Year: 1874




ment of leisure after my return from Washington
to reply to your favor of the Goth June, communi-
eating to the fatterng intelligence of my
unanimous nomination as the candidate Of the
Republican party for Representative in the 44th
Congress from the Third District of Maine. Ac-
cept my sincere thanks for the cordial tone OF
your letter. and permit me, through you, to tender
my profound acknowledgements to the Republicans
of the Kennebec Valley for the continued mani
festation of approval and regard with which they
have so signally and so repeatedly honorcd me.
have said, very frequently, in private, sometimes
in public-never trust, in boastful or vain-glo-
rious spirt-that did not believe another Con-
gressional district could be found in the United
States superior to the one you empower me to
represent, in all the elements of true patriotism;
in public and private virtue; in general intelli-
gence and culture, enforced through the common
school, the academy and the college; in universal
thrift and comfort without large individual wealth,
in political conviction firm and steadfast beyond
doubt or waver, and yet always tolerant and liber
al towards those who think differently. Such
constituency confer honor upon any man they call
to represent them in the national councils, and
beg to make known through you my grateful ap-
probation Of the trust and confidence so generous
ly reposed in me for SO long period.


The resolutions to which you invite my atten-
ton are so generally acceptable to the people OF
the district that no issue will be made ON the mat
tiers embraced in them. The currency question at
one time threatening to divide parties and what
would be far serious, to divide sections, is in
process of happy adjustment, partly by wise and
temperate enactment passed by large majority in
both branches of Congress and approved by the
President, but in far greater degree by the opera
ton Of causes more powerful than any legislation
can be. In these remarks am, indeed, but repeat
ing, in substance, the resolutions of your conven-
ton, and gladly adopt as my own the leading
declaration of the series that &c" is the imperative
duty of the national government to return to specie
payment soon as wise craftsmanship can safely
reach that result


But while our political opponents in Maine will
not seriously contest any position taken by us,
they have themselves chosen raise another issue
on which we will not be slow to differ from them.
The Democratic State Convention, in re nominating
their respectable candidate for Governor, adopted
with suggestive unanimity the following resolu-
ton as the leading article in their revised political
creed:


" Resolced, That a Protective Tariff is most
UNJUST, unequal, oppressive and wasteful mode of
raising the public revenues. 1t is one of the most
pregnant and fruitful sources of the corruptions in
administration. We therefore, the democracy of
Maine, IN convention assembled, declare for FREE
TRADE, and an fdror Of an unfettered and unre-
stricted commerce."


This advanced position, now formally and boldly
taken by the Maine Democracy, in their State
Convention, receives additional point and mean
ing by the letter of their Gubernatorial candidate
Mr. 1ltcomb, who in accepting the nomination
specially approves the foregoing resolution, and
lntimates his endurance of the lowest form of
Revenue Tariff, only "until we shall be educated
up to the idea of equal, direct and therefore mod
crate taxation for the support of Government, and
until this idea shall be brought into practical
operation" have quoted Mr.. Titcomb's own
words, and it is quite evident that the startling
dogma to whichhc commits himself, is in sympathy
with more impressive movements to be made else
where in the same direction, and is first thrown
out in Maine as an experiment on public opinion.
Ii there were the slightest danger of the Demo-
cratic party with this avowed policy, coming into
power, the dangers ahead would be truly appall-
ing; but as no such calamity mpends, we may be
allowed 10 examine with more coolness the wild
absurdity of the proposition.


You will observe that the issue proposed is not
the old and familiar one between those who adyo-
cate Tariff for Protection and those who wish
duties imposed only for Revenue. That is an
Issue as Cid as the levying of imposts, and with
occasional exceptions has been determined largely
by latitude and longitude, Or by the differing in
'erests which change of section and varying forms
oil industry have developed. But the Maine De-
mocrscy assume that all Tariffs are more or less