The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-01-23
The Senatorial Question-Review of the
p Situation.


% I. Situation.
AUGUSTA, Jan. o. 1869.
To the Editor Of the Press glHAe Us5EA j
The dust of the contest having passed away,
and harmony in the great Republican party
being restored by the acquiescence of near
ly all in the election of Mr.. Hamlin, it is
an act of justice to correct some of the many
Misrepresentation of sensational correspon-
dents in relation to the course and character
of the gentlemen whose address to their con-
stituents cut the gordian knot of the difficulty
and smoothed the way to peace and future
success in our contest with the common enc
my. Concealment and conspiracy have been
charged against these gentlemen without any
justice or foundation in truth. At the very
first meeting of the delegation some of the
most prominent of these gentlemen declared
their belief that Mr.. Hamlin had been nomin-
ated; and at the second meeting every one of
them announced his convictions upon all the
points involved.
No pledges acre giUen by any of these gentle
men that they would vote for Mr.. Morrill, on
the first ballot, they claiming to be left un-
committed to such action.
the delegation who denied the authority of the
caucus, declared that Mr.. Morrill, could not be
elected, and maintained that Mr.. Hamlin must
be defeated at all hazards, and this could be
accomplished by a third candidate; subse-
quently rallying on Morrill,, it was decided by
them to stand by him on the first ballot. This
conclusion was not agreed to on the part of
the other gentlemen.
Terrorism and denunciation were invoked to
COW into submission those who declared for
the regular nomination. No epithets were too
severe to be showered on them if they dared
to do aught displeasing to the great 'elder''
who seemed to think he carried Kennebec in
his breeches pocket 7l1--r - LaL
The charges of bribery and corruption and
promises of fat offices in connection with
these gentlemen are too transparency ridicu-
lous to need serious refutation. All of them
are of high toned character and standing; one
of them is minister of the gospel, one Con-
gregationalist deacon, one a physician emf
nent in his profession; one lawyer in good
standing and one merchant; none of them
are politicians Or dependent on politics for
their support.
rour part we IeJolce tnaJ we nave men IN
our Legislature of the nerve displayed by
those gentlemen who will not tremble and
bow to upstart superiority, and defyng the
lash and whip, will resolutely assert them
honest convictions, and vote them too, not
outstanding they are thus compelled to sup
port the man who was their first choice, and
temporarily disagree with their associates.
Gentlemen of the courage displayed here
are not much in danger of STOPPING
to receive brides; and it is in the highest de-
gree probable that the threatened prescription
and attempted villifcation of these men BY
some of their associates, was the principal
occasion of the course they adopted in boldly
appealing to their constituents, to whom alone
they are accountable, and by whom from abun.
| dant evidence received from all quarters they
| are fully sustained.
While we have reason to be proud of the two
men who have SO deeply enlisted the sympa.
| thies of their many friends, we trust it may
| be long time before we shall again witness a
contest so fierce and protracted and at the
| same time SO evenly balanced. PYTH1As.