The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-04-10
OUR ELECTION.
ITS Rs..lt, its IniIsence and Z. Lesson.

rrm an OCCASIONAL correspondent.
PORTLAND, April 4. 1868.
The charter election, after two inenectuA
efforts Mt the polls,-March ID and l6th,-endet
March 10Th, by the choice Of Capt. Jacob Nc
Lellan, the regular, original Republican nomi
nee, at special meeting Of the council, by
strict party vote Of 10 to 8 on the first ballot
NJ extraordinary efforts Of less than 800 dis
0kisfed Republicans have, therefore, failed o
their svowed object-the defeat Of the regulal
nominee Of their party.
II were well II this were all, but, unhappily
"the evil men do lives after them" Let US se'
what has been accomplished by these fsw gen
tlemen Our Ave or six thousand citizens Oh OIL
ages and conditions, have been required TO u
double duty at election At . most Indictment sea
son; the excitement Of IN ordinary charter elec
ton has been qusdruplsd and the evils inciden
thereto, such - double voting. riots, resistance
TO tho police, &C., have been infinitely augment
oil; the commonenemy has been stimulated Z
the most determined and thorough political ef
fort ever made in Maine, thereby largely In
creasinr the former vote and making harder
work for the Republicans next fall and there
after; the golden opportunity to aid the grea
national cause of humanity, union and liberty
by handsome Republican majority at the first
or even the second election, has been thrown
away; an opposite and baleful influence has
been cast on the national cause, which, but for
the glorious victory Of the faithful, unselish and
united patriots of New Hampshire. might have
been disastrous, at this momentous crisis while
constitutional liberty and all the fruits OF four
years. war are trembling in the balance nj
Washington, the .fryus and the friends OF John
son, of slavery and disunion throughout the
nation, arc enabled to boast Of "the Illuminating
defeat Of Republicanism and Radicalism in the
home Of Senator Fcssendcn and Representative
LYNCH" and to shout like fends over the "good
line shot at Impeachment"
Inasmuch as all this was forcsecn by every
sensible man In Portland, Of whatever party,
and as our dissatisfied friends were implored for
this very reason to abandon their opposition ut
this time, il is hoped, now all Is over, that the
political crimnality and folly Of such conduct
on the part Of protested Republicans will be
realized and that its repetition will never be
attempted, for II is ''only evil and that continu-
ally II is the old exploded doctrine Of seces-
sion, conceived in the unchristian spirit OF
"Ruin IL YOU cannot rule" The Argus, with
grim facctiousness announces to the world that
this "defeat Of the Republicans was effected in
spte Of the frantic efforts Of the oDiee-aoidsrs.
Is reference here made to the President or to
our Postmaster, or to both, Surely the Re
publican party has occasion to pray. "Saye me
from my friends" With slightly different
views, imagine, touching "the prohibitory is
sue," these two somewhat prominent 'oftcc
holders" Of the Republican party have Soon
Cured In the result" as judges say and have
practically constituted, for the purpose Of our
city election and its malign national influences,
ga noble pair Of brothers," with the qualihca-
ton that the President was prevented from CIV
ing his personal attention to our city affairs
through public addresses and protests by an un-
ayoidsble pressure Of private business.
The right of every private citizen to entertain
and express his own political opinions with en-
tire frcclom at all times, Is rs sacred as that OF
''life, liberty and the pursuit OF happiness,
but Il is worth considering whether ga decent
regard to the opinions Of mankind" does not
REQUIRE incumbents Of 10 lucrative and impor-
tant Offices AZ President and Postmaster either
to refrain from persistent, active and open hos
tility to the party to which they owe their Po-
litical life and all they are, or else have the
grace to yield to the popular wish for their re-
tircment to private life.
Can an honorable man honorably realm an
an Office which he never could have obtained, If
his subsequent apostate conduct had been fore
seen or anticipstedf MAcnnGoNSE.