The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-08-20


Aus usta convention, but read the report of
the proceedings there with sadness. 1t may
be that am too deeply interested In other mat
ters 1t may be that | am too deeply given to
the love of liberty. have, ! trust, felt an
Intelligent interest in all the great moral re-
forms that have in the past concerned us. 1t
may be that am too charitable, that l have
not seen the depth OF this infamv as some of
you have seen it, but when am asked to take
the grave step of voting to censure the chief
year ago; one to whom have given my sup
port: one for whose denomination | labored;
l am disposed to weigh all things; to add moth
ing and to keep nothing back.
If Gov. Davis is worthy of censure L am
willing to vote it here and to talk it in all
places, and at all times. If Gov. Davis did,
after putting his hand to the law, prove him
self too slow in enforcing it, l am willing to
vote to say that, but not to rise to the height
of voting this want of confidence in Governor
Davis, at this point, when, were the temper
ance Republicans to do that. it would have the
effect OF disrupting our party of which we are
so proud. (Applause.) 1 am not here to be car
ried away by mere display; by mere popular
outburst. Temperance is not all that is be-
fore us. (Applause) may say, 1 think, that
Daniel f. DAVIS is nearer the heart of this
people than any other man. (Applausel A
blow aimed at him is more blow at popular
liberty than if directed against James A. Gar
field.
1t seems to me that vote of want of conf
dence in Gov. Davis should come from those
who supported Gov. Davis. I am inclined to
think that many of us voted a want of conf
dence in Daniel F. Davis before the "Gover-
nor" was added to his name. G4aughterl |
suppose that you might get up meeting in
this city that would overwhelmingly vote a
want OF confidence in Gov. Davis. daughter
But will you vote want of confidence in
Gov. Davis here, and yet mean to go to the
polls and vote for Harris M. Plaisted and the
the rest of the fusion nominees? A vote of
want of confidence in Daniel f. Davis should,
as have said, proceed from those who had
proposed to have supported him, from those
who have supported him.
Gov. Davis is in no way responsible for the
present state of affairs in Bangor. This state
of affairs has existed ever since the advent of
the present sheriff into power, space Of, l
think
Mr. Nye-I say
Ex-Gov. Morrill, deny the right Of the
gentleman to interrupt the speaker.
Mr.. Nye-May ask a single question?
Mr.. Howard-Certainly.
Mr. Nye-Did not the present state of affairs
exist in the time of Sheriff Jerrard, before
the time of the present sheriff?
Mr.. Howard-Will the gentleman state for
how long?
Mr.. Nye-Sheriff Jerrard enforced the pro-
hibitory law up to the time of his defeat, and
from that time did not make an arrest, any
more than the present sheriff.
Mr.. Howard-I accept the statement of the
gentleman. All wanted to show was that it
existed prior TO the time of Gov. Davis, and
the gentleman has done that. (Laughter)
Gov Perham-Sheriff Jerrard executed the
law like a good Republican and good prohibit
ZIONIST till the Greenbackers and Democrats
united in giving him q vote OF lack of conf
dence, because he had enforced the law, and
this tied his hands.
Mr.. Howard-As Gov. Perham has said from
the time that Sheriff Jerrard was voted a want
of confidence his hands were pOwerleSs. They
voted want of confidence in him and elected
his rum opponent, and from the time that the
rum sheriff came into power, the rum shops OF
Bangor have multiplied. We have since seen
what we have. We have lived through the
administration of Gov. GarcelOn-GOd save
the mark9h
Gov. Davis had--as all liberty-ioving people
know--his hands full OF other, beside temper.
ance, matters for some time after he came in
to Office The law was passed by Republican
legislature, and was signed by Gov. Davis. 1t
became our duty to petition for the appoint
ment of constables. A petition signed by SO
citizens of Bangor asking for the appointment
of special constable was sent to Gov. Davis
in April, but, on account OF some Of the
names signed to it, in part, ana IN part to the
character of the man recon mended it was not
acted upon. 1 then drew up petition, and
started it at the Good Templar lodge, getting
76 signers. I then, and name this because l
do not propose to state what / do moi
know,
Mr.. Nye-Nor do I.
