coalition. The two par