Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-04-27
Boston Journal
An Instructive Conversation.

Something like the following conversation
i. reported to have occurred between an hon.
est inquirer and mugwump apologist:
II. LIS it true that this Eben +. Pills
bury whom the President has commissioned
as Internal Revenue Collector is the same
Pilsbury whose copperhead speeches were
followed by draft riots at kingheld, Me-, and
who remarked during the war that the name
of Lincoln would shine and stink in history
like a rotten mackerel in the moonlight 2"
NJ Al understand that he is the same /;
but did you read that magnificent letter OF
the President in which he laid down the NOR
al law TO a country postmaster in New York
whose clerk had mixed up his stamp ac-
counts?
II. And is this the same Pillsbury who
was the chief conspirator in the plot for over
throwing popular government in Maine. and
for seating candidates who had been defeated
at the polls!
NJ. A.-Now that you speak of it, / recall
something of the kind; but did YOU see that
splendid picture in the New York World,
showing the President sitting at his desk in
his shirt sleeves at six o'clock Sunday morn
ing? What a blessed thing it is to have a
President who rises early!
II. land this man Chase, who has been
appointed Internal Revenue Collector for
Maine, is it the same man who because of his
skill in PLAYING tricks with the returns, in or
der to seat defeated candidates, came to be
known as Tabulator Chase.
NJ Al fear he is the very same; but
WASN'T the retention of Postmaster Pearson a
glorious victory for civil service reform
II. by the way, is it true that this man
Troup, appointed Collector of Internal Reve-
nue. in Connecticut, represents the lower type
of democratic politician, and is a peculiarly
offensive and malignant partisan
NJ. Al have heard something to that eff
fect but did you notice that Secretary
Lamar rode to a Cabinet meeting the other
day in 20 cent cab These. l tell you, are
the days of democratic simplicity and econo-
my
II. lis it true that Union veterans have
been displaced to make room for ex-Confed-
crates, and that Commissioner Black under
took to remove a soldiers daughter from
Office in order to promote the aspirations of
Carter Harrison
NJ. A.-Painful rumors to that effect have
reached my ears; but wasn't that a master
stroke on the part of the administration, the
selling at auction of as many as four or five
horses which had been used by the depart
ments
ii. lis it true that the administration Sc
lected for American representatives at impor-
tant foreign capitals two unreconstructed
ex-Confederates, who had not enough regard
for the Union to even ask the restoration of
their rights as citizens?
M Al believe there was little blunder
of that kind; but allow me to again remind
you what asplendid letter the President " rote
to that country postmaster.
At this point the colloquy ceased. The
Honest Inquirer moved away, his face ex
pressve of surprise and disgust while the
countenance of the Mugwump Apologist was
that of a man who had been through very
harassing experience. but who had done his
best with the extremely slender resources at
his command