Mr.. Howard-I can we'll bear witness to
that. OF this petition / made two exact cop
les and gave one to the Rev. Mr.. Spear, and
the other to the venerable Professor Hamlin
and we obtained in all 100 names of tax pay.
ers This petition sent to Gov. Davis accom-
panied with letter, setting forth as strongly
as I could the condition of things in Bangor
| and telling him of our need of special officers.
| This letter was sent to Gov. Davis Just prior
to the holding Of the Republican National
Convention at Chicago.
Governor Davis wrote me in reply that there
would be no meeting of the Executive Coun-
Gil until after the Chicago convention, and
saying also that he desired to see me person
ally in regard to the matter, and requesting NE
to call at given day at the Exchange.
called and found letter from Gov. Davis say
| ing that he had received a telegram calling
him home on account of sickness in his
| family. afterwards received a letter from
Gov. Davis, requesting me to appear and state
our case before the Executive Council. 1 was
unable to attend, and handed The letter to the
pay the expenses of Mr.. Spear when he at
tended the meeting of the Governor and Coun.
Gil. Mr.. spear did not name candidate fol
constable, and Col. Crossman was appointed
and you all know what kind Of temperance
man he is. (Applause.2 Col: Crossman, fol-
| Mr.. d. l.. Clark was subsequently appointed
| and then Mr.. Trickey and then Mr.. Joseph
Cleaves of Orono.
Now gentlemen have spoke of facts within
my own knowledge, and if there has been any
cause for censuring Gov. Davis the fact has
not come to my knowledge.
DIR. HAML1N's SPEECH.
Rev. DR. Hamlin of Bangor said he and
Howard had labored shoulder to shoulder in
Ron oy,6 hat n init hr ArA ND
Mr.. Spear, were among those designated as
obscure individuals who signed the petition to
Gov Davis. He then took the ground that
they were all American citizens and that Gov.
Davis was not so exalted in his position that a
man must hold high position himself to have
his petition regarded by him, He had lived in
the Turkish Empire, where the Sultan regard
ed a petition from any man, woman, or even
child. DIR. Hamlin then spoke of the sigma
lures to the several petitions, and said when
Rev. Mr.. Spear carried them in he understood
he was very much dissatisfied with Gov.
Davis's reception, and gave no uncertain sound
to that dissatisfaction. He said Augusta was
run by a whiskey ring. / think it was several
weeks after the petitions were sent in before
Gov. Davis appointed any constable and then
if the Governor did not intend to appoint
more, saying at least two would be wanted,
and if the situation in Bangor was to be eff
GENTLY grappled with four would be needed.
asked CroSSman II he should accept and he
said no, he could do nothing. One citizen
said ten should be appointed and rally OF
faithful citizens to support them, and yet we
were insulted with the appointment of but one
constable; half the force the law requires
Then time passed and another was appointed
and if we keep on by and by we shall have all
Bangor appointed and yet only one or two citi
zens serving as constables at time. 1 believe
the Governor is in the hands of machine and
don't mean to enforce the law 1 voted for
Davis l believed him a true temperance
man. 1 consider him unfaithful to his trust
and 1 shall never vote for him again.
Mr.. Howard explained his use of the word
obscure as not rejecting on DIR. Hamlin but
on man who was not taxpayer.
Camp-meeting John Alien then explained
the little banter that took place between Gov
Morrill, and himself at Augusta and said he
had very good opinion of Gov. Davis and il
would require great proof to convince him that
the Governor did not mean to carry out the
law, before he should desert him. Ii anything
has been done for temperance it has been done
by the Republican party and mean to stick
by it.
Judge Kingsbury here arose and offered the
following resolutions as substitute for the
resolution of censure.
Resolred, That experience has demonstrated the
wisdom of the policy of prohibition as an auxiliary
to temperance reform, and as contributing to the