The Portland daily press., 1866-06-28
err all, perhaps, are no better qualified than


ter all, perhaps, are no better qualified than
myself.
Hence my first reason for refusing the use
of my name, was that Maine ought to allow
no man to occupy the Gubernatorial Chair,
who has not the most eminent qualifications,
by his talents, learning, craftsmanship and
high moral standing, to do his State great
credit and confer honor upon, rather than re-
cieve honor from, the office. For this reason
l would take myself out of the way, and ad-
wise the people to put out of the way, all 9TH
ers, who, at home and abroad, cannot COM
mand the attention and respect OF the Ee
public. We have had too many great men in
Office, whom, as John Holmes once said, "the
God of nature meant for rery little men," In
some States, as in Massachusetts and South
Carolina, the policy always has been to select
not your mousing partisans who bargain
for office behind back-doors, but men
OF the highest talents and attainments, and
when in Office to keep them there for years,
and not heed the clamor of smaller men for
"rctation." In Massachusetts,, look at her
Hancocls, her triple list of Adamses, her
Bowdons, her Otisas-James and II. Cher
Strongs, her Sullivans, her Summers, her Eus-
tises, her Gerrys, her Lincolns, here Ameses,
her two Everetts, her Parsons, her Pickerings,
her Rantouls, her Dexters, her Websters, ct
i'd onane genus. In South Carolina, always
the opposite of Massachusetts,, In everything
but talents, recall her Pnckneys, her Rut-
lodges, her Sumters, Geddes, her Cheves, her
Calhouns, her Med lfies, her Huyers, her
Gaillairds, her Pettigrews, her Haynes, her
Legares, her Hamiltons, her Prestons, her
Grimkes, and her Orrs. 1t is such men,
representing the little free State of Massa-
chusetts, that have controlled the public
sentiment of the North, and it is such men
as have represented the little slave State
OF South Carolina, that have controlled the
southern mind, till she led in her traitorous
attempts to break up the Union, whilst the
other has led in the work of its salvation. I
want to see Maine adopt the policy OF elect
ing no two-penny politicians to office, but OF
choosing those only who are capable of COM
manding for their State a name and a praise
before the people and the nation. This was
my first reason for admonishing all small men
over my own back, to stand aside and give
place to those of eminent merit and qualifica-
tions. Was wrong in this? Is it PROPOSE
ton deserving no Rotice,-or If noticed, only
to be treated with contempt and ridicule?
Let the reader judge.
IN
the use of my name in any of those political
gaming houses called caucusses, where men
too often are packed to secure the nomination
of interested aspirants, who have 10 higher
ability than to intrigue for Office There were
no caucuses in Washington's day, nor in the
elder Alams's time. Then no man dared be
an ofice-seeker, but citizens were sought out
because OF their eminent merits, and were
put into office without their agency. When
the caucus system was subsequently intro
duced, it was as odious to the patriots of the
country as cage of uciean birds. But it
was found useful for party purposes, and final
ly prevailed. admit that it has been greatly
improved in modern times, and as now con-
Quoted, is perhaps as unexceptionable as any
system can be that is without its legal re-
sponsibilities. / confess 1 should like to see
some system adopted, whereby free men
might go to the polls and vote for whom they
please without being bound hand and foot by
the DEGREES of king caucus. Iconfess should
revolt at the tn ought of having my name cast
into the lot that is to be hustled for in eau
Gus, or moved by adroit gamesters for place
in the king-row.
But finally, my gravest reason for declining
a nomination, or any attempt at it, was that
political offce-seeking, and mere political
offce-holding are Incompatible with the cler-
ical profession. An ambassador of Him
whose ''kngdom is not of this world" de-
grades his high calling in Christ, and 6efiles
his saccrdotal robes whenever he descends
from the pulpit to the stump and places him
self upon level with partizan office seekers
in the race for political power and place. I
never knew but two clergymen who were
OF any practical use in the Legislature; and
never knew but one who entered the political
arena and did not come out of it quite unfit
thereafter for the sacred Office. As would
not commit that error myself into which the
ambition of some other clergymen has led
them, confess l was willing to make my
own case an occasion for giving all my breth-
rem timely ajmonition in this regard.
WILLIAM A. DREW.