The Portland daily press., 1885-09-11
GOV. Robe AND THE ARGUS.

The day after Gov. Robes address to the
Patrons of Husbandry at Old Orchard the
Argus in the course of an i'll natured crit
cism of his speech alleged ''that Gov Robbie
loitered at Limerick Friday 1.-THE day before
the Parsonsfield Centennial in hope of re-
ceiving an invitation which the people Of
Parsonsfield had neither desire nor intention
to extend" A few days later the Argus be-
came aware that Gov. Robbie was not in Linn
erick on Friday, and therefore could not
have "loitered" there waiting for an invita-
ton. 1t became aware, also, of the fact that
he had received an invitation long before the
celebration, which he had been compelled to
decline on account of official engagements at
Augusta. When it ascertained these things
didit correct its erroneous statements? Did
it inform its readers that its allegation that
the Governor "loitered at Limerick" waiting
for an invitation that the people of Parsons
field had no desire to give was entirely false !?
By no manner of means. This is what it did
say:
1t has come to us that Gov Robbie thinks
the Argus did him injustice in the matter of
the Parsonsield celebration. How? He was
invited by citizen of the town to be present,
as his guest or he could have attended with
out any invitation, as any other person
could. But the committee on invitations did
not invite him-did not make him a guest of
the town on that occasion.
The false statement of the first article that
the Governor 'loitered at Limerick is
slipped by without word, and the fact of
the invitation is belittled by alleging that it
was not an official one, that it did not come
from the committee.
A few days ago the Argus received a letter
from DR.. j. W. Dearborn, chairman of the
Parsonsfeld Centennial committee. Did the
Argus publish it? Oh, no. 1t couldn't quite
make up its mind to eat humble pie to that
extent. But it did not dare to ignore it en-
tirely So it published this:
The chairman of the Parsonsfeld Centen-
NAL committee, DR.. j. w. Dearborn, informs
us that Gov. Robe was invited by the COM
mittee to take part in the celebration on the
2dth ult., but declined to be present. This
fact doesnot in the least break the force of
our criticism upon the foolish remarks made
by the Governor at Old Orchard.
This fact perhaps does not in the least
break the force of the criticism upon the
Governors remarks but the letter from which
this single fact is extracted does, and that is
the reason the Argus suppressed it. Here
it is:
To the Editor Of the argus:
notice an article in your issue of the 3rd
inst, and also another in that of the 18th rela-
tive to Gov. ROBBIE and the Parsonsfield Cen
tennial which calls for correction.
Robe was 6t enSIteae 6sfft TaES that Goy
centennial celebration at Parsonsfield; that
he was at Limerick ON the day previous
thereto &c, &c. Now, my dear sir, if you
were thus informed you were greatly i'm
n0gpn RnhIn 1xri
vited to be present, first by myself, and af-
terward by the executive committe, of which
the chairman was Democrat and a leader
not only of his party in this town, but in the
county. The invitation was of the most
hearty nature possible, and was an express
sion OF the sentiments of our people without
regard to party lines; and his inability to at
tend was deplored alike by Democrats and
republicans. Two members of the eXecu-
tive committee, Democrat and Republi-
can, had arranged to make formal visit to
the home OF Gov. Robe, for no other pur-
pose but to make officially request for him
to be present on that occasion and the visit
would have been made had not these two
at the Falmouth in Portland, and
then and there extended, in a manner,
the urgency of which could not have been
misunderstood, said request for, and in the
name of, said committee. The assertion that
Gov. ROBBIE was at Limerick on the day pre-
chairman received, much to his regret let
ter from the Governor on the evening prior
to the celebration, expressing his regrets that
he was unable to be with us on the occasion,
AS regards the illusions of Gov. RobieIto.our
programme, | have yet to find the man in
our town who takes the least exception
thereto. In fact the committee on pro-
gramme had not completed their work at the
time said programme was furnished the
chairman of the committee on vocal music
for publication; and later the very thing re-
ferred to so pleasantly and so properly by
the Governor in his speech at Old Orchard
was supplied, or added and paper on Agri-
culture of Parsonsfeld assigned to John
Tuck, Esq, of Biddeford, who has the work
in hand. 1t was an omission on our printed
programme which many of us regretted.
feel that not only Gov Robe, but the exec
utive committee and in fact, the citizens of
our town, are placed, by your articles, in
not only an unjust, but an unpleasant and
unenviable attitude, hence this reply and ex-
PLANTATION. j. w. DEARBORN.
Oh. Gem. Com.
T. S. The executive committee consisted
OF hye; the four corresponding secretaries,
ana the chairman of the general committee
was the fifth member. By an error of the
printer the officers of the general committee
were styled on the programme the executive
committee J. W. D.