The Portland daily press., 1869-08-25

The HIehbOrm Fafsy"
The narrow ground occupied by the third
rarity men in the State is in some measure
disclosed by the name which has been by
commo.i consent bestowed upon them. They
ere no longer known as the Temperance
party" but as the "Hichborn party" They
no longer appear as the advocates OF great
principle, but as the supporters of partlcu-
lar man, who, however worthy of esteem ana
confidence he may be, is certainly not OF
sufficient consequence to become the nucleus
OF an organization formed to bestow upon him
civic honors. The name given to the party
describes it with accuracy, and is not bestow-
ed, as sometimes happens in the course of
political controversy, as disparaging epithet
chosen rather for the sake of tEe odium il
will cast upon those who bear it than for its
precision and scientific accuracy. To call the
Hieh6orn men the Temperance party would
be clearly misnomer; tor with what reason
can that organization be called the temper
ance party which includes wi hin its ranks
neither the leading temperance men of the
State nor the great mass of the temperance
people?
We have no disposition to do injustice to
the character or the motives of the gentle
men who have somewhat inconsideratey, as
we think, entered upon the project of dis
rupting the Republican party before its mis-
sion is accomplished-when reputation and
opposition to impartial suffrage are still the
cardinal political dogmas in Democratic
strongholds But we are entirely justified in
pointing out both their errors, and the failure
OF the movement in which they are engaged.
Time enough has elapsed since the Portland
Mass Convention at which Mr.. Hicbborn
was nominated to develop whatever of
strength there may be in the movement
Within three weeks OF the election we find
that very inconsiderable portion of the Re
publican press has given in its adhesion to
the Hichborn party. Papers like the Lewis
ton journal, Bath Times and Machias Re-
publican, the orthodoxy of which on the
Temperance question the most radical pro.
hibitionists will not question, are cheerfully
acting with the Republican party, believing
that in no other way can the true interests of
prohibition be SO well well subserved. Nor
is the press in this respect an imperfect in
dex of the popular feeling. 1t is true that
the Hchborn men are nominating a ticket
of their own in all the counties; but though
they hold mass instead of delegate conven-
tons for this purpose in most of the counties,
the attendance has been, in all cases, we be-
lieve, extremely limited. A dozen gentle
men assembled in Bath Saturday to place
county ticket before the people
A new political movement that lags in this
way cannot have in it sufficient vitality to
give it prolonged existence. There is no
popular response. No popular want is met
by it. The only possible success it could have
in any event would be that kind of a victory
that would bring shame and con iusion upon
its projectors, viz: the success, through the
efforts of the temperance party, of the De-
mocracy who are the foes OF this as of all 9th
er reforms. 1t is this same Democratic party
that gives the right hand OF fellowship to the
Hichborn men! The alliance is an upnat
ural one, and cannot be perpetuated. The
Democratic press calling for Hichborn con-
ventons, and the advocates of free rum ey-
everywhere encouraging Hichborn men to
''stand firm" is spectacle for which few men
of well balanced minds will long continue to
give occasion.