The Portland daily press., 1866-08-10
The Coming Contest.


We earnestly hope that not any of the true
friends of freedom and impartial justice in
this State win allow themselves to be so far
deceived as to underrate the importance OF the
political conflict which is now fairly maC-
gurated. No election which has ever taken
place in this country-we will not except even
the ever memorable one of 1860, which plac-
ed Mr.. Lincoln in power-has been more
fraught with momentous possibilities than are
involved in those which will take place in the
various loyal States during the next three
months. The unchanged and unrepcntant
traitors OF the South, encouraged by the mis-
taken lenity with which they have been treat
ed, aided by that disloyal and unpl incipled
Northern Democracy which made itself their
ally during the war, and supported by the
open sympathy and reckless cooperation OF
the President, have resolved to make one more
effort for supremacy, believing that they may
be able to secure by fraud and cunning that
which they failed to achieve by force OF arms.
Their plans are skilIfully laid; the various act
ors in the plot have their parts assigned, and
are prepared to carry them out with a Nck-
less determination; they are confident of vic
tory this time, and they will certainly win it
if the people are not sufficiently awake to the
danger to arise and defeat them. The loyal
men of the country, weary with fonr years of
fighting, would gladly enjoy brief period
of peace and repose, but that cannot be now
This is no time to sleep upon their arms
The same foe they have SO often faced is still
arrayed against them. 1t is the old alliance
of open traitors on the one hand, and Cop
perhead sylnpathizers on the other, only mar
shaled now under the leadership Of recreant
Republican Vice President, and armed with the
weapons of political fraud and cbicane in place
OF cannon and sabre. This precious coalition,
conquered once in the field, has got to be again
vanquished at the ballot-box; otherwise the
cause for which we have bled SO long will be
as completely lost as if Lee mad conquered
Grant and Jefferson Davis had dictated terms
to President Lincoln.
We repeat, ON the result of the pending
Congressional elections depends the fate OF
the country for peace or war, for Union or vi
olent disruption. The chiefs of the Copper
johnson alliance do not hesitate to declare
that if they can secure such number Of the
new members as, added to those claiming ad-
mission from the seeded States, will give
them a numerical preponderance, they will
unite with these latter; that thus united the
President will recognize them as the lawful
Congress of the whole country, and support
them by all the power of the military arm
which is wholly at his disposal. OF course,
such step would plunge the nation again in
to civil war, and lead to misch:efs simply in
calculable.
That Mr. johnson, or even the violent and
traitorous faction into whose arms he seems
to have entirely flung himself, could really
onLannpi04e -,4.Aae,,rrs like these will look to
many impossible. The more sanguine, and
we are of that number, must still cling to the
belief that he would not, even if he had the
power, proceed to such extremities. But the
leading Journals which most ardently support
his policy do not hesitate to urge such
course upon him, and to declare it fully iusti-
fable. AT the same time the painful truth
IuuSb NC uilttb Ills TCSlu6uI1dl career
thus far affords little ground for confidence
that there is any degree of fecklessness of
which he is not capable. There is but one
safe course, and that is to put it out of his
power to work such mischief by returning to
Congress an overwhelming majority of men
whom the nation can trust.
Here in Maine Republican victory is look
ed upon as matter of course, and there is
danger that Union men may not deem the
occasion one calling for any powerful effort
But they should remember that an ordinary
victory is not enough. They ought to roll up
next month such magnificent majority as
shall teach the disloyal plotters, North and
South, that their plans are utterly hopeless,
and shall at the same time stimulate to new
efforts and firmer courage those States
where the cause is weaker and the conflict
more difficult. Let tie fat of the people of
Maine be spoken in tones which shall resound |
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the |
Lakes to the Gulf, and cause every traitor
high and low, to tremble as he hears
THE RICHMOND EXAMINER AND THE RICH
MoND NEGRoEs.-A recent number of the
Richmond Examiner recommends singular
course of treatment to put a stop to q class of
public meetings offensive to its fastidious taste
Possibly the threat in the last paragraph may
indicate a design to crush negro imperti-
hence after the fashion of New Orleans. The
Examiner says;
The negroes who insult this community by
military organizations, drills and parades, and
by incendiary gatherings, harangues and re-
solves, should remember that they are depend
ent upon the white people of Richmond for ev-
cry morsel of bread that goes into their mouths,
and for every house, hut or cellar that shelters
them and their families. If these things go on,
we shall advise that a full list be made out of
the names OF all who take part in such proceed
call on the people of Richmond not to rive en-
ployment, even to the backing of boot to any
one whose name is embraced in the LIST and
not to rent even so much as a doo-kannaI 10
any one of them for protection from tbe com;no
blasts of winter. If they choose to insnlt 70 ;r
ritate and endanger the peace of the commnn;.
ty from whom they receive nothing but kind
ness, we shall do our part to see that thew are |
not allowed to remain in that communitv -
We speak now for their own good more than
that of their late masters, who will know how
to protect themselves should an emergency
arise.
CURIOUS FREAK OF NATURE.-A gentleman
has laid upon our table branch of the red
rose, the common climbing variety known as
the prairie rose which exhibits a singular
oaca of abnormal devplon,,nr.