Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-08-09

More FalsehOOds Exploded.
In the New York Herald OF July % appear
Ell .ngthy sensational article prepared for
The sole purpose of proving that 30 years ago
Mr.. Blaine belonged to the Know Nothing
party and strongly favored its principle aims
and objects II needs -c5rceiy 10 be SAID that
what MIR. Blalne's political views may nave
( been 80 long agJ, when he Was very young
/ pIan. i. not now very important TO any Intei-
/ lig.nt and honest cltIZ n. majority OF the
/ best public men in the country have essen
/ tially changed their opinions in that period
OF time. IL is to the cr-dIt of Mr.. Blame lhat
he has made great progress IN his political
education since 1854, and that he Is now so
able aud popular statesman Is Commanding
proof Of his constant intellectual growth and
of his ripe experience as public man.
But it 50 iappelA thar the main charges Of
the Herald as to his political opinions in 1851
and ls5j, are not true. They are suostan
TALLY Jhe,e:
l. That being one Of the editors of the Ken
nebec journal during the politica. canvass IN
Maine in 1854, Mr.. Blaine supported Isaac
Reed, the Wang candidate for governor, and
then BETRAYED him
| :. That Mr.. Blaine was a member OF the
! Know Nothing organization.
/ 3. That certain rlotous proceeding toward
/ Catholic priests in Bath and Ellsworth IN 1891
were excited, or at least not disapproved. by
I the keun, pee Journal, of which Mr. Blaine
was editor.
/ I That the KenneOec Journal and Mr.
! Blaine supported Arson p. Morrill,, Know
T Nothing for governor.
). That the Kennebec Journal with Mr.
Blaine as one OF its editors, continued de-
voted advocate of the Know Nothing party
/ until compelled 10 abandon it by pubic
/ sentiment
The first allegation of the Herald is sutti
/ ci,ntly answered by the statement that the
( Gamers and editors of the keunebec Journal
[ during thu Political campaign of 1871 are nov
/ both dead, and that they supported the Whl-
4 cAudidlte tor governor that year in good faith
/ Mr. Blaine dld not become A citizen of Maine
and one OF the editors of the kennebec Jour
nal until several months after the political
campaign of that year was terminal d aud The
election held.
. Hr. BidtBe CdS BereJ a member Of tbs
Know Nothing org tnizatlon On the contrary
learning that Mr.. stevens, who became hi
editorial partner tew weeks after MIR. Blaine
. uld become ore OF the editors aud owners OF
/ the keunebeC journal, was nominal memhe
If that organization and earnestly resolved Il
discard it and get it cut of the way As unfit tol
the mcmb srship of fire men, Mr.. Blaine com
moulded ms partners resolution.
Tie rlotDus proce, lings relative to Cath
oIlu priests in Bath and Ellsworth took place
mouth, prior to MIR Blaine becoming a resi-
dent of the State, and months prior to hi
becoming one OF the editors OF the kennebcC
journal.
T. Arson F. Morrill,, whom the kenne
bee journal supported tor governor in 1853
was nominated by the republican State con
yentiou early that year and IN the platform
If thi, convention there was not one word OIL
implication in favor of the special doctrine,
Of the Know Nothings. In 1854. before Mr.
. Bliiue came into the State. Arson 7 Nor
rill was nominated and supported by tst
Anti Slavery Wings bv the FreeSoil Party
also nv the Anti-Nebraska Democrats. Jus
prlur to the election of that year ne was alst
endorsed BY majority of the Nnow Nothlngs
whose organization had just been Introduce,
in Maine. There was contest for ;ht
control of that organization between the
! anti slavery men on the one side and tbs
pro.slaverv men and allies of the democrat,
on the other. Wisely, or unw iselv, mann
anti slavery men rushed into it to control il
aud prevent its being welded by their op
ponents Arson p. Morrill, never was
member of this organization, and never
cherished particle of animosity or preju
dice against the foreign born citizen. He
was then what he is today, at : years of age
a large minded. LIBERAL earnest republican
and As true patriot as lives within tbs
limits IF the republic.
, Most emphaucallv Mr.. Blaine. as one
of the editors OF the kennebtc journal, die
not remain devoted to the Know Nothing par
lrr oh dan
ment On the contrary. both he and his edi
torlsl associate immediately after becomin.
owners and managers ~ the kennebeC Jour
nal did put themselves actively O. the etIor
Of inducing the members OF that organization
To abandon ii aud to give full field to the r
publican party. The Maine Legislature o.
1885 was not a Know Nothing body in spiri
or purpose but one of the most pure and re
spectacle legislative bodies which ever Assem-
bled in the State. The distinctive Know
Nothings made but small fragment of it,
members. All of its measures NAV not hav,
been necessary But its action relative t,
naturalization was dictated by the desire Il
maintain the naturalization laws intact. t,
protect tht m against abuse and fraud. an,
thus prevent those shameful transactions il
cities such as Tweed and his gang practice,
in New York, which were as much an outrsc,
against the honest usturslized citizen As tn,
native born. Since that Legislature close
its lsbors nearly thirty years have passed
most Of which time the State has been unde
republican rule, and during this period Mr.
Blaine has been conspicuous in leadership
while not a naturslized citizen of the Stat
has been deprived of his rights or experience,
the least illiberal treatment by any action o
Mr.. Blaine. II il because he is in favor o
all citizens being considered equal before tn
Law and of firmly maintaining their rights a
home and abroad that the Herald in vain trie
to mislead the public as to the political prin
ciples of Mr.. Blaine and, his high characte
as statesman.