The Portland daily press., 1868-01-27
Saturday Night at the Republican Head
t' quarters.

Headquarters, as almost everybody knows
now are for the present in the brick building
at the corner of Congress and Mark : streets.
They will have to be removed to larger hall
before the spring campaign is over, and next
summer, when the State becomes battle field
and the speakers begin to maneuvre, head
quarters will be in the saddle. For the pres
emit we have to do however with the hall on
Congress street. 1t was an inspiring scene
there Saturday night, and in no respect more
inspiring than in the universal complaint of
the limited room. At an early hour the hall
was crowded, and when at half past seven
Mr. M. A.. Blanchard of the City Committee
called the meeting to order, the seats, the
committee room, and even the entry and stairs
were occupied by the enthusiastic assemblage.
Gen. James D. Fessenden was nominated
for chairman and the nomination was ratified
with warm applause. On taking the chair,
Gen. Fessenden expressed his qualification at
seeing such numbers present as to assure both
friends and enemies that the Republicans of
Portland can be- counted on to be on hand
when wanted. Mr.. G. w. Beal was chosen
secretary, and short addresses were made by
Judge Kingsbury, Hon. Josiah H. Drummond,
L. stevens, Rev. Mr.. Gee of Tennessee, Mr. F.
N. Dow, and Ex-Mayor McCobb.
Judge Kingsbury said he was glad to see so
many of the old friends who for eight years
have been SO faithful and true TO the great
ideas upon which the Republican party is
founded, so many of the friends with whom he
had associated long ago, when the Democratic
party was truly democratic and he edited the
Eastern Argus. Everything depends upon
| the issue of the campaign upon which we are
entering. All that the army, the emancipa-
| ton proclamation and our noble and thrice
| honored Congress have won is imperiled. II
| the Democratic idea is right, the equality of
all men before the lawis wrong; if that party
prevails, slavery, actual if not nominal will be
restored. ......... ~.
Mr.. Drummond explained the circumstances
under which the Republican National Con-
vention of 1864 came to nominate Andrew
johnson. There was a powerful appeal for
the recognition of the loyal Democratic ele-
ment acting with the Republican party. Lyman
| Tremaine of New York urged such recognition
| in a speech which carried the convention by
| storm. Parson Brownlow and Horace Maynard
| vouched for Andrew johnson. They asked
only for the second place on the ticket and
| they gotit The detection of the President
had delayed and endangered the success OF the
Republican policy. Our municipal election,
a week before the New Hampshire election,
| will be the first gun in the Presidential cam
| paign. The election of a citizens ticket, or
| any other ticket except a straight Republican
| ticket, will be construed as q Conservative
| victory. 1t will do no good to explain. If we
| nominate straight Republican ticket, go into
a square, old-fashioned fight and win square,
old-fashoned victory, there will be no occa-
sion to explain anything. The ia It will speak
| for itself.
| Mr.. Foster said that during the last few
| years we had been skirmishing with our
| friends almost as much as with our enemies.
1t was time to bury these differences Our
enemies are organized and active. 1t is never
safe to underrate the strength of an opponent
| We must come together, shoulder to shoulder,
select our best candidates, and elect our can
didate for mayor, whoever he may be, by
majority of one thousand or more. If we try,
we can do it. .a a. zts p ar.I ara Ia
Col. Miller said the Democrats were already
claiming the city by a majority of five hun
bred. If this city was lost by such majority
l
the State would be lost in September. He be-.
lieyed on the other hand that we could count
on plump thousand, if we strike hands and
go to work in earnest.
Mr.. Stevens thought there was missionary
work for every man present to do. He knew
workingmen who had been taken to the hall
in Free street and taught to believe that work
is scarce because the Republicans are in pow
er. 1t was necessary to meet these misrepre-
sensations, to insist everywhere that the dis
tress and uncertainty in which we are involv-
ed are not occasoned by the fact that the Re-
publicans saved the country, but by the other
fact, that the Democratic party almost ruined
| it and that Democratic President still binders
the restoration of peace. 90 a'
| Mr.. Gee said he had come in to see how Re-
publicans in Maine did up this business, and
| was gratiied. He had been in Tennessee ever
since the bottom fell out of the Confederate