The Portland daily press., 1884-07-02
The Madigan Circular.
Traced Pretty Close TO MIR. Plaisted's Door
The Circular Printed in Bangor-Mr.
Blaine Ind NO Connection with iI, and
Condemned IL.
Boston Journal


Yesterday morning gentleman who for
msrly did business in Bangor, but is now at
the head OF job printing establishment in
this city, left word at the journal counting
room that he was able to give some facts about
the Maaigan circular, which was issued In
Maine in August, 1875, when he was the Demo-
cratic candidate for Congress in the Fourth
District, and Gen. Plsisted, now Democratic
editor in Augusta, Me, was the Republican
candidate. A representative of the Journal
called at the place of business referred to and
found that the proprietor was formerly we'll
known citizen of Bangor. He said 10 effect:
"When L first saw the story of the
the Madigan circular and its being attributed
to Mr.. Blaine paid no more regard to it than
TO any campaign canard Subsequently some
one called my attention to it personally, and
began to recall the fact that / knew about it,
and the more thought of the matter the
more the circumstances came to me- con-
suited the books kept by me in the office with
which was connected in Bangor and found
the charges for printing the Madigan circular.
Mere than this, found ON my books the
charge for putting up and mailing the pack
ages to the different towns in the district. 1
remember that worked nearly all night after
the circulars were printed putting them in
packages. am not particularly Blaine man,
q
my hands to refute the story that the Madigan
circulars were sent from Mr.. Blaine's house by
express, felt it to be- my duty to give it to the
public. 1t is my conviction that this work was
done at the suggestion of Gov. Plaisted.
have no idea that Mr.. Blaine had ANYTHING to
do with it. Several men were helping General
Plaisted with his canvass, one of whom
Brought the circular in, bat cannot recollect
the particulars.
The gentlemen then showed The Journals
representative the original entries on the book.
showing that the Madigan circulars charged to
Mr.. Blaine and alleged to have been sent from
his house were printed in Bangor, mailed to
the towns in Plasted's district on orders fur
nished by him or his campaign managers and
the postage prepaid by the printer. The bill
was made out to the Republican State Com
mittes, but was paid either by the member OF
Penobscot county or of the Congressional Dis.
trict Committee.
Saturday Mr.. W. W. Castle Of Ashland, in
this State, and member of the Maine Repub-
lican Committee for several years, including
1915, wrote member of The journal editorial
staff, who was at the same time connected
with the same committee calling his attention
to the fact that 1875 was one Of the "off years."
when each member of the State Committee
was made responsible for the care of his coun-
ty, and that whatever small sums of money
were distributed for the necessary expenses
were paid to the members of the respective
counties. This statement is correct. The rec
ords of the State Committee of Maine for the
years 1869, 1871, 1873 and 1875 show that this
system was adopted and that the central organ
ization had nothing to do with the campaign
ia the different counties. 1t certainly never
assumed to take charge OF Congressional
campaign in any district. 1t was the custom
when the bills in the several counties for
printing, etc., were made, to charge them to
the State Committee, but they were, in all
cases, settled by the members Of the different
counties, and were never sent to the chair
man, secretary or treasurer. If $4,000 was
raised for campaign like that of 1875, it
would be distributed 5000 to one county, $500
to another, ETC., and the general committee
knew nothing about the items for which 1t was
expended. MIR. Castle also called attention to
the fact that the Madigan circular was the
subject of criticism at meeting of the State
Committee at Mr.. Blaine's house Just after it
appeared, and that it was the almost universal
opinion Of the members of the committee that
it was unealled for and unfair, as Mr.. Madigan
was known to be very liberal man in religious
matters. He believes, further, that Mr. Blaine
was among those who deprecated the issue Of
the circular. 1t is worth while to note in this
connection that when the circular appeared in
Aroostook county Charles M. HerriD, promi.
nent Democrat OF Houlton, now deceased,
wrote caustic personal letter to Gen. Plais-
ted, which appeared in the Democratic papers,
charging him as the author OF the circular, and
dsnouncing it in unmeasnred terms To that
charge Plaisted made no reply.