The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-05-31

Strdteu LnaC aerial naVlSatioh 10 onS " W.
possible things and few years should see us
making the voyage to Europe through the
air in a period of three days or less, it would
be no more marvellous than other triumphs
which this inventive age has witnessed.
Samuel T. Spring-Facts of History.
PETRoLIA, C. w., May "a, 1866.
| 10 the Editor crthe Press:
From leading editorial in the Press of the
| 10Th inst. clip the following extract:
We regret to see in the columns of the Re-
publican Clarion a long extract from mis-
chiefmaking article which appeared some
weeks ago in the Advertiser of this city. The
| extract includes comparison of the admins
| trations OF Governors Coburn and Cony, clos
ing with the following malicious insinuation
Our purpose only to justify eur opinion, that
just intrigue, and heartess treachery, and not any
marked defect oocasioned the overthrow OF the for
mer to give place to the latter, which, by the way,
was not the administration which the intriguers IN
tended to install.
This is all the Clarion quotes, but the Al
certiser goes further, expressly ascriblnS what
| il calls stbe overthrow of Gov. Coburn to the
Vaccinations of Senator Spring, and charging
upon Mr. Spring the design of ousting Gov.
| Coburn to make room for himself at that
| time.
During my temporary sojourn in this oleag-
enous section of the Queens dominions, /
have seen several articles in the Press touch
ing the approaching gubernatorial nomina-
ton for your State, from which have learn
| ed that, prominent among the candidates for
| the honors of the Union convention, stands
your estimablc and public-spirited citizen,
Hon. SAMUEL E. SPRING. Nothing connect
ed with the recent politics of your State has
afforded me more genuine satisfaction than
this. The reasons for qualification over such
intelligence, though not set forth, may be
| clearly inferred from what follows. 5s1
With so wide distance separating
the place of my present sojourn and the thea
tire of your approaching struggle, should
have had no word for the public eye, had not
the extract copied above revealed to me the
baseness of the means being adopted to defeat
the promotion of one of the most high-mind-
ed gentlemen, truest patriots, and magnani-
nous public men that it has ever been my good
fortune to become acquainted with. You are
correct. Mr.. Editor, when commenting upon
the intimations of the Clarion and the more
direct allegations of the Advertiser, in your
Gin this (your) vicinity, there is no need to
"say that the substance of these allegations is
"not only incredible but impossible"
| trust it may not seem egotistical to the
reader for me to say word touching this mat
ter in relation to facts with which was some
what personally connected. As you state, the
| delegation from Portland to the Bangor Con-
vention in 1868, that nominated Gov. Cony,
was about equally divided on the question of
renominating Gov. Coburn and the policy of
changing the basis of party action. It was my
lot to be member of that delegation. My
desire to see Governor Coburn renominated
was well known to those who elected me. 1
had in the columns of the Press, as you say
"insisted, until the wish of the majority had
sheen clearly expressed, that all men who
"were willing to stand by the Union could and
"would act with the Union party as well I'M
"der the name of Republicans as under any
"other." had opposed all change in the or
ganization of the party, not from any bigoted
attachment to the name,-for had then nev-
err cast but single Republican vote at State
election,-but because believed the organiza-
ton to be sound, healthy, free from weaken
ing corruptions, and that under it advantages
might be secured to the cause of bleeding
country that would be lost in any attempt at
a new organization of political forces on the
eve OF holly contested election. Such were
the views put forth in the Press and with
such views went to Bangor, with an unwav-
ering purpose to labor for Gov. Coburn's NOM
ination, believing, though the State committee
had dropped the word Republican" and call
ed simply a"Union" State Convention, that
the union of all the Internationally loyal men
Of the State could be best promoted by such
course. ~d H-
During the evening prior to the Convention
I was invited to meet gentlemen at room in
the Bangor House. There found perhaps
fifteen or twenty gentlemen from different
sections OF the State,-men who might safely
be regarded as opponents of the public Union
sentiment of their respective localities. There
was no formal organization of the meeting,
but conversation soon revealed that the object
of the parties to the interview was to compare
notes in relation to what was best to be done
on the day following. 1t was my first expert
ence in any other than Democratic Conven-
| ton, and was struck with the evident honest
purpose to reflect the will OF the people,-a
purpose which had not always appeared pre-
dominant in conventions with which 1 had
previously been connected.
In a free conversation found myself alone
in the expression of opinion that, to secure
the most emphatic voice of our State at the
polls in favor of the Union and the admins
tration, it was desirable to regard usage, and
renominate Gov. Coburn. urged the con-
sideration of usage; that his election would be
asure thing, and that Union Democrats who
were really what they claimed to be, would
vote for him, if nominated, quite as willingly
as they would for any man who, the year
previous. had supported the gallant and la
mented Jameson. l found, however, that
was alone, yet not single word discourteous
to Gov. Coburn was uttered; not word that
was not complimentary to him as a man and
as an officer oe the State. But it was urged
that new era had arisen; that party usage
should be laid aside in the face of the terrible
exigencies of the hour; that we should join
hands with all truly Union men who would
support the war and the administration in
prosecuting it,-and to show that our profess
sions of liberality were not hollow and heart
less we should go outside of all party requisi-
tions, and, if need be and more good could be
secured by so doing, we should even 60 out
side of the organized party to find candidate.
With such standard-bearer we could with
good grace ask those Union men not of the
party to make common cause with us.
think that only two names were mention
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