Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-07-18
q. s. Senator Question.

The following able and candid communica-
ton is furnished us by prominent member Of
the Senate-one, who, as appears from his re-
marks, is not identified as particular friend
of Mr.. Hamlin, or of his public course. We
commend it to the attentive perusal of our
readers, as enunciaing sound democracy, in
liberal, coneiliatory spirit. Such communi-
cations produce good effect, and we solicit from
our friends continuation of similar favors.
CANDID GLANCE AT BOTH SIDES.
1t does appear to me that tie democratic
party in this State, at the present time occupies
peculiar, if not critical position. 1 can but
look at the position of many democrats, with
regret, surprise and even astonishment, The
question as to who is to blame, is not of 80
much importance. as the question how shall
the difficulty be adjusted Mr. A, B, and c,
may be influenced by sinister motives, but the
masses of the democratic party are only inter-
ested for the welfare of their country. Now
for moment let us look at the true condition
of affairs. Ought Mr.. Hamlin to be elected u.
S. Senators answer-I think he ought to
democrat for boiling from Mr. Hamlin's nomi-
nation. In the first place, he has done the
democratic party in this State much service,
much more than many who are violently op-
posed to him. By party usage he was entitled
to nomination. By democratic usage he got
the nomination. He had and still has the sym.
pathies OF the Majority of the democratic party
Of this State, and it is not right for any set of
men to undertake to ride over or crush those
sympathies in any manner, much less by vio-
lating all democratic usages. 1t is idle to say
that Mr.. Hamlin was not fairly nominated. 1t
is worse than idle for class of politicians who
came to Augusta for the open and avowcd pur-
pose of defeating Mr.. HamIin. men who open
ly declared months before the assembling of
the Legislature. that they would not consent
to so into a. Convention with Mr.. Hamlin s
friends, for the nomination ora U. S. Senator,
to talk of the Caucus not having been fairly
called. What difference does it make to those
men who refused from the first to the last, to
so into Caucus, how or when the Caucus was
called. This is mere subterfuge. The eau
Gus was properly called. The nomination
was fairly made. l defy any one to show
wherein it was not. 1t was and is erfectly
apparent that large majority of the democrat
ic party in and out of the Legislature, prefer
II. Hamlin for T. S. Senator. Who but this
majority is to prescribe ruless Is large ma
jority to yield' to be driven from what they
/ l. -, T.
tate to SO large majority what shall be done :
how it shall be done Who shall hold all the
affairs of the State, and confne thousands to
the anti Proviso portion of the party.
Hamlin for aught appears, has ever advocat-
ed the virtues and principles OF the democracy
of Maine. His sentiments at least are known
to his constituents, and with this full knowl-
| edge he has received nomination by decid-
ed majority, and yet he and his friends are
modestly invited to retire from the field. |
must confess that this looks a good deal too
much like whiggery for me. His opponents
I will find, fear too late, that they are reckon
| ing without their host. The sympathes and
intelligence of the masses is the true foundation
| of political strength. He who disregardS this
must sooner or later fall. There have been
many specimens of wicked ambition in this
State, and unless this Legislature elect U. S.
Senator, fear few more may be added to the
catalogue.
The democracy of this State will hold re-
sponsible those men who bring the disastrous
consequences upon this State, which must in
| evitably flow from the non-election of T. S.
Senator at the present session. The act will
long be remembered
Political men throughout the State will be-
gin to enquire how it happens that this violent
| opposition to Mr.. Hamlin, arises and is mostly
confined to the coast of Maine. They may
eventually conclude that there is something be-
sides patriotism at the bottom.
| That some of Mr.. Hamlin's friends, and even
himself have made some great mistakes, do
not deny-that they have pressed their anti
slavery notions in an unreasonable manner, /
have been satisfied from the commencement of
this agitation to the present time-that they
were jeopardizing the harmony of the party l
had no question, and from the commencement
have cndeavored to avert the evil yet 1 have
found the feeling unmanageable, the impulses
of the masses on this question uncomfortable,
and as long as they confined themselves to
manifest democratic usages, have felt bound
not to violate any democratic usages in at.
tempting to control public sentiment on this
| question, within reasonable bounds. And Mr.
Hamlin's enemies loose ground when they at
tempt to accomplish this purpose by ruling
over and breaking down well established prn-
| ciples of the party, principles too without
which we all know the party cannot be sus-
tanned. must say that it is matter of aston
ishment to me that our present Legislature
should attempt to pass resolutions requiring
Congress to adopt the Wimot Proviso-espec-
tally at SO unpropitious time as the present
when leading men of the nation are, for this
very cause, plotting disunion. But some say
no danger, no danger! Who knows this Is
it worth while to hazard it for mere chime
"a? Do some of these political enthusiasts
know better about this than the leading states
men of the two great political parties Are
the opinions of Cass. Benton, Buchanan,
Woodbury., Clay, Webster and host of other
such men, to be disregarded and overrulcd by
own will No danger has not every states
man, from Washington down. told us ther e
was dangers Who is willing to blind his eyes,
stop his ears, and cry out now in the midst Of
I'll our troublos thronobout tba cour.rr ~