The Portland daily press., 1883-10-26
A Palpable Contrast.
Gentlemanly Method and the Butlerian
Method.

| which is ff possible dirtier and meaner than the
| Issue of the Butler picture book or the black
mail of Julius L. CLARK. 1t has discovered that
| an aged uncle Of the Republican candidate was
for long time and until he died. an inmate of The
almshouse in Lexington, Mass, and it ills coll
umns with unjust comment on the matter, in utter
disregard of the peculiar circumstances of the case
which are explained by the Herald as follows:
If it were necessary to remove the veil from pri-
vate household, story of lifelong devotion to duty
and piety could be told of Mr.. Robnsons father and
mother still living in Lexington venerable in years
| and possessing the esteem Of their neighbors and
| townspeople. John Robinson, Mr.. Robinson s un-
Gle, was taken harmlessy insane when Young man
working at his trade As hSs hs re@ S gsS Nv
/ and more or less manageable he wss for time
placed in an asylum but the restraint to which he
was subjected had a bad effect upon him. Later.
IN his ysgae having SSMmSsd t an assssiI SS hon on
| had home. he was taken to the Lexington
| almshouse. He lived to be an old man, was
generally harmless, and capable OF much
useful work the place, which paid for his living
| BE was frequently visited and cared Tor ~ his
| brothers and sisters Meanwhile George koeius0n
| worked his way through college, with his iather's
assistance, aud moved to Chicopee where he became
teacher, getting, OF course amoderate salary Lat
er he studied law IN the office OF bis brother.
/ Charles Robinson, then resident OF Charlestown
| and at one time, for several years mayor OF that
| city. The uncle, John Robinson, lived on, known
/ throughout the town as a mildly insane person,
growing feeble with age until he died, some three
years ago. His funeral was held from the house OF
his brother, ana he was buried IN Juo IanllJ lOt
| There is nothing in this for which the people OF
Lexington. knowing all the circumstanees-someo OF
| which need not be told here-blame any memoers
OF the Robinson family
When Mr. Robinson was speaking at Woburn, the
centre of the tanning interest last Tuesday evening
| he was interrupted by blackguard Butlerite
/ with an inquiry touching this matter. The manly
and effectual way in which he dealt with the inter-
rupter is best shown by quoting from the report of
| the speech.
| 1t has gone abroad throughout the Commonwealth
that Woburn Is one of the towns in which there is
| the business or the industry OF tanning human
skins. Aud the logic is this: Because Woburn tans
human SKINS therefore the present governor should
be reelected. But, so far as have consulted the
statistics of Massachusetts and the country 1t has
been impossible for me to detern inc whether the
tanners were all republicans or AL democrats Per-
haps shall ascertain before go out Of town. /
would like to ascertain whether any we authenti-
Gated instances have beeu found In the town OF any
such practices that carried on by dem )crat DO.
cause if you win say the tanners Of Noburn are all
| republicans, why, then, of course know where to
| put the burden of blame. But understand some
| you haven't been doing that business, have you9
| daughter, and inarticulate cry) What was
your remark, sir? Did You say you had? (Applause
and laughter) Anybody here who wants 70 repent,
| and declare his wrongdoings in the past, shall
| there are men who stand up in that way, We know
| Just where to put them politically.
| some one, who shouted, in rich brogue, "How Is
Uncle John?" Mr.. Robinson replied: What was
| your question sir? What was your remark? "a
pause and no reply9 Continuing, Mr.. Robinson
| said: The argument that was making when was
| interrupted by man who has forgotten his own
question (aughter) was this: That it entirely APP
parent that it is not a safe argument TO make, II
you state to be fact that something Questionable
was done in town, that therefore, the whole town
has been engaged In it, that it is the occupation OF
this community. 1t is not any proof at all that
those who do it belong in one political party or the
other. There is no partisanship about it. Nobody
Tor single moment will claim it. All the aIgn-
ment thai is made in this campaign is this: (Here
again Mr.. Robinson was interrupted q tnS same
Robinson very emphatically replied, don't know
who you are, sir, but want to say to you that II
sasgs os a Is amy ana nsss VINO ssa a.
do not concern the puslic OF Massachusetts and are
moi an issue in the present campaign, III ne
| is man enough to stop with me after this
meeting and make my acquaintance, he shan
have come here to talk to man, not with any
man who stands back in the crowd, and can't be
discerned and distinguished BY me; but he who VIII
man, without regard to politics, that Is the man
want TO see and am prepared to meet. nthus-
deferred from doing my public duy by any coward
y fling anywhere; and there is not man that has
right to the name of gentleman emphasizing the
word that undertakes anything of the kind in the
opposite direction. (Renewed enthusiastic ap-
plause and cries of "Goodp' sGoodP "GoodP
Mr. Robinson then proceeded: Therefore, the ar
gument that is claimed that because certain incl
dents that said to be authentic in Massachusetts,
that certain pieces of human skin have been tanned
perhaps in this town, or it may be, in some other
shat therefore it demonstrates the wrong and iDjus-
tlce and corruption OF great pohtlca parry Is an-
a connection with that party in any way; none Of it
has connected itself with the State government OF
Massachusetts in any way.
