Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-03-07
AN OPEN LETTER
BY Rev. q. q Foss OF Hallowell, in
Reply to q. G. Stevens.


| Mr DEAR MR. STEVENS II am very
glad to know from the best possible source
of authority that you have never drunk in
toxicatins liquors, but having established
your Republcanism you might have rested
there as the two terms are not unfrequensly
supposed TO be synonymous.
A careful and paiustaking reading Of
YOUR communication recalls to my mind .
certain eolorei preacher Of the sunny
South" who after announcing his text said
to his congregation: My brederen, the
sermon will fall under two heads. drst those
things that have something to do with the
text, and secondly those that have nothing
at all to do with it and We will nov proceed
to wrestle With the latter point"
i Two thirds of your letter have no more
practical connection with the sermon under
I discussion than with the NebulAr Theory
or the latest discoveries of the Egg ptolo-
gists,
In answer to my challenge to point out
errors in the discourse, you mention q
statement in regard to the nomination and
election of an Alderman, which threw in
psrenthetically. frankly stating to the con-
gregstion that it was q scrap caught from
conversation; that l did not vouch for its
truth and gave 1t to them for what il vas
worth; but the illustration even in its tech
nical error holds good. ~ the man in ques.
tion was actually elected ~ one Of the Al
dermen of the city of Hsllowell, although
his opponent was not preacher.
| With this tritiing exception the public 10
assured that the sermon was true and sub
init 10 you, my dear sir. that = man is in q
very bad way when he occupies q column
and q half in u prominent newspaper, in
trying 10 state and elaborate his objections
| to acknowledged truth.
My observation has taught me that moth
ing makes man so mad As the truth. If
false statements are made in regard to him
self or anything in which he has = personal
interest, he knows that truth is mighty and
in the end prevails, and thus wrapping him.
self in the CO. sciousness of his integrity
he calmly awaits the vindication he knows
must come.
If he is slandered or abused he becomes
martyr at once having all the consultations
with none of the ply ysical ills of msrtyrdom
But when the truth strikes man it sw eeps
the decks and there is nothing left for him
but 10 make great noise to conceal the
damage.
My statement in regard to City affairs
were few aud brief. They were as follows.
That illegal sales had been made at our
liquor agency, of which the proof 10 ready
for use at any time.
The agent has repeatedly assured me that
his conduct of the business has been in strict |
accordance with the instructions of his of |
fetal superiors so that one Of two things
must be true; either the agent has made to
me and to others false state me nts or else |
those who have official charge Of his bust |
ness are responsible for its abuses and lille |
galities. Statement number two was That |
several of the highest office holders in Hal |
lowell are generally supposed to be addicted |
to the use of Intoxicating liquors.
These were absolutely the only charges |
made and yet you went out and reported |
that had bersted the City Government of
Hallowell; charge false in every partic-
ular. |
But now in tracing your tortuous jour |
ney through this campaign document, which |
is called an open letter, come to point |
over which have been not little puzzled. |
! have at last come to the conclusion |
either that your attention was for the mo- |
ment diverted by some untoward circum-
stance or else wesried with the burden of
your exalted public duties you lost con-
sciousness for brief period and dreamed
certain things about your friend, Judge
Spear.
If the issue of the "Kennebec Journal
in which your letter appeared has not been
exhausted in performance of its political
mission by consulting said issue you will
find the subioined remarks forming q part
of your effusion:
81 have known Mr.. Spear, not intimate
ly. but | have always supposed that he had
conformed to the rules of right, and that he |
was man of good habits and
moral character, and was sorry TO
hear mentioned anything to the
contrary. l am knowing to the fact that
he is well qualified to fill all the positions
with which be has been entrusted. Under
any circumstances. | do not feel that YOU
would be justified in holding him up TO
r,dieuie. from the pulpit, and before his
people,"
The full manuscript of the much dis
cussed sermon lies before me as l write
and l transcribe that portion of it that you
may compare your dream with the reality.
in alludng to a tendency among men of
moral and religious standing to draw their
garments closely about them and refuse to
engage in the conduct of public affairs
said:
For example, in our City one man is
Municipal Judge, City Solicitor and mem
Der of the School Board.
Now of course do not question his emf
nent abilities to fill all these Offices with the
most signal success and it is indeed fortu-
nate that the professional engagements Of
this busy lawyer do not utterly preclude
the possibility of his devoting so much Of
his valuable time to the City's interests.
But it is equally unfortunate hat any
one man is compelled to bear such heavy
burdens because so many good men are not
rendering to Caesar that which is his DUE"
have here written every word that was
uttered in regard to Judge Spear, and now
Sir, what do you m .an by making the
charge, in the most public manner, that
have assailed the character and rectitude
of this mani
What do you mean by intimating that 10
the utterance of these words which are but
the just due Of every faithful and upright
public servant have held your friend up
to ridiculef
You would seem not only to give to the
public seriously erroneous views in regard
to my statements but to deliberately and
deeply insult him whose champion you set
yourself up to be. Well might my honored
friend, the Judge added to his evening
prayer, Lord save me from my friends"
You complain that | was unfair in that
did not give the small number Of Internal
Revenue Licenses to sell liquor in Halo
| well. Well, such statement might well
have been dropped perhaps, but it would
have been q depression in one sense, and in
a larger sense it was unnecessary.