The Portland daily press., 1868-03-14
Letter from Rev York.

The Portland EIection-the Struggle in Connec-
tscut-Barnuna's Loss-the Weather and the
Streets
New YORK, March II. 1868.
To the Editor Of the Press:
cannot forbear opening this letter by an
appeal to the Republican voters of Portland
to do their dutyin the election of Mayor next
Monday. You may think this is small mat
ter to engage our attention at this distance
1t is not so. We have desperate, unscrupu-
lous enemy to fight, and they make capital of
the smallest affairs. This years campaign is
their last hope. They have lost New Hamn-
shire. They feel the great necessity of carry.
ing Connecticut to give them even decent
pretext for contesting the elections next fall.
Where there is no chance to claim capital
they manufacture victory. Why should they
not then undertake to make capital when
they fairly have a chance? All the city cleo
tons in Maine where the Democrats have
gained have been paraded in big letters-the
balance have gone unnoliced They claimed
your last election as thousand gain for their
ticket. The fraud is not easily noticed here
and in Connecticut. But you must give the
lie to this statement on the next trial. Drop
local issues. The Presidential battle is not
far distant There can be but two sides
then. Your vote now ON the right side will
make the great contest easier. You must not
forget that the gallant Republicans upon the
hard fought field of Connecticut are looking
to you for encouragement. Every vote addt d
to the majority for your mayor next Monday
will be recruit for Connecticut. Let MS
hear good loud report from Portland!
We breathe good deal freer politically
since Tuesday, and the Republicans of the
land of wooden nutmegs feel stronger for the
victory in New Hampshire Connecticut will
be closely contested, and if we do not beat
the mongrel Democracy and Johnsonianism
we shall be hard after them. There is work
to be done and our people are doing it. Vigil
lance is necessary, for the Bread and Butter
Brigade of johnson is still at work, and thew
are as expert in ballot box stufing as thew are
light-fngered with Uncle Sans pockets
They will be sharply looked after. The De-
mocracy, of course, with the loss of New
Hampshire setting hard upon their greedy
stomachs, see that if they lose Connecticut.
they will have nothing to back their boastipp
for the national campaign, and will strain
every nerve to gain the State. Having the
State now in their hands, they have the adj
vantage OF local patronage, and it would not
be surprising if Tammany might find it con-
venient to transport few of our "indeden-
dent electors" from the slums of the great
metropolis. On the other hand, our Republi
can friends claim that they go into the can.
vass with some advantages, or rather with the
luck Of some disadvantages which lost the
State to them before. The personal opposition
to Mr.. Barnum for Congress alone they claim
as enough to have turned thu scale. The Dem.
ocratic majority was only loco, and they hone
to Increase nearly all that in the one district
where the contest was manifestly so dependent
upon personal enmity and money. Again, it
is an uudoubted fact that the immense wea tn
of Gov. English and other Democratic leaders
placed them in power, and the richest of them
begin TO see that it is rather an expen sive pas
time to lay out fortunes upon SO paltry ma
iority. 1t is, however, difficult to tell the re-
suit. The enemy are boastful and desperate
but our friends are hopeful and determined.
The irrepressible Barnum has been burnt
out again. His building which he had but
recently purchased was totally destroyed to-
se'ner with the most valuable of his large col
i9ctioh oi animals and curiosities. The fire
""e '" one oi the coolest nights of the season;
IL "sS Almost impossible to get water; it was
equaHy dlmcult for the firemen tn vork tho
cold beng SO intense as to freeze water almost
instantly. The next morning, and indeed for
two days, the ruins were magnificent to he.
hold. The whole face of the building stood
complete, minus only the windows and doors
1t was nearly one mass of sparkling icicles.
through which here and there appeared the
the picture of leopard, or an elephant, or
lat baby, Or a gorilla, (rumor maliciously says,
iunny Hoboken') by which pictures the pub
lie were given to understand that Barnum