The Portland daily press., 1880-08-05
FUSION.
THE STRAIGHT GREENBACK AD-
DRESS.
j. F. Tnrner Not Candidate for Eleotor.


Gentlemen: You have doubtless learned by
returning delegates and the papers that q
company of us left the convention holden on
the 18th, and the resolutions passed at Con-
gress Hall intimate the cause of our action
But further explanation is necessary.
There appeared early in our District a shirt
OF treachery, which, after the nomination OF
Il. ii. Cove in 1878, kept steadily at work. II
combined and labored to secure his defeat re-
ceiving therefor cash in hand.
The following year in the Cumberland coun.
ty convention it showed itself more strongly,
and culminated'in the fusion movement to the
dissatisfaction of Greenbackers generally.
But SO much good was declared to be newt
able that those who were opposed remained
quiet and awaited the result which has become
a matter of record-defeat. But during the
past year the same parties have been busily
engaged, maturing plot to put a man of
another party in nomination for representative
TO congress, and every preparation made to
spring trap upon the convention. Secretly
they worked and supposed their designs well
covered. But their steps were all lknown and
carefully watched.
Elliot King was to be the ostenslble nomi-
nee, while Samuel j. Anderson was the real
candidate, as King was to resign in his favor,
just before election. The delegates to the
convention were carefully selected with that
purpose in view, where the plot could be safe
ly mentioned. And SO well did the scheme
work and so confident were the actors of IN
opposed success, that Samuel j. Anderson was
presented i'll our convention and so ardently
pressed by those in the plot that an informal
ballot revealed the fact that he was the lead
ing candidate
But to make his nomination certain, Elliot
King took his name out of the convention and
recommended his friends to vote for Anderson,
which they did, thus defeating all of the
Greenback Candidates in so-called Greenback
convention.
This was enough to rouse tine Indignation of
every loyal Greenbaeker, but not enough to
satisfy thu apparently victorious plotters They
instantly rushed upon US with a motion to
make the nomination unanimous, and thus to
make full sale of our Sparty and principles,
and crush all opposition to their dishonest
scheming.
At this point we left the hall, and for the
following reasons:
We would not be put upon record as sane
tioning such duplicity. We We're chosen to
represent our brethren in Greenback District
convention, and our constituents were Green
hackers instead of Democrats, and we could
not thus betray our party and principles and
retain our self-respect. We well understood
that the spirit at work among us was identical
with that of Congress when the refunding
act, the credit strengthening act the demone-
tiziDg act, the national banking act, and a
host OF other acts equally unjust and oppres-
sive were passed, and was Wholesale sur
render to the Shylocks.
Had we yielded, our party would hive been
virtually absorbed, and we could not have es-
capped being entangled in net.
1t is true that a majority said Anderson,
hut that majority was obtained by careful
manipulation OF the caucuses, and was under
the influence and control Of Greenbackers only
in name. We do not believe the party is will
ing to be sold, and go into captivity to any
man or class of men who will betray them.
And we doubt not that just rebuke will be
Irpn
BY our action we gave these plotters just
and richly merited rebuke and we are now
placed in position to defend ourselves, and
make it more severe if thought wise.
But we do not recommend severity nor
would we presume to indicate any particular
course OF action until further consultation may
be had with the true and the tried.
Our party has reached that point in its de-
velopment most dangerous. Not yet victor-
Gus, and yet its strength terriies the old corr
used to crush, divide, caiole or capture it,
And unprlncipled men who for little ready
cash, or pledge of future preferment will not
hesitate to sell our principles and party to the
highest bidder are not wanting. All such
men should be strenuously kept out of our
confidence and councils, and as much as
possible out of the party. Their proper place
is in one of the old organizations. They are
with as Tor the same purpose that the bum
mers were i'll the army-for spoils. A man
who will sell his principles for office, will not
Scruple to sell his constituents when in office,
hence his place is not with US but in the party
accustomed to such practices.
While we extend the most fraternal well
come to all those who are true to the princi-
plies we love, we should be very slow to add
s rength to that mastery indifference to our
sufferings shown in Congress. Consistency
forbids us to aid in >electing any man of whom
we may reasonably entertain fears. There are
men now in Congress who were elected upon
soft money platforms and by Greenback votes,
under pledge to labor for the oppressed toilers
But they aided to elect Speaker Randall and
he has been submissive tool in Shylock's
hands. He and his associates withstood Wea-
yer and his associate until they heard the
threats OF the toilers laundering on their
heels.
>, The watchword all along our lines from
Texas to Maine is. no Fusion, and the cause
OF the first Maine District, as far as it has any
influence, will be disheartning.
We hope to be informed by our brethren
throughout the district what thir views are
and that wisdom, candor and decision will be
blended with kindly forbearance, and that the
highest good OF our party shall be the ruling
motive in all our councils and acts.
And your committee suggest that all who
favor the idea of calling another convention
for the purpose of placing a Greenback candi-
date in the field, write at once te G. B. Leav-
lit, care New Era-Leader office, authorizing
the use of their names to public call.
(Signed,) COMMITTEE.
The Era-Leader also has two editorial ar
ticles of similar tenor to that of the address
In one it declares ''The remedy is plain; the
true GreenbackeIS must meet in convention as
soon may be and pass upon the situation. They
can then take steps to save the party if not
the district and, as we said in our last issue,
the district had better be lost than that the
new party OF the people be demoralized." In
the other it says; "Victory was none too GER
tain, in this district, with q united opposition
and good feeling all round. AS it is, a NOM
ination has been forced upon the Greenback
party by the Htrickery of politicians and the
treachery Of pretended friends which thousands
OF that party feel they ought not to and can
not endorse. Their feeling fairly manifested
itself in the convention last Thursday when
over thirty regular delegates left the conven-
tion upon the nomination of General Ander-
son, as recorded elsewhere in this issue. These
men are among the truest and best friends of
the cause i'll the first district. They are
original Greenbackers and they are men of in
tiuence. AS will be seen they not only pro-
tested against the work of the convention but
they took steps to place true representative
of the people i'll the field at a future time. This
they are fully resolved upon and it is evident
that if an acceptable Greenbacker is nomin-
ated he will poll the full several thousand
votes, if not the full party strength. And all
of this was known or should have been known
to the men who by sharp practices secured the
endorsement OF General Anderson by the
Greenback convention. This paper saw how
it was and it warned the masses of the matter
in clear and emphatic terms that it would not
do to go outside of the party for a candidate
An active canvass Of the situation since the
convention adjourned demonstrates that we
fairly judged the people and that others Who'll
iy misconceived the temper of the Greenback
Masses"
All this sounds very big, but it is very likely
empty thunder The Greenbackers are
famous for pfonuncianentos which thew
neglect to follow up by action. The tempta-
ton which Fusion promises in the way of
spells will be likely to overcome their scruples
AN INTERVIEW WITH MIR. TURNER
Last evening Mr.. J. F. Turner of the New
Era-Leader was called upon at his office on
Union street by PRESS reporter, who in
quired if he had anything more to say in re-
gard to district or state matters in addition to
what he had said through his paper. Mr.
Turner replied that he had, and began by
referring to the interview with him recently
published in the Philadelphia Press, and wide
ly copied into other papers, Mr. Turner said
that he does not regard himself as an electoral
candidate. His nomination as such at Augusta
he does not regard as having been nomna-
ton at all but merely q SnCoestioD opd bo