The Portland daily press., 1880-07-29
Mr.. Nye and the Augusta Convention.

Mr.. Nye and the Augusta Convention.
The following letter from Hon. Joshua Nye
appeared in recent issue of the Advertiser:
To the Editor Of the Ad0ertiser:
I find in the Daily Advertiser of Saturday
in special despatch from Augusta, some re-
Elections upon myself in connection with the
State temperance convention of last Thursday.
/ doubt whether any greater number of un-
truths can be told with the same number of
words / ask the right to answer some of these
statements i'll few words.
Mr.. Nye never claimed in any way to die
tate what particular man should be nominated
for constable of Kennebec He did believe,
however, that Mr.. Berry was in every way fit
ted for the position, and that all the opposition
to him was from men who sympathize with
the liquor interest, or from politicians who
feared that his radical execution of the prohib-
itory law would injure their party.
Mr.. Berry had petition signed by some $50
voters of Gardiner, and another signed by
about rs of the Christian women of Gardiner,
asking for his appointment Not word was
said against Mr.. Berry's character 1T either
hearing before the Governor and Council. The
only position taken was that the prohibtory
laws could not be any better enforced if twenty
more officers were appointed.
Before Mr.. Osgood was put in nomination
Mr.. Wilson, member of the Council, called
on me and asked if l would offer any opposi-
ton to the nomination of Mr.. Osgood. / ask
ed him if he had been consulted and his reply
was no. told him did not think Mr.. Os-
good could be induced to take the office. 1
also told him if Mr.. Osgood was nominated
and confirmed would help him all L could,
and would even go with him as an aid at any
time, free of expense to the State. Mr.. Os-
good declined, as 1 supposed he would, and
then Mr.. Thomas was nominated and con-
frmed.
Mr.. Thomas was already constable, with
the same power to do criminal business in the
xt,nn ,txrf no. l.1.
pointed special by Gov. Davis. We gain
nothing by his appointment.
Mr.. Nye never threatened to call conven-
ton to nominate third candidate for Cover
nor. He was instructed by the executive COM
mittee of our society to call State convention
at any time, when in his opinion, the cause de-
manded it for consultation. After waiting for
more than three months for the appointment of
good men for Penobscot and Kennebec, after
the petitions had been sent to the Governor,
Mr.. Nye called convention as instructed by
the committee. Nothing efficient had been
done, and rum was being sold quite freely in
the counties Named aid openly in Penebscot
county.
Mr.. Nye was not denounced by one single
temperance man in the meeting, or for declar-
ing the real object of the cali. The object was
stated in the call ITSELF
Finally at the evening meeting the conven-
ton was disturbed by q large number of per-
sons. led by County Attorney Heath and
Sheriff Libby, who undertook to take control
of the meeting, and prevent the expression of
tine members of the society as to their opinion
of the duty of temperance men in the present
crisis.
The report in regard to teams collecting Flu
sionists and large numbers of the Young Mems
Democratic Club being present, are abomin-
able falsehoods. We paid for the use of the
hall, and are regular organization of tenn
perance men, and claim the right of deciding
our business for ourselves, without being bull
dozed by any political party. We adjourned
our meeting to the city of Portland, for Aug
ust 10Th, where we expect to be deccntly treat
ed.
The man who sent the despatch to the Ad-
vertiser, dared not sign his name, as he knew
he could be shown up as a base calumniator.
Yours truly. JOSHUA NYE.
Augusta, July 26, 1880.
1t is only just to the correspondent of the
Advertiser to say that since the above letter
was first published he has written to the Adj
vertiser that he is prepared to prove by unim-
peachable testimony every word of the special
despatch which Mr.. Nye criticises.