The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-04-28
The True and Not the Untrue.
From the Bangor Me- Wing and Courier.

IRON the Bangor Me- Wing and Courierl
The republican papers of Maine have pre-
ferred no complaints have uttered no re-
proaches against Senator Edmunds on ac-
count of his course during the presidential
canvass of 1884. Nor have they intermed-
died in the slightest degree by suggestion,
or even by hint, in the approaching sena-
torial election in Vermont. They have with
one accord regarded that election as a mat
ter belonging to the republicans of Vermont
and to them alone. In this respect the re-
publican papers of Maine have pursued the
same course steadily adhered to by Mr..
Blaine. No word has ever been heard from
him referring directly or indirectly to the
course of Mr.. Edmunds in 1884 or to his re-
election to the senate in 1887. The republic
cans of Maine unanimously believe that it is
wise for the party to look forward and
not backward, to forget in the duties of
the future all the unpleasant incidents of
the past. We sincerely regret that GER
tain restless and misguided friends of
Senator Edmunds in other states have
not seen their duty in the same light.
About six weeks ago the Boston AdrertiSer
published communication from Burling-
ton, VT, to the effect that Mr.. Edmunds
had notified the republican national COM
mttee in 1884 of his readiness to take the
stump for Mr.. Blaine, but advising the COM
mttee frankly that the moment he should do
so letter of his rejecting on Mr.. Blaine ca
reer would be made public-the letter being
in the hands of a third and hostile party.
Thereupon, as the story goes, the national
committee was unwilling to have Mr.. Ed
munds speak.
The New York Tribune did not believe
the statement thus made by the correspond
ent of the Boston AdUertiSer. although it
originated in Mr.. Edmunds' home. After an
exhaustive investigation, the Tribune pub
lished, on March q, the most conclusive
proof that no such letter was ever written
by Mr.. Edmunds to the national committee,
and that, on the contrary the committee
had in vain invited Mr.. Ednunds to speak
on four different occasions A letter in
which Mr.. Edmunds declined to speak is
published by the Tribune. The complaint
is thereupon made by certain papers that
confidence was violated in publishing a
private " communication. But it must be
remembered that the Boston Adrertiser had
msrepresented what Mr.. Edmunds said,
and that the truth, thus perverted, could
only be vindicated by showing the genuine
letter.
The Burlington (Vt) Free Press was origin
ally supposed by the Tribune to be equally
responsible with the Boston Aduertiser for
the misstatement But the editor of that
paper, Mr.. G. G. Benedict, now explains in
a personal note to the Tribune, written from
Florida, that only part of the AdrertiSer'S
communication was published in his paper,
some of its erroneous statements-as that
Mr.. Edmunds rendered his services as a
ing carefully omitted in copying" If Mr..
Benedict knew the AdUertiSer'S statements
were " erroneous I" why did he not say so
in his paper when he was " carefully -
copying part of the dispatch. Mr. Benedict
will pardon us for expressing our great sur
prise that while the Adcertiser was opening
its columns to the Suggestio tolsi he was, by
his own statement, carefully " engaged in
the SltppreSSiO Ueri Mr.. Benedict has GER
tainly not improved his own position in re-
lation to the matter.
1t is somewhat amusing that certain
papers which aided in circulating the mis-
statements of the Boston AdUertiSer are
now afraid that the harmony of the party Z"
may be endangered by the direct and can
did effort of the New York Tribune to set
the matter right 1t would be well for these
papers to recall the Scripture rule, " First
pure, then peaceable." Harmony is not dis
turbed by frankness, candor and truth But
it is always endangered by the opposite
qualities. We shall feel a surprise quite
equal to our regret if the Boston Adrertiser
shall fail to make the amende honorable al
ready too long delayed. Meanwhile, the
most cordial thanks of every lover of fair
play are due to the New York Tribune for so
effectually correcting MEASUREMENTS which
were at once untrue and miscellaneous.