Governor Butler made these remarks of Mr.. Rob
nscn his for referring to the subject the
stump which he did at Northampton Wednesday
as follows:
Some of my friends thought that as had been
slandered in every possible way, that as volumes
and volumes of the basest insinuations and worst
possible lies had been told against me. that they
would, judicousy or injudeiously, bring it TO the
attention of the people that other people had weak
places in their garments as well General Butler.
The difference between us is that tie charges
against me are not true, and the charge against
him, If there is one, 10 true. There Is no weak place
IN my armoi Shoot away. 1 can catch every bull
let, and sometimes, when think IL best return H.
(Applause But in this case did not think il best,
and have only one remark to make and should
ike Robinson, as he has spoken OF 1t in public
to answer me this question / suspect thar the
Lexington amshouse is only about ordinary
alaishouse. don't mean TO say word against it.
But as he had such uncle, and was witain eight
ten miles of such beautiful palace as Tewks-
bury, why ON earth didn't he send his uncle there?
(Laughter.) Everything lovely; everything beauti-
fui model institution. IL would cost him only
81 a week.
On the same day that Governor Butler made this
ingenious allusion to his political antagonist Mr..
Robinson made the following andsome explana-
ton and apology with regard to phrase In one Of
his speeches, which Governor Butler had chosen to
construe in a sense never intended:
Only so far as the official and personal character
of the man now governor stands as an indication OF
what he really is officially and what he proposes to
be, you take any part OF it into your consdera
ton In order that there may DO no misapprehen-
sion and that shall have the least reason 10
believe tkat have any purpose except what have
stated in proceeding in political discussion dur
ing the present campaign, L desire ut the first op-
poStunity which is the present one, invite your
attention TO some remarks that were made BY tho
governor himself at Greenfield yesterday, and to
alao aapt uOnO Ha
says the Republican candidate the other night, ar
Sewburyport, used this language: The same gen.
snd then sometimes halfway between, and looking
both ways to find place to stay" Then he goes
on to say: "Now know have defect in my eye,
and when went u school the biackguard boys
used to Lwit me of it. but did not expect it OF
1 candidate for governor on the platform Ladies
and gentlemen, If that were deserved criticism
upon anything that had said, no man would be so
deeply hurt in his feelings as would be. No man
could desire TO have such practice farther away
i from HIM than 1. 1t is astonishing that the COVER
nor, in the presence of audience at Greenfield,
should seem to labor to lind something that could
be construed into an ungenerous remark on my
1 part. II he had read the whole paragraph OF tho
| speech, from which, according to the report, he
could not possibly have misunderstood its meaning
and intent. AT Newburyport, last Friday night,
used this language, ana only this:
"You have had a candidate before you who has
been quite ready to assure you about anything, IL
he could only be successful 70 the highest Plaeein
| the Commonwealth. 1t has been his story about as
long as of you full grown men can rec0lleot.
| 1t reaches back TO 1870, and comes down along
| through the years and the contest of 1870 and
| 1871; the same gentleman first in one party and
then in the other, and then something halfway
between, and looking both ways! to hnd place
1 TO stay, independent that he was nowhere, and
| then again, in 1873 and 1879, and still more in
1882 aud all the time seeming to assure TIE people
fonly put the office in my possession and give
the chief msgistraey and all that you desire shall
| fall into your lap unasked."
1t never occurred TO that there was y refer
ence to anything that the Governor seems to
l imagine. submit that language to your cOnsid-
GRAFTON, as to whether it uOes not uhmistskably
appertain only to those meanderings in politcaf
life from side to side Of the great current Of public
affairs, now occupying this headland on one side.
and then Jumping over to the other Immediately
after, and crying out "Here is the solid
ground aud teen sometimes taking a position
midway of the stream, and 10 king to both sides
for support as you know was the case in 1878 and
l 1879, when he was calling upon independent Dem
| ocrats, and Independents Republicans as well, to
come TO his support. Why, you know very well that
his argument has been that he was neither kepnb-
iican nor Democrat, and that he both I'm
doubtedly he VAS correct there 1 think my criu'
clrm on Nun in that respect entif cry fair lap
plausel But let us be very careful to nave no mis-
take about it. IL that language, IN It's Intent ana
pdrpJrt and direction, carries, even 10 niins tne
slightest suggestion of an ins nuatlon spplcaDie 10
something he cannot prevent, iS certain
y something that man has right 10 crtlcise OF
| eopsider-tnen, here aud now and every wnere
| want not only 20 withdraw the Language, but to
| make INN the ampest apology if in any form, or
| anywhere any words have ever escaped IRON my