The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-09-05
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THE GARDINER JUDcESHIP.
A Letter From the Rev. Mr.. Luce

To the Editor Of the Press:
The interest taken by the Democratic press
in the moral obliquity of Governor Robbie and
his Council, shown in the appointment of
Mr.. j. M. Larrabee to the police judgeship of
Gardiner would be amusing if it were not
pltlful These papers seem alarmed for
the morals of our goodly city, because the
Governor has foisted upon the unsuspecting
people a libertine and defaulter to sit in
judgment in her municipal court. The Gar
diner people ought to feel outraged for this
unwarranted assumption of power on the
part of our chief magistrate; but we can't
feel that we have been wronged, because Mr..
Larrabee, life long citizen of Gardiner, was
the choice of the people for this responsible
office. The petition for his appointment was
peoples movement led by the temperance
sentiment of the city The petition was
widely circulated and generally signed by all
the leading citizens. The petition represent
ed all classes and all professions. The emil
nent fitness of Mr. Larrabee for the office.
singled him out from among others as the
layman peculiarly qualified by his ability,
culture and temperance principles for the
office. Many of the petitioners had known
Mr.. Larrabee from his boyhood, and those
who knew him best were most earnest for
his appointment. Many of the petitioners
knew of the so-called defalcation of some 20
years ago, when Mr.. Larrabee was city treas
urer and collector: but they believed him to
be honest, Notwithstanding the deficit in his
accounts. However much the city lost by
his bad bookkeeping, very few, if any,
thought Mr.. Larrabee was enriched by the
loss. He does not stand among his fellow
citizens as an embezzler, as seen by the offices
OF honor and trust he has continued to hold
In our city, and the church with which he
has an uninterrupted honorable standing
In the organization of the present city gov
eminent he was again placed on the school
board, where he has served several years
since the unfortunate loss of the city'S
money.
have known Mr.. Larrabee for over two
years, all Of which time, and longer, he has
been superintendent of the Sunday school of
the Congregationalist church in this city
This of itself shows his moral standing
among his fellow citizens. The intimations
of social impurity never came to my ears till
heard it in the scurrilous criticism concern
ing his appointment.
The petitioners urged Mr.. Larrabee upon
the attention of the Governor and Council as
every way qualified for the office, and sup
ported their request by a petition of names
which would command the respect of any
body of men, as it evidently did that of the
Governor and Council.
With such petition and with such petit
TONERS representing the moral and business
interests of the city and surrounding towns,
the Governor and Council could hardly have
done otherwise than grant the petition and
appoint Mr.. Larrabee municipal Judge. With
great unanimity the best citizens of Gardiner
welcome the appointment, and heartily
thank the Governor and Council for listening
to the people and granting their petition
We still believe the appointment to have
been in the interest of good order, good NOR
ais and the suppression of the liquor traffic.
The liquor interests may suffer in the APP
pOintment, but for this we will give good
hearty Methodist Amen. Gov ROBBIE needs
no justification for this eminently fitting APP
pointment. Wisdom is justified of her chill
dren. l. LUCE.
Gardiner, Sept. g. 1885,