Year: 1869

Mr.. HAMLEN's LETTER.-Justice to Mr..
Hamen, a part of whose letter to Senator
Sprague we published yesterday, requires that
the whole of that extraordinary epistle should
be published, so that it may not be said that
the author is misrepresented by garbled ex-
tracts:


PORTLAND, MAINE, April 6, 1869.


DEAR Sur: Since I last took the liberty to
ask for your speech have met many OF my
business friends, and all are anxious to get
hold OF it in full. All we have had, of course,
are extracts. think you have struck the key
note. The Republican party here has been
managed by few men. "Soldiers of fortune,
who have taken advantage of the exigencies
of the past few years, that has made a great
and strong party, to hold the lash over every
member that dared to raise his voice against
their dictation, and nearly all the party Or
gans under the influence of these same men,
ale raising the cry of mad dog" all over the
country against every man that dares step out
of the line and say the government of this
country has got to come to practical issue.
These fellows have been brought to the sur
face almost to man during the excitement of
the last eight wears. and while the question
with the practical and patriotic part of the
country was chow shall we save it?" they
were engineering themselves to the 'front.' as
leaders at home and fattening on the spoils.
And now, when the same practical men have
had time to take into consideration the actual
state that the country is left in and give their
opinion what ought and must be done to
give it the right start for prosperous course,
1ne wnole PACK OF tricksters "yelp and bay"
They feel the ground slipping from under
them. The truth is, the people are beginning
to think this matter over.


A practical illustration is better than naoes
of sentiment Take my own citv in its ie at
local election. We have set of men here 10
type of such all over the country nonNnro' s@
ducers, grubs, hanging on the body polite.
paying hardly dollar to support State or ma
ton, nothing to do but fix up party machinery.
to grind them out living What did the best
portion of the Republican party do but to just
iay back and let the Democracy whip them
out of their boots, and this in the face of a
clear Republican majority of one thousand in
this city 1 have been with and talked this
matter over with business Republicans. They
say they will not submit longer to the dlcta-
ton of men that in their business they wonld
not trust with dollar. The old cry of the
war and the soldiers" is played out We
rejoice at the result and honor the actors, but
there is something else to do now besides keep
ing up mimic play. But enough. 1 com
menced this to ask you to send me goodly
humber OF your speeches, and will see that
tney nave good circulation. 1t only remains
say mat L am Republican -one from the
1rs., no sore-head; no office-seeker, and only
9eslre 10 see business as before the war, when n
irom que pIonts OF r1y business could add to
my lnaiVlouai capital year by year. adding
my mite 10 the wealth of the whole conntry
anu nos as now, having it nearly all absorbed
ing business.


Pardon my long effusion. / wilfnot tronh,a
you more; only keep boring into these corr,,nt
profigate politicians, and let the CALLED iads
vince" Truly, yours, j. ii. HAMLRN.


Hon. William Sprague.