The Portland daily press., 1869-09-01
GOLD CLOSED in New York last n'gh' a'
13S IL 1873 SIS.


EusiIy Done on Paper.
Few neople are aware that the Maine elec-
lion s over, and all the results declared with
GREAT precision, even down to the Senate and
House of Representatives. The Bangor
Democrat, after being in comatose state for
several months, suddenly awoke, and, like the
old lady that predicted the end of all things
Just after the eclipse, prophesied. The article
attracted little attention at first but it having
been discovered subsequently, that the Demo
cratic cause was never so hopeless in Maine,
papers out of the State began, as last re-
sort, to give some attention to the DenaocfdtS
oracles. The Boston Post trlumphantly
points to them as a guaranty of Conserva-
tive triumph in Maine.
Let us see, then, what the prospect is. First,
says the Democrat, Chamberlain will receive
10000 votes, Smith $4,000, and Hichborn
5000. There will, therefore, be no choice for
Governor Adopting the above figures as the
basis of the vote for Senators, and distribut-
ing them proportionately among the candi-
dates of the three parties, nine Democrats
and eight Republicans will be elected to the
Senate, while in fourteen districts there will
be no choice, majority being required to
elect. These vacancies must be filled by the
Senate and House voting in joint convention.
Now the Democrat has provided nicely for
his, by causing it to be known that, owing
to the split in the Republican ranks and the
fact that only plurality is required to elect,
eighty Democrats and seventy-one Republic
ans will be chosen to the House. The Dem
ocrats therefore have majority in both the
House and Senate, and will fill the vacancies
by electing fourteen Democratic Senator'S
After this, the Senate standing % Democrats
and Republicans, and the House 80 Demo.
Gratis aud II Republicans, nothing can be
easier than to elect Smith Governor by the
Legislature, and so have pure Democratic
administration.
Now oracles may not be lightly challenged,
but yet fallible human reason will sometimes
occupy itself with speculations concerning
them. In this case the impulse to dispute
them is nearly irresistible, and We venture a
few criticisms.
about in the Democrats calculation by re.
ducing the whole Republican vote from last
year hundred per cent. more than the Dem
ocratic vote is reduced. This will not do at
all. There was never such profound apathy
in the Democratic ranks since Repubcansm
took its rise. Besides the argus has demon
allied the feeble remnant of the ancient and
moribund organization by virtually acknowl.
edging that Gen. Smith is a mere straw can
ddate, put up to be voted for merely as a
matter OF form, preparatory to total col
lapse next year. This being the case, the
Democratic vote will not only be smaller than
ever before, but its ratio to the Republican
vote will be smaller.
The Senatorial vote, as calculated by the
Democrat, is of couree affected by the fall
lacy we have pointed out in the general
statement. Beyond this there is another fall
lacy. The Hichborn men do not run a third
ticket in all of the counties, and in no coun.
typrobably will the whole strength of that
party to be poled for its county ticket.
Again the expected Democratic majority In
the House depends upon the vote in each
town conforming to the general law laid
down by the Democrat as the basis of its
whole calculation. The general law having
been thrown overheard, all consequences 90
with it. Besides there are not a large num-
Der of towns in the State where Hichborn
candidates for the House will he nominated
In the greater part of them the Republican
nominations will be such as the most radica
prohbitionsts can support. The conclusion
OF the whole matter is that the Democrat is
stark mad on every one of its points, and has
become a fit subject for commission de M.
ndtic0 inquirendo.