The Portland daily press., 1868-06-18
The Maine Delegation i'm Congress.

| 1t is now quite apparent that the Maine del
cation in the next Congress will not be great
ly changed. Mr.. Blaine has already
been renominated by acclamation. In the
Fourth District Mr.. Peters will undoubtedly
receive, as he deserves, the same compliment.
Mr.. Pike has already represented the Fifth
District for eight years and probably does not
care for reelection, but if we are rightly in
formed large number of his fellow citizens
are still anxious to retain his services. In the
Second District Mr.. Perham after a prolong-
ed and honorable term of service, would
willingly retire, but the competition for the
succession is so keen and so evenly balanced
that it is not impossible that the convention,
falling to agree upon any other candidate,
may make still further demands upon him. In
the First District there appears to be no doubt
OF the denomination and reelection of Mr..
Lynch.
While the power of the people at stated in
tervals to pass Judgment upon the work of
their servants in Congress and elsewhere, is
the safeguard of liberty and the guaranty of
progress, it is nevertheless true that so long
as they are doing well too frequent changes
are undesirable and injurious. The business
of legislation, like any other business, requires
special training and special knowledge. Our
lawmakers usually serve an apprenticeship in
the State legislatures, but they have much to
learn after reaching Washington. To know
what is right and desirable in the abstract isus
ually easy; ito framela law which will make such
abstract ideas real and efficient, is much more
difficult; to know the men who must be in
Huanoa1 tn - A.
the measure, and secure its passage, is often
very difficult, and yet this is one of the least of
the duties of Representative in Congress-
He is not merely to present his own measures
but to sit in judgment day by day upon the
almost countless propositions of his associates;
to look carefully after the manifold interests
of his constituents; to look with equal care to
the general welfare of the republic. These, if
iairy performed, are not light duties. The la
bors of the working members of Congress are
more ardu0as than those of most of their con-
stituents, and the facility and efficiency of
their work is usually in direct ratio to their
legislative experience. What potency the
voice of Massachusetts gained through the
long service of John Quincy Adams in the
House of Representatives. Thaddeus Stevens
ii''o oOOh iouiocOu ears III tue house, anu III is
safe to say that his influence there is due no
less to his long familiarity with public affairs
than to his native force of character.
1t is therefore with pleasure that we notice
the growing disposition to discard the Demo-
cratic doctrine ofrotation in office-a doctrine
which degrades alike the elector and his rep
resentative by making the office a flavor to be
conferred in turn upon as many claimants as
possible instead of post of duty to which a
man is summoned by his constituents, where
there is work to do and credit to be gained by
doing it well. Ofcourse we are not disputing
the perfect right of the people to change their
servants every two years if they choose; we are
simply saying that it is not best to make that
choice, unless for cause. The Representative
from this District for example has carried
with him into Congress those habits of syste-
matte application and industry to which his
previous success in life was due. He has orig
mated some important measures OF financial
reform, one of which, looking to the temporary
provision of a more flexible currency, has been
approved by the best financiers in Congress
and will undoubtedly be adopted, while the
other, providing in plain, common sense way
for return to specie payments will command
attention at the next session of Congress when
this subject win have to be grappled. His
votes on all questions relating to the all-impor-
tant matter of reconstruction have faithfully
represented the opinions of the majority of his
constituents. He has not neglected the spec
ial interests OF the District The Biddeford
Democrat asserted last week that the appro-
pration for the breakwater at the mouth of
the SacO river was secured through Mr.. Fes-
senden's influence, but we observe that the
same paper this week, ON Mr.. Fessenden's au-
thority, corrects the error and acknowledges
that the appropriation was obtained by Mr.
Lynch's exertions. But it is needless to pro-
long this account of Mr.. Lynch's industrious
and useful labors. They are familiar to all our
readers and we close as we began by express
ing our qualification at the prospect that
Maine is to be represented in the next Con-
gress by tried public servants