The Portland daily press., 1884-08-15
The Know-Nothing Charge.
A Complete Exposure of Ets FaIsify.
Boston Journal.)

Boston Journal.)
In the New York Herald of July 2S ap-
peared lengthy sensational article prepared
for the sole purpose of proving that 30 years
ago Mr.. Blaine belonged TO the Know-Noth-
ing parry, and strongly favored its principal
aims and objects. 1t needs scaacely to be
said that what Mr.. Blaina's political views
may have been so long ago, when he was
yer young man, is not now very important
to any intelligent and honest citizen. A
majority of the best public men in the couu-
try have essentially changed their opinions
in that period of time. It is to the credit of
Mr.. Blaine that he has made great progress
in his political education since 1854, and
that he is now so able and popular states
man is commanding proof of his constant
intellectual growth and of bis ripe expert
ence as public man.
But it so happens that the main charges Of
the Herald as to his political opinions in
1854 and 1856 are not true. They are sub
stantially these:
1. That being one of the editors Of the
Kennebec Journal during the political can
vass in Maine in 1854, Mr. Blaine supported
Isaac Reed, the Wing candidate for govern
or, and then betrayed him.
2. That Mr.. Blaine was member OF the
Know Nothing organization.
8. That certain riotous proceedings tow
ard Catholic priests in Bath and Ellsworth
in S54 were excited, or at least not dlsap-
| proved, by the Kennebec Journal, of which
| Mr.. Blaine was editor.
4. That the Kennebec Journal and Mr..
| Blaine supported Anson P. Morrill,, Know
Nothing, for governor.
| 5. That the Kennebec Journal, With Mr..
| Blaine as one of its editors, continued de-
| voted advocate of the Know Nothing party
| until compelled to abandon it by public SEN
| timent.
The first allegation of the Herald is sufi-
| ciently answered by the statement that the
| owners and editors of the Kennebec Journal
| during the political campaign of 1854 are
now both dead, and that they supported the
| Whig candidate for governor that year in
| good faith. Mr.. Blaine did not become a
| citizen of Maine and one of the editors of
| the Kennebee Journal until several months
after the political campaign of that year was
| terminated and the election held.
| 2. Mr.. Blaine was never member of the
| Know Nothing organization. On the con-
| trary, learning that Mr.. Stevens, who be-
| came one of the editors and owners of the
/ Kennebec Journal, was nominal member
| of that organization and earnestly resolved
| to discard it and get it out of the way as un-
| fit for the membership of freemen, Mr.
| Blaine commended his partners resolution.
| 8. The riotous proceedings relative to
| Catholic priests in Bath and Ellsworth took
/ place months prior to Mr.. Blaine becoming
| resident of the State, and months prior to
his becoming one of the editors of the Ken
/ nebec Journal.
4. Anson P. Morrill,, whom the Kenne-
/ bee Journal supported for governor in 1855,
| was nominated by the Republican State con-
vention early that year, and in the platform
| of this convention there was not one word
| or implication in favor of the special doc
| trines of the Koow-Nothings. In 1854, be-
| fore Mr.. Blaine came into the State, Anson
| P. Morrill, was nominated and supported by
| the Anti-Slavery Wings, by the Free-Soil
| Party, also by the Anti-Nebraska Demo
Gratis. Just prior to the election of that
| year he was also endorsed by majority of
| the Know-Nothings, whose organization had
| just been introduced in Maine. There was
| contest for the control of that organiza-
| ton between the anti-slavery men on one
side and the pro-slavery men and allies of
| the Democrats on the other. Wisely or un-
wisely, many anti-slavery men rushed into
it to control it and prevent its being welded
| by their opponents Anson P. Morrill, nev-
er was member of this organization, and
| never cherished particle of animosity or
4
He was then what he is to-day, at 81 years
OF age, a large-minded, liberal, earnest Re-
| publican, and as true patriot as lives with
in the limits of the republic.
5. Most emphatically Mr.. Blaine, as one
| of the editors OF the Kennebec journal, did
not remain devoted to the Know-Nothing
party until public opinion forced its aban-
donment. On the contrary, both he and his
| editorial associate Immediately after becom-
ing owners and managers of the Kennebec
Journal did put themselves actively to the
effort of inducing the members of that or
ganization to abandon it and to give full
field to the Republican party. The Maine
| Legislature of 1856 was not a Known othing
body in spirit or purpose, but one of the
most pure and respectable legislative bodies
which ever assembled in the State. The dis
tinctiVe Know-Nothings made but small
| fragment of its members. All of its meas
ures may not have been necessary. But its
action relative to naturalization was dictat-
ed by the desire to maintain the naturaliza-
tion laws intact, to protect them against
abuse and fraud, and thus prevent those
shameful transactions in cities, such as
Tweed and his gang practised in New York,
which were as much an outrage against the
honest naturalized citizen as the native
born. Since that Legislature closed its la
bors nearly thirty years have passed, most Of
which time the State has been under Re
publican rule, and during this period Mr.,
Blaine has been conspicuous in leadership
while not naturalized citizen of the Stale
has been deprived of his rights or expert
enced the least illiberal treatment by any &C.
ton of Mr.. Blaine. 1t is because he is in
favor of all citizens being considered equa
before the law and of firmly maintaining
their rights at home and abroad that the
Herald in vain tries to mislead the public as
to the political principles of Mr.. Blaine and
his high character as statesman.