The Portland daily press., 1864-12-27


Presidency, did not accept an Office which
was 10 terminate with his own Senatorial
term, thus leaving him at liberty to be his own
successor, but an Office which would reach
two years beyord his Senatorial term. He,
therefore, accepted the Vice Presidency with
full knowledge that he was taking himself out
Of the Senatorial line, and we can think of moth
ing more preposterous than the idea that,
having accepted the Vice Presidency for foar
years, and allowing another to be elected In
his place, his friends should assert his claim 70
ill Mr.. Fessenden's old seat, whsa that gen.
tleman has done nothing and seeepteo no posi-
ton Inconsistent with his lection ~ ms own
successor. The non-election OF Mr. Fessen-
den might be construed into not only dis
courtesy. INIT a direct condemnation by his
own g.. o. non-election of Mr.. Hamlin is
s,ooo,,,;h,a - no such construction, because,
first. there IS no vacancy in the Senatorial
clas. - mich he belonged when he accepted
49, ace he now holds, and, second, because
Wv legislature of his State unanimously re-
commended him for denomination, and the
delegates in the national convention, with per-
feet unanimity, gave him their support; so
that, as faithful public servant in the Office
now filed by him he has the most substantial
endorsement in the power of his State to give.
There is one other consideration, the men,
ton of which we make not without full
consciousness of the delicacy of the mat
ter. We are aware that the Union party is
or should be perfectly Homogeneous party;
that antecedents are OF small account, and yet
wise men will not needlesly pursue policy
likely to prevent or disturb that perfect con-
solidation of feeling and sentiment which is
desirable among the friends Of the Union.-
Having been more than twenty years an earn
est worker in the. Democratic party-"of the
straightest sec" feel more at liberty to
suggest the point we have in view than we
might had we come into the Union party from
the Wing branch of the original stock.
The point we allude to is this:s When in
1857 the question of electing successor to
Mr.. Hamlin was first considered, there were
many gentlemen who pointed to and proposed
another distinguished gentleman on the banks
of the Penobscot, SO as to retain the senator
ship in the eastern part of the State. That
gentleman was well qualified, OF ripe age, Of
rich experience, and in every way fttedsfor
the position proposed. We refer to Ex, Gov 2
Kent. But what was the argument by which
his name was set aside? It was this: He was
formerly Wing. The other senator-Mr. Fes-
senden--Was also OF Wing antecedents, and 1t
was argued that to preserve proper equilib-..
rum in the party, to avoid all causes Of jeai-'
ousy and to ensure the best good Of the State, it
would not be wise to take both Senators from
the Wing branch Of the party, but that one
should be of Democratic antecedents. This
thought was regarded with favor,s and Mr..
Hamlin was elected with remarkable unanim-
ity in consonAnce with this idea, although to
accept he would be required to vacate the gu
boruatnrial ehairs AiGov. Kent and his many
friends appreciated the point taken ny Inc
friends of Mr.. Hamlin, and yielded gracefully
from desire to preserve the utmost harmony
among those who were laboring to uphold
common cause, and TO promote q common
end. l..l2all 124SA @
At later period Mr.. Washburns then the
popular and efficient Representative of the Pc
nobscot District, which place he had Allied for
ten successive yesrs--and probably might
have continued to fill it for many years more
was persuaded-as Mr.. Hamlin had been
much against his inclination, to accept the
gubernatorial nomination. One Of the argu-
ments used by his friends to influence his &C.
ceptance Of Discrimination, was that he would
be very likely to succeed Mr.. Morrill, when
he had filed out the two years of Mr.. Ham
Inns unexpired term. We have no authority
for saying this argument had any weight with
Mr.. Washburn; we only assert that it was
urged with a view 10 Influence his action.
Mr.. Washburn: was triumphantly elected
and reelected, and no man ever labored more
asiduously in the Executive chair, or had a
more arduous press of business forced upon
him,-his two years covering the two first
years of the war. When the time approached
for the election Of Mr. MorrilI's successor
there were many influential gentlemen who
urged Gov. Washburn's name upon the atten-
ton of the legislature, but, as in the case two
i
years before, the suggestion was persistently
met by considerations of party equilibrium
and that the senators should not be both o.
Wing antecedents We knosc this policy was
urged in Difference to the Democratic branch o.
the Republican party, and the policy prevailed
GOV. Washburn's friends submitting to it with
out remonstrance. NV ayea.si sasae1 ,S y
Now, in closing this protracted article, we
have only to say that, whether the point by
whAsA> Governors Kent and Washburn were
ruled out, was we'll taken. on nv,s : = 100 iatf
for those who profted by 1t to ignore the rule
1t would be too much like the rejection Of the
Missouri Compromise by the south, after they
had got all their advantages from IL, and before
the adverse party had received any advan-
tage. Mr.. Morrill,, the worthy senator who
succeeded Mr.. Hamlin, is of Democratic an
tecedents. 1t seems to US, as one Of kindred
antecedents, that it 10 scarcely magnani-
nous now, after two applications Of rule for
the benefit of Democratic candidates, that il
should be ignored lest its regard should mill
tate against gentlemen from that branch Of
the party. We hope it may not be done, In
the present instance at any rate.
- = = = ---N 571s Ef4
sss1'' ea' Hopeless. sga 800 -
The Argus has column-long article filed
with even more than It's usual proportion OF