The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-06-10
Hon. Hannibal Hamlin.
COMMITTEE.


In the hurriedly-written notice of the NOM
nations published in yesterdays Press, no
mention was made of the gentleman whose
name heads this article. 1t was certainly
through no Intentional neglect. much less in
territorial disrespect that such an omission oc-
efficient men. He is man OF whom the Diri-
90 State feels justly proud. In the truest and
best sense of the word he is Democrat, a
lifelong Democrat, a man of the people, one
whose impulses are always on the side of hui
lnanity, who has always been in the front rank
on all questions OF human progress, and whose
notions OF freedom, of independence and Of
personal rights were developed into shape
and comeliness in the bracing atmosphere of
his own native hills In Oxford county. When
Mr.. Hamin acted with the Democratic party
he was ever ahead Of his coworkers in that
cause; so far ahead that the wire-working
politicians and ambitious spirits, the path Of
whose progress he DISTRACTED by his superior
greatness and strong hold upon the popular
mind, we're accustomed TO raise the mad dog
cry Of abolition" and ''negro-worshipper" in
order 10 bring him Into dsrepute among
those whose party prejudices were stronger
than their reasoning faculties, and whose con-
sciences we're anywhere but In the right
place.
During the Polk administration he took de-
cided ground in Congress in favor of the
"Wilmot Proviso"-the exclusion of slavery
or involuntary servitude except for crime,
from all the territories under the authority of
the United States Government. For this act
he was assailed by the proslavery men of his
party, but so popular was the doctrine at that
time with the Maine Democracy that Mr..
Hamlin outrode the storm raised at his ex-
pense, and was triumphantly elected to seat
In the U. S. Senate.
But he was troublesome man to his party.
not because he was not true Democrat, but
because he was actually too Democratic
ton, the effort was successfully made, at the
dictation of Southern statesmen and under
efficient executive drill, to abrogate the poll
cy upon which the government had acted for
more than thirty years, by repeating the So
called Missouri Compromises compromise
OF a third of a century's duration repealed by
party always peculiarly respectful and rev.
erent towards compromises-Mr. Hamlin OPP
posed the measure with all his energies, but
was obliged TO submit to a calamity lie could
not avert; still, as it was claimed that this
was purely Democratic measure to remand
TO the people the control of a domestic insti-
tuition which, it was claimed, should never
have been taken from them, and as 1t was as
serted that justice, right and popular liberty
would be even more safe in such control than
under the control of Congress, Mr. Hamlin
did not feel called upon TO break from his
party affiliations, but held on waiting TO see
the result.
For this he did not have to wait long. All
know the bloody, disgraceful and diabocal
regime which followed in Kansas, and how
the President knuckled to the "border rufiiansn
who overthrow the very semblance of popular
liberty in that territory, scarcely lifting q hand
for its protection. II was at such juncture
that Mr.. Hainlin saw the farce being enacted
In the name of Democracy, how a good name
was being made 10 cover an Infamous cause,
and he rose superior to party ties and absoly-
ed himself from all further allegiance to an
organization which had proved itself efficient
only for the protection Of wrong and out
rage.
From that time Mr.. Hamlin's public life
and acts are familiar to the members of the
Union party. He has been tried and never
found wanting. As Vice President of the
United States Mr.. Hamlin has won praises
from all quarters. Under this state of things
1t was right and natural that the people Of
Maine should desire his denomination on the
same ticket with Mr.. Lincoln. He was the
first choice Of our people, and, as tue vote
stood before any transfers were made, he
seems to have been the first choice of a very
handsome minority of the convention; and
though the selection fell upon another gallant
and true man, we doubt If Mr.. Hamlin failed
through lack OF friends. We have never felt
sangnine of his denomination, and for this
reason Mr.. Lincoln's denomination we deem
ed foregone conclusion. The people had
predetermined 1t, and we have supposed from
the first, that strong desire would exist in 4
the convention to go into the slave states for
the Vice President provided a suitable name
should be presented. No one doubts that
ANDY Johnson" is such a name The choice /
has fallen on him rather than Mr.. Hamlin:
therefore, more on local account than from
dissatisfaction with the present Incumbent