The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-09-01
IN REPLY.
AGr. Looney Has Something to Say to
Gen. Anderson.


PORTLAND, Aug. 81, 1881
To the Editor Of the Press:
Gen. S. J. Anderson's speech 10 City Hall
last evening was the whine of man embitter-
ed by twenty years of persistent but luckless
office seeking. 1t was the result of rapcor and
| disappointed ambition In that speech he
went out of his way to make personal attack
! on me- charging that was bribed by an office
to vote the Republican ticket. The charge is
false. am a Republican by conviction, have
always voted the Republican ticket and cast
my first vote for Seldom Conner for Governor
The Republican party of this city generously
elected me City Solicitor last spring. This
has called down both upon the Republican
members of the city government and myself
the anathemas of such venomous partisans as
Gen. Anderson. 1t i'll becomes Gen. Ander-
son to accuse me of being bribed by an office
the salary OF which is seven hundred dollars
per annum, when ne has for over twelve
years been holding an Office of the city of Port
land as President OF the Ogdensburg Railroad
the salary of which is three thousand dollars
year. During that time he has been supported
by the city of Portland, but like Oliver Twist
he is not satisfied but ever asks for more. 1t
is true as Gen. Anderson said many Democrats
fought to put down the rebellion which
threatened the Nations life, but those gallant
men turned deaf ear to the reasonable adj
vice of copperheads of his stripe. While they
were at the front pouring out their blood and
sacrificing their lives for the great cause OF
American freedom he traitor like, joined
hands with those who made war upon the
Union by firing upon the Union soldiers from
the rear. His denunciation of the war legisla-
ton of the Republican party was perfectly
consistent with the character of man who
during the war was notorious as well as a
violent rebel sympathizsr.
Gen. Anderson in effect charged that every
American citizen in Portland CT Irish extrac-
ton whether native born or naturalized who
votes the Republican ticket is either brbed
by an Office or by money This charge taken in
connection with similar SANDER made by
him two years ago, indicates the true character
of the man aud brands him as base libeller of
the Irish raea. Two years ago when for the
second time he was leading the opposition |
forces of this district to defeat he said in
speech in Freeport that the sixty young Irish
Americans who marched to the polls IN q |
body in Ward Four and voted the Republican
ticket were paid two dollars each. Coward as
slandered an intelligent and independent |
number of voters until the day before tho |
election when it was too late to refute him.
The sworn affidavit of Herbert G. Briggs, ESQ.,, |
who listened to his diatribe proves that be de- |
lberately misrepresented What does Gen. |
Anderson mean by thus publicly accusing |
American citizens of being bride takers? Does |
he intend to say that citizens OF Irish extrac- |
tion are mortgaged body and soul to the |
Democratic party, ard that those who vote |
the Republican ticket are purchased? defy |
him to prove his charges. Let me tell him |
that there are Irish Americans in this city |
who vote the Republican ticket the latchet of /
whose shoes he is unworthy to unloose; men |
who in point of honor are his superiors. Like |
the average Democratic leader his mind is SO |
narrow and bigoted that he believes every |
American citizen in whose veins flows the |
Celtic blood should forever be the plant un- |
thinking tool of the Democratic party. Others |
may change their political creed but an Irish |
American never. The old narrow pro slavery |
Democratic party with its infamous history |
of caste, prescription and reputation coasti- |
tutes for him Procrustean bed, sort OF fate |
from whose decree there is no appeal.
Gen. Anderson made bitter race appeal to |
a certain class of his audience, with the ex- |
press purpose of meeting religious and race ha- |
tired in this city and State. Arguments OF |
this kind, which infiames the bad passions of |
men by arraying class against class, to the in
jury of both society and government, are con- |
temptble and deserve the reprobation OF all |
honest men,
Gen. Anderson appealed to the naturalized |
citizens to be true to their religion, their eouH-
try and their God. Does he mean to assert |
that the Democratic party is their religion? To |
which country does Gen. Anderson refer; to |
ireland or the Union? If the former, why, l |
ask when in 1867 ireland was in the throes of |
a mighty struggle for liberty, and crushed un-
der the iron heel of British despotsnn, did he |
refuse to address meeting in this city, the OBJ |
ject of which was to extend our sympathy to !
Ireland? DID he refer to the Union? Let me I
tell him that Irsh-Amerieans have always |
been true to the Union. They require no adj |
yice from cepperhsad or rebel sympathizer.
When he was at home in the North denounc-
ing the war they were in the South, fighting !
ON many bloody field for their adopted coun-
try. Let me also tell him that many are be- !
coming members of the grand Republican
party, whose policy carried the war to sue
cessful issue; the party which passed the home
stead and expdtriation laws which abolished |
slavery; which protects American free labor
from the pauper labor of Europe; and which |
to-day represents the noblest sentiments and |
the highest aspirations OF the age
WILLIAM III. LOONEY.