The Portland daily press., 1885-03-26

mayor. To believe that statement one
must have very poor opinion of the
gentlemen who compose that organization.
1t is true he starts off with an appeal for
the enforcement of the liquor law such as
any citizen might rightly make, but before
ne gets through he clearly discloses that his
chief purpose in writing the letter was not
to induce Mayer Deering to enforce that law.
1t will be observed he calls Mayor Deer
ing's attention to the fact that he had in
some way assisted in his election. The ma.
ture OF that assistance he does not disclose.
but he intimates that at some future time II
will be brought to Mr.. Deering's knowledge.
how did what | did'', he says 'syou may
sometime know" Evidently the nature of
the aid he gave was not of kind that be
cared to commit to paper. He preferred to
wait probably for some convenient season
when he could whisper it in the mayors ear
without the danger of being overheard.
But whatever his assistance was it had been
SO secret in its nature that he evidently
feared that it had escaped the observation of
Mr.. Deering even. Protesting all along be-
fore election that he was taking no part in
politics whatever, but was devoting his en-
tire attention to the work of the Law and
Order League he sits down Immediately af-
ter election and asks the successful candi-
date for an Office pointing out at the same
time that he had in some mysterious way
helped to secure bis election. This paragraph
alone is sufficient to show the hypocrisy of
the man.
But there is another far more significant
even than this one. It occurs near the end
of the letter. In the event of Mr.. Andrews
declining Mr.. Munson says: 81 should be
willing to become your marshal and there
after serve you and your interests.n Notice
the language. 1t is not II should be willing
TO become marshal and would faithfully en-
force all the lawP,;' but "I would be willing
to becone your marshal and thereafter serve
you and gour interests" The conclusion is
irresistible that Mr.. Munson was ready TO
accept the marshalship with the understand
ing that he should do whatever Mr.. Deering
thought would best serve his interests. If
vigorous enforcement of. the LIQUOR law
would best serve them Mr.. Munson was
ready for that; if moderate enforcement
would best serve them Mr.. Munson was
ready for that; and if no enforcement at all
was deemed the wisest course by Mr.. Deer
ing. Mr.. Munson was ready to commit him.
self to that. The laws in Mr.. Mum
sons estimation were apparently of no ac-
count compared with Mr.. Deering's inter-
ests. 1t is not to be wondered at that after
delivering himself of such a sentiment az
that paragraph contains, Mr.. Munson i'm
mediately wrote: "Destroy this letter."
Mr. Munson in his remarks before the Law
and Order League last night described this let
er,and bis description is published elsewhere.
We leave it for the public to judge for them
selves whether he gave a correct description
of 1t or mol. He said, too, it was stolen from
him and he offered $25 reward for the arrest
and conviction of the thief. That was a lit
tie piece of bluster which he doubtless hoped
might have the effect to suppress the letter.
The letter was not stclen.
1t is not our province to offer any sugees-
ton to the Law and Order League in this
matter. The gentlemen who compose that
organization are intelligent, and the great
majority of them are sincere in their devo-
ton to the temperance cause. 1t is for them
to judge in the light of this letter whether the
Rev. Mr.. Munson is a fit person to be longer
entrusted with the prosecution of the work
of their organization.