The Portland daily press., 1882-05-18
SOLON CHASE
SAYS A WORD ABOUT PLAISTED,
And Peter Gordon Tells Of the Trade OF
1880.

''Them Steers are frisky this week. The
following comments are made on Plaisteds let
ter to "Dear SAM"
When Uncle Scion makes such thunder as
the above 1t is said he is trying to help the Re-
publican party. When Gov. Plaistsd shouts
s'no trade" tho Democrats are not disturbe d
for they know trade has already been made
for "union ticket for the rest of the offices. I"
It would not disturb the Democrats in the least
il Gov. Plaisted should hnri square iunks OF
"frozen truth" at them, flor they know the
Plaisted gun, when aimed at the Democratic
party, is loaded with blank cartridge Words
uttered by Gov. tPlaisted, which soften the
hearts of the Democratic leaders like milk and
honey, if uttered by Uncle Scion would be
vinegar to the souls. Gov Plaisted has made
straight Greenback thunder before, and
then did all in his power to advance the inter-
ests of the Democratic party. They can trus t
him, and every Democrat in the State will
vote for him, no matter how much truth he
may tell about the leaders of the Democratic
party between now and election Their only
anxiety s,fthe fear that Greenbackers won't
vote for him.
Mr.. P. II. Gordon of this city, in the follow
ing letter makes an interesting contribution to
the history of State politics:
PORTLAND, May 10, 1882.
Uncle Solon:-The letter of Governor Plaist-
ed to s. A. Berry, published in the Portland
City Item May II, was written last February
and has been in the possession of Greenback-
ers OF this city for some time, and the purpose
for which it was written is well known to
them; it has been read to GreenbackerS here
by the friends of Plaisted whore twas suppos-
ed it would do the most good, and it is we'll I'M
derstood that there are copies of it in circula-
ton in different sections of the State for the
same purpose to be read where it would do the
most good. Now it was well understood by
DI~sc% n1 h cf de- hat of
this kind would be necessary before he went
again before the people for a. denomination. He
is now to assume again the hypocritical Green
back garb and continue the play of the role of
Judas which he has been playing from the mo-
ment he was nominated, until the present time
Brother Grenbackers do you remember how
thoroughly he pledged himself to the
Greenback party and no other in the
convention that nominated him? He stood up
before that convention of 1000 delegates thor
oughly imbued with the spirit OF our fore-fath-
ers representing $4,000 voters of the honest
yeomanry of this commonwealth and said no
man was worthy to receive the nomination
from such a body of men, declaring himself a
Greenbacker from the top OF his head to the
soles of his feet and received the nomination,
and everybody was proud of the position that
he took in open convention, and said the con-
vention was all straight, and as j. M. Todd in
his open letter to Mr.. Chase said: "Unce So
Ion you said the convention was straight as
H." everybody said SO, and SO it was as far as
tho convention was concerned. but shortly af-
ter the convention, it was whispered about that
there was trade made with the Democrats.
No, says the state committee and delegates the
convention was all straight. As time passed
along it was talked about even by Plaisted
himself and the redoubtable Thomas that in
case the General was elected, that we should
be under great obligation to the Democrats
and their claims should be considered, that
there was a sort of tacit agreement and implied
understanding that the GreenbackerS should
adopt joint ELECTORAL ticket with the Demo-
cratic party. The idea existed and was avow-
ed BY some, that there was trade made, and
there was, but not by the convention, the only
body who had the authority to settle all mat
tiers pertaining to the nominations and BUSH
ness of the convention, but by individuals who
took upon themselves an awful responsibility,
and who will be held accountable to the Green
back part. Itais we'll known that the Democrat
ic convention was holden on the same day az d
at the same place of the Greenback convention
which nominated Plaisted, and is we'll known
also that the Democratic state committee,
Bion Bradbury and other Democratic leaders
proposed that there be committee raised by
each party, and that they confer together and
an arrangsmentbe agreed toby which Paisted
should become the candidate of both parties,
that is a trade made between the parties.
This arrangem emit the Greenbackers would not
listen to a moment, Uncle Scion being fore
,
and the Democrats still persisting in this prop
osition almost to desperation, Bion Bradbury
saving that If the Greenbackers did not accede
to their request that he would take their con-
yention back TO Portland and make separate
nomination. Uncle Scion says, "Bion. you
don't dare to, you don't dare ito be counted p
Finding that they were baffied and that they
could not prevail on the Greenbackers to &C.
cede to their proposition, they then reSorted
to treachery, and the trade was made, and it
was this, the Hon. f. M. Fogg stated in the
Central Greenback clubroom in this city, that
on the night spoken of above. (the night before
the day of the convention that nominated
Plajsted) that himself and Eliot King was
charged with message from the Democratic
committee and few leaders to Gen. Plaisted
and the message was this: THAT If we Cthe
Democratic partly endorse you as our candi-
date and put our money and speakers into the
campaign and work as hard as we
can for your election and in case you
are elected you shall favor the adoption of a
Joint ELECTORAL ticket with the Democratic par
ty, to which arrangement Plaisted assented. .
Mr. Fogg made the above statement in the
prs ssnce of myself and other gentlemen, to
which they viii bear testimony Now it has
been said, and truly, that there was no trade
made at the convention, but still it existed In
tho minds of the people that there was trade
made, but they wondered where and by whom
These above facts furnishes the missing link
Now b.otner Greenbackers, you sit down and
review the political movements of Governor
Plaisted from his nomination up to the present
time and you will see that they confirm the
fact of this trade, you know that he did advo-
cate the adoption of a joint ELECTORAL ticket
with the Democrats, and after his election
stumped the State for that purpose, and carried
out the programme with the Democrats tf
which he assented that night. Now to carry
out this arrangement and make it somewhat
| pardonable the convention which was called
r. o. oIxar To mo a n
| ticket must be carried for fusion, so the lead
ers of fusion in both parties set about to do it,
| 1t was well known that the Greenbackers hac
| been through a hot and hard campaign and had
| spent great deal of time, and were poor and
| did not feel like turning out in mass to theSep
| tember convention. Men all over the State wht
| were known to favor fusion and who would vote
for the adoption of joint ELECTORAL ticket will
| Democrats were picked up and their expenses
| paid to the convention by Democrats. Their
are Greenbackers in different parts of the Statt
| who avow and stand ready to prove that there
| was not a Greenback caucus held within forty
| miles of them to choose delegates to send to thu
| September convention. Democrats who never
| voted other than Democratic ticket, were pu
on right here in this city to fill up ,acant dele
| cations. and Democratic andfusio speakers al
| paraded and ready in the hall o take up al
| the time, and if Greenbackt attempted t.
speak, he was greeted with Kisses and shouts
| che is not o delegate, put him out" and b.
| Democrats perfect confusion of shouts ant
Kisses, eand Uncle Scion never said a true
word than when he said, Gentlemen, this
| no 'sqnall' of the rag-baby, but the copperheat
| veil OF the war" And thus the convention
was carried for fusion. From that time to tn
present the process of delivering Greenbacker
into the Democraticiparty has been carried OF
fast as decency would allow. Brother Green
hackers, the condition the Greenback party
in to-day is chargeable directly to Harris M
Plaisted. The Greenback party secured hl
election and to them he is responsible, his DIES
tiny to-day is in their hands and they will SO