The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-08-16
81 Our reporter, according to promise,
furnishes us with his final account Of the
Democratic County Convention and
Mass Meeting.

We promised in our last to continue our
narrative concerning the doings Of the De-
mocracy at their late County Convention
And as our Democratic friends received the
first instalment with such unequivocal OK.
pressions rs to its fairness and reliability.
and was passed over by the Democrat with
that graceful silence which can only be CON-
strued into verdict Of approval, We resume
with great complacency the task of celebrat-
ing in printers ink, the sayings and dolngs
of the "gay and festive" setsNho were at
tracted to the shire town ON that ever men,
orable occasion.
A Scotchman once asked DR.. johnson what
he should think of Scotland from what stran-
gers had said Of it.
"Sir," said the Doctor, al should think
il a region Of the earth to be avoided as far
as convenient"
"But how" persisted the patriot, "if you
listened to what its natives say Of III"
"Then, sir" said Old 0bstinacy, al should
avoid it altogether"
Similar comment might be applied to this
Convention; and II one Of the party who
remained at home should ask yoke fellow
in the Democratic party, "What you would
think Of the action of the Democracy at AL.
fred, judging from the account of 'Our Re
porter" he would of course answer that
they had stormy time and broke up in a
row. "But what do you think Of 1t, judg.
ing from what Mr.. Buttermilk, our returned
delegate. says2p 40! then I should think
they had a jolly time and free fight, in
which all were counted in and both sides got
essentially whipped"
The pleasant little episode which termi-
mated the meeting Of our friends, and changed
the sweetness of their countenances into tho
aspect Of vinegar peddlers. should be mat
ter of no surprise to the members, either of
the Democratic or Repub lean party.
The Democratic party is not now. as in
the olden time, homogeneous mass. Tho
discipline and harmony. born of AUST cause,
no longer animates and incites 1t. Rival
leaders of rival factions distract, divide and
weaken 1t. An insane ambition long since
entered into the leaders, who found, as Dog
berry says, "that when two ride horse, one
must ride behind" and the other tugging at
the tail, it is no great wonder that the poor
old beast should stand stock still, or at best,
indulge only in the luxury Of rearing, kick
ing and plunging.
The Democratic organization, rs at pres
ent constituted in this county, is like bro
ken.winded race-horse owned by two jockeys,
which in its day made good time, but has
outliyed its usefulness, and is waiting for the
crows. Instead, however, OF being permitted
to recline against the sunny side of barn,
with boy to brush the flies of its eye-wink-
ers, it is tormented by the conflicting claims
of its proprietors, whose eternal wrapgling
as to what dirty work tho poor old hack can
be employed most proftably, denies to the
venerable beast the privilege Of a respectable
death.
Tho fact is, the Locoloco organization is
divided in It's counsels, and inharmonious in
its action. A secret desire to see the present
Administration fail in its sublime undertake
ing, even though the massive columns of our
Republican institutions fall with it, united
with an Unsuitable hungering and thirsting
after Office, gives them the appearance of an
aggregation Of many in one suffering from u
severe attack Of cramp cholic.
No wonder, then, that the elimination OF
their meeting to "consider the Political as
pcct of the times" shonld be general on
,laught upon each other, in which old wounds
should be re-opencd, new ones inflicted, where
each should strike somebody, and everybody
get struck.
Mr.. Wiggin declared in the morning that
'defeat had become the usage of the Demo-
cratic party" Inexorablc fate seems to have
ordained that usage so benefcent in its
practical operations, shall continue to obtain,
until 1t boasts such high antiquity, that the
memory Of the living and tho traditions of
the dead run not to the contrary.
A consummation 50 devoutly to be wished,
could have been made in no other mode 30
efcctually as by the Developments of their
County Convention. The malign spiritwhch
prompted Mr.. Aver to charactcrize tho Re
publican party as the drcgs and ofscourinS
of creation, his ill-conccaled opposition to
the Administration and the peoples war, his
clumsy distinction instituted between the
Administration and the Government, by
which he instructed his. hearers that they
could support the one abstractly, while fight
ing the other actually and practically,-his
denuuciations of tax which we will guar
antco shall never cost him the market value
of twenty-five cent confederate bond-tho
desire expressed by him and the other speak
ers, that speedy peace, by way Of truce or
compromise, should be brought about and
the war terminated, even though the country
, 1911 III ooo.,;roJ IN oman tho eves Of