The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-03-17
Grant ana Humlin.


Grant ana Hnnslin.
from the Minneapolis (Minn Tr1bure.l
When in 1854 the Republican Convention
at Baltimore selected Abraham Lincoln TOR
seoold term, there was another man whose
claims to re nomination we've almost equal
y strong with those of the chief himself
That man was Hannibal Hanilin, the axCc ate
OF Mr.. Lincoln in the eec ion tour year, previ-
Gus. During a long senes OF J. bcrs In Lo.n
bouses OF the national Congress, he had given
proofs o. the most untiring devotion to the
cause OF Liberty and Human Rights, as well
as evidence o. exalted stdtrsnanship, and
during the eventiu: period of Mr. Lincoln 5
tit term he had been found ever faithful. in
no single insta ce disappointing the high
hopes OF the country, or ha9gins in The ardu-
Gus path oil duty. Always the true and trust
ed friend and faithful counselor OF his chief
so Tar as he could consistently with mode.ty
protfer hls aid and counsel, it is beiieve1 thai
he differed ftom that iluslrious man only in
having less confidence in the readiness OF
rebe S to accept terms OF reconciliation, and
in u sin9 more promptneSs in the adoption of
those radical measures which finally resulted
IN crushing out the rebellion. Mr.. Hamlin
also, II is well known. distIusted some of the
cabinet officers, and regarded them as embar.
rassments in the Presidents way, and the
course OF those same cabinet officers s'nce. in
their foTwardness TO arquiesce in u e deec
ton OF Mr.. johnson, be9ets the conviction
that Mr. Hamlins distrust was by no means
grOuDdless. eaatI
such man was set aside cheerfal'y consent
ed to be set aside-to make room for Andrew
johnson; TO exhibit a magnac ANGUS spirit.
on the part OF the Republican party. towards
the mistaken people OF the south. And when
the news OF Lircoln and Johnson's nomina1
iiun reached Washington, ard ratifica,io
ceremony was propose1, Mr.. Hamlin was one
OF the first to respond. TO welcome the event.
and pledge himself to Intiring efforts TO se-
cure its ratification at the polls. and no man
in the East did more laborous and t the
same time more cheerful service than lie in
the heated campaign which resulted in Mr.
Lincon's second election.
At the expiration OF the Vice Presidential
term, Mr.. Hamlin retired to private lie, ask
ing no acknowledgment al tie hands OF The
Government, though he would probably have
received almost any important appointment
ior which he had seen ft to express prefer
ence. When Mr. johnson became President
after the tragic death ot Mr.. L.ncoln, reinem-
ber,ng perhaps The setting aside OF Mr. Ham,
lin TO make room Tor himself. he appointed
Mr.. Hamiin to the Co,iectorship OF The port
OF Boston-the most lucrative office by lar in
New England. Though personally stranger
10 the commercial and mercantile men OF
that metropolis; though not citizen OF the
State or even OF an adjoining State; though
from a Iemote section oil the frontier State ot
Maine, Mr.. liamln, by his accommolating
spirit. his ahability, ant his Official integrity.
soon won lor himsel the good will OF all men
having business relations with his office, and
the Journals oi the city, opposition as well as
Republican, hailed his appointment as OF one
eininentiy ht to till a situation VIII ch had be en-
graced by HenShaw, 81 jrton and Ban
croft. When, rs was frequently the case, Mr..
uamlin saw the propriety OF giving The places
occupied by abe bodied civilians TO one armed
or otherwise crippled soldiers, he would pre-
sent the case so gracefully to taose who would
be obliged tc yie.d their posts, that Iesiana-
tions were always placed in his hands to be
used at his discretion, while no firmer friends
OF the Collector existed than those who were
thus displaced hy the crippled defenders OF
their eodntry's honor.
During the summer of 1866, when the deem
damning iniyuity OF Andrew johnson. derec-
tion came 10 he revealed in efforts to embar.
ras' reconstruction, and to secure to rebels
Though the ballot what they had tailed to
secure by the bullet, Mr.. Hamlin unwilling to
be conplca ed by hol ling Office under such
chief, thlew back his commission viii b secLr-
ed to him mLnitc cent saary. telling Mr.
johnson in his letter of resignation that he
could con, ent to occupy nc DOUBTFUL positit n,
and nat ty holding office Under Lin he
would not consent TO be- trammeed in his
duty to long suffering reople. to whom he
owed his hest efforts in resisting the miscLi,y-
oLs workings of a 'pclic," which the Ple.i
dent had inaueurated and attempted to carry
out. Before his successor was appointed
10y the time the President had read this mer
tied ard pointed rebuke-Mr. Ramlin as on
the sL1mp IN his native State, doing more
tnan any other man to aaken the public
mind to tue dangers and neces sites of the
hour, and to sc ure the brilliant result which
followed, in the election Ct a Republican
ticket and the rebuke of treache. ous exc u
tive hy an unprecedented majority OF neatly
thirty the u and.
had the Convention which Ienomina:ed
Abraham Lincoln also renoninated ilanni-
bal Haml n, it IS fair to presume that the sad
e ills OF the last two or three years woIid have
been aye.ted; perhaps the foul act OF Booth
would not haze occurred, tor the death OF
Lincoln wou then have promised neither
aid nor comfort to the rebel cause. The
great mistake oil dropping a good and tried
man tor SO called and supposed Southern
Union Democrat. however well intended the
act, has brought IN its train long catalogue
oil cIlamitles; the mur der OF Il President, the
treachery OF his successor, obstruction in the
WY " ANSSOA"Sc0 W PSstNC duQ udIiuOuI IO
lie nation. prolonged HE to crushed ana
expiring spirit OF leoelliOn, public discoutent,
commercial and financial disasters, corrupt
Cabinet, Executive usurpations, aud, 10
crown-and We hope compiete-the list, the
necessity Tor Impeachment. When it is pa
tent to all intelligent minds tuat an act of
personal ana official dsrespect, If not of in
justice, to tried and faithful public servant,
has Deen followed by such dire results,ls il too
much to suggest that the approaching Ma
tional Convention would do itself honor, and
faithfully suOserve the public veal, by coup
ling the Name Il Hamlin with that OF Grant,
so that the people may have an opportunity
to atone icr past wrong, and while elccting
q President and Vice President in November
next, crafty their patriotic feelings by voting
for ticket, which it is believed would pos
sess elements of unparalleled popularity
bearing upon u the disim Ina;a Su'Snea a names o.
Hamlin OF Maine.