The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-07-13
HEADED SPANKED and DISMISSED
Col. MccIure's Language Not Likely
to Help HIS Case.
The Editors Reply to the Letter of
LIncoIn's Private Secretary.
Ii Is Worded in Language Much More
ForcibIe Than Elegant.

PHILADELPHIA, July lin this morn
ing's Times, under the head of Spanked
and Dismissed" Col. Mcclure replies to the
open letter addressed to him by John G.
Nicolay on the subject of Mr.. Lincoln's attl.
tude regarding the Vice Presidency in 1864
In this letter, Col. Mcclure says:
"Had you known anything about the in.
side political movements in the White House
in 1864, you would have known that my let
ter to Lincoln, quoted in your defence, was
written because of a suddenly developed ef-
fort in this State to divide the lines drawn
by the then bitter Cameron and Curtin fac
ticnal war for and against Lincoln. The
Cameron followers claimed to be the special
supporters Of Lincoln, and attempted to
drive Curtin aud the state administration in.
to hostility to the President. My justly as
Sumed devotion to Curtin, was the preteXt
fer declaring me as either restrained in my
support Of Lincoln or likely te be in the op-
position.
"The moment saw the statement in print
| wrote the letter you quote, to dismiss from
LincOln's mind all apprehensiOns about
either open or passive opposition from Cur
tins friends. Had you stated these facts,
you would have been truthful. As you prob
ably did not know Of them, you may be ex-
cused for not stating them; but your iguor-
ance can be no excuse for the entirely false
construction you put upon my letter.
Equally. indeed even more fagrantly,
false is your statement OF only minor part
OF the truth about the action of the PenDsyl-
vania delegation to Baltimore in 1864. You
say that General Cameron cast the solid vote
of the state for Hamlln. Had you told the
whole truth. ignorant as you seem to be of
the force of important political facts,
you would have known that your assumption
hat Lob had rOfa in InrA xukaa
was untrue. Had you desired to be truthful
you would have added that General Came
ron cast the solid vote of the delegation for
johnson before the close Of the first ballot
Were you ignorant Of this fact, or have you
deliberately attempted to so suppress the
truth as to proclaim palpable falsehood?
The Pennsylvania delegation was person
ally harmonious, although divided on Vice
President In the Pennsylvania caucus an
informal vote put johnson In the lead, with
Hamlin second. and Dickinson third. Cam
eron knew that Hamin's nomination was ut
terly hopeless and he accepted the result
without special grief. He urged solid vote
as just compliment to Hamlin, an IL was
given with the knowledge that 1t could not
help Hamlin. and that solid vote for John
son would follow. The solid vote for john
son was the only vital vote cast for Vice
President. That record, accessible to every
schooi-boy, you studiously suppress to ex-
cuse falsehOod.
Instead of seeking the truth, you flung
your ignorance and egOtism with ostentatious
indecency upon the bereaved household OF
the yet untombed Hamlin, and when brought
to bay by those better informed than your
self, you resent in the tone and terms of the
ward healer,in wharf-rat district battling
for constabulary honcrs.
Il think 1t safe to say that the public judg-
ment will be that it would have been we'll for
both Lincoln's memory and for the country
nau sucn DlographeI been drowned when a
pap. ia. K. M"