Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-20
Illuminating Exposure.

There have been thousands of Intelligent
persons whe have had kind regard for
George William Curtis because of his
literary services. who have been greatly
puzzled by the facts of his recent
political career. y ct they have taken q
charitable view of his Inconsistencies aud
ccccntricitics, believing him to be student
of books, poor Judge Of men, and not
well vcrscd in the common sense and prac-
teal side of public affairs But the New
York Tribune has just made an exposure
Of the more recent political course of Mr..
Curtis-or rather that great new spaper
has published TIA" written and printed
word of this man of high political preten-
sions which makes such an exposure of
him ms no enemy or sharp critic could pos
sibly produce. He has seen fit to speak
of the want of sincerity in Mr. Blaine :
letter of withdrawal. The Tribune re-
marks, that sit i'll becomes Mr.. Curtis to
raise the question of sincerity after his
own crooked performances in 1881, when
he advocated Mr.. Clevchnd's cectionafter
making in the National Republican Con
vention this striking comparison between
the two parties;
We are confronted with the Democratic
party, very hungry, and, as you may well be-
leve, very thirsty party without single
definite principle; party without any dis
tnct National policy which it darcs to present |
to the country; party which fell from power
as "a conspiracy against human rights and now
attempts to sneak back to power as con-
spiracy for plumber aud spoils.
shall not repeat to you the splendid story |
of the Republican party-a story that we
never tire of hearing; a story which is writ !
ten upon the hearts of all American citizens |
because it recounts greater services for lib !
erty, for the country, for mankind, than
those of any party in any other Nation and ut
any other period of time What is the secret
of this unparalleled history? 1t is simply that /
the Republican party has been always the |
party of the best instincts, of the highest
desires of the American people, This is its
special glory II has represented the Amer I
lean instinct of nationality, American patriot /
ism and Christian devotion TO liberty.
Any public man who could use such
language respecting the two great parties,
and then deliberately cast his lot with
the conspiracy for plumber and spoils,
ought To be prudent and reticent during
the remainder of his career. Above all
things, let him say nothing about sincerity |
in politics. lie exhausted the resources
of the mother tongue in declaring the
vilencss and worthlessness of the Demo-
cratic party and the virtue aud patriotism
of the Republican party; yet .he worked
and voted with the corrupt organization
which he had denounced and against the
principles of Repuhicanism which with
fervid cloquencc he had extolled. His |
avowed excuse for that exhibition of
canting hypocrisy was that the Republi- /
can party had made an improper choice for
the Presidency. That was why he deserted /
the best party that had ever existed in
any country, age or cline, and joined the
vilest and worst. Very we'll; il the
Objectionable candidate retircs. Mr.. Curtis
will, of course, be glad to part company
with the conspirators for plumber and
spoils and renew his allegiance to the
party of Lincoln, Chase and sumner.
But no; read what he says in yesterdays
..Wor!a:"
There have been many efforts made to
find out what Republican candidate would be
satisfactory to the independent voters, who
left the party live wears ago--the so-called
Mugwumps But they have met with little
success. The Independents do not want
candidate who is the result of a canvass
among this faction and that faction and a
dozen other factions 10 ascertain what their
wishes are 49,. While Mr. Cleveland has
not come up to the expectations of all who
supported him, yet his general conduct has
been attractive to the Independents. who are
not men of one idea but who judge by
averages. As regards the tariff question, |
think Mr.. Clevelands message 10 Congress
will not ALLEVIATE from him more than small
fragment of his party, while rendering his
canvass all the more attractive TO many in
dependents
ssMr. Curtis has the stark naked candor
to admit that it does not matter to him or
his associates whom the Republicans may
put in nomination this year. He is not
interested IN the choice of a candidate by
that party. He prefers Mr.. Cleveland
against any Republican who may be nomi-
mated, especially since the free-trade
message was sent to Congress. This is
the only inference that can be drawn from
his indifference to the Republican nominal
tion and his ELUSIVE loyalty to the Presi-
dent. He has condoned the conspiracy
against liberty. As for the conspiracy for
spoils, If you please, it is Civil Service
REFORM
This one Of the most remarkable revela-
tions of the want of political sense or
moral honesty in the conduct of a public !