The Portland daily press., 1870-05-19
DAILY PRESS.
CORTLAND.
Thursday Morning, May 10, 1870.
From the N. Y. Tribune,l
The Maine Senatorial Contest and the
Political Situation.
.oKTeL.ANn

The Maine Senatorial Contest and the
Political Situation.
The withdrawal of Speaker Blaine from
the Senatorial contest has simpliied political
matters in this State wonderfully, and no
ticeable change of front with reference to
other and collateral questions has ensued.
Somehow or other the Senatorial questions
had got strangely mixed up with the Guber-
material question, and, for that matter, with
local politics generally, so that for long time
all future nominations for county and State
officers were canvassed with reference to their
bearing upon the question to be decided by
the Legislature next winter. 1t cannot be
denied that the candidacy of Mr.. Blaine had
become disturbing element in the steady
going politics Of Maine. When Mr.. Blaine
was first put into the field the late Senator
Fessenden was alive, and had that gentleman
lived it would be found that Mr.. Blaine Tor
his friends for him) had put on the war
paint none too soon, and that what now lin
view OF the death OF Mr.. Fessenden) appears
to have been premature and unwlse move
was really dictated by every consideration OF
prudence.
The truth Is, that, owing to the disappoint-
ment of a large number of the Republican
party at Mr.. Fessenden's vote upon impeach-
ment, and the hostility his course had evoked,
the discussion of the question who should
succeed him in The United States Senate was
precipitated upon the iReLnblicans of Maine
a full year earlier than would otherwise have
been the case. The opposition to him in the
spring and carly summer of 1869 was quite
formidable and unusually demonstrative, and
only lacked leader TO perfect a powerful or
ganization. 1t was found necessary to have
a man to vote for as well as a man to vote
against, fnd consequently several GEN
temen were prominently mentioned in
that connection. Among them were
ex Senator { now Senator Morrill,, ex-
Gov. Washburn, Representative Lynch,
Gov. Chamberlain, and speaker Blaine. Mr..
Morrill, was Mr. Fessenden's colleague at the
time of the impeachment trial, and favored
impeachment. Mr.. Ly lch had made himself
honorably conspicuous in the Honse of Rep
resentatives as an advocate of the measure,
and was very popular, not only in his own dis
tiict but throughout the State. Ex-Governor
Washburn was an ardent impeacher, and one
of the strong men of the State, and all, in
Guiding Gov. Chamberlain, were warm per-
sonal friends of Mr.. Fessenden. presume
that Speaker Blaine was also upon terms of
personal friendship. 1t soon came to be un-
derstoOd, however, that, Messrs. Morrill,,
Lynch, Washburn and Chamberlain would in
no event be candidates against him. The
first three had differed with him upon i'm
peachment, but all four understood the purity
of his vote, and appreciated the sublime self
abnegation which he had exhibited. Then it
was that the opposition to Mr.. +. began to
rally around Mr.. Blaine. Whether his posi-
ton was self-chosen or not, is OF no cOnse-
quence. He was in the field, and, had Mr..
Fessenden lived, would probably have been
candidate to-day. As long ago as last sum-
mer, in those county conventions where State
Senators were newly nominated, the issue be-
tween Mr.. Fessenden and Mr.. Blaine was
clearly presented and settled, as the friends of
the one or the other predOminated. Could
the event of Mr.. Fessenden's death have been
foreseen, it would have been folly for any as
pirant to enter the lists so soon; but, as that
event was not anticipated, it was clearly enc
only safe course for him who would enter
the contest with any expectatpss sucsdbb, tbe
to 90 1t seasoaaai'gse number Of Reraplicans.
MI: Fessenden was powerful Competitor
an anu naa o,he elements OF strength possessed
by no other man in the Sc.-in.-Sew
OF his lifelong rriApds had desertS.
him, and he numbered ~~aaong his sup
porters many of the purest and ablest
men in the State. Moreover, Mr.. Fessenden
himself. considering that in a certain sense
he was ON trial before his constituents, vas
gathering up his mighty energies, to the end
that the verdict might be the result Of neith-
er ignorance, caprice or chance, but the de-
liberate Judgment of the Republicans OF
Maine, after tine had cooled the ardor of re-
sentiment and calmed the stormy passions Of
the hour. His death changed the entire as
pect of Senatorial affairs, and left Mr.. Blaine
the victim of circumstances over which he
had no control.
From the foregoing will be readily perceiv-
ed that the Inauguration of Mr.. Blaine's cam
didacy was not in common FORM" He prob
ably did not seek the position and probably
thought it dangerous not to assist so many
party friends anxiously seeking candidate.
Hence he driited in. Could he have drited
out at the time of Mr.. Fessenden's death, he
would undoubtedly have done so, but that
was found to be not quite so easy, and, max
ing virtue of necessity he has felt his way
along and "tried the ice." The fact that from
the time of Senator Fessenden's death the
tide rapidly TUNED against him, when rightly
understood, reflects in no wise upon his abl-
ity as tactician, and is no indication of his
strength. Ex-senator Morrill, was appointed
to fill the vacancy, and of course was an
nounced at once as candidate for the full
| term. He lived in the same city with Mr.
| Blaine, and would have divided "old Kenne-
bee" with him, which would make a bad show
| ing for both to begin with. Mr.. Washburn
the "little giant" of that remarkable family
also put in an appearance, and soon drew
fearfully upon the former friends OF Mr..
The friends of Gov. Chamberlain were found
to be anything but idle spectators, and, while
not authortatlvely entering him for the race
| they kept "pegging away" at the Speaker, and
| waiting for something to "turn up" The fact
that Mr.. Blaine is Speaker of the House OF
| Representatives operated greatly to his disad-
vantage, inasmuch as many who would other.
wise have favored him thought he had better
"let well enough alone" while the friends OF
competing candidates thought it great pity
| that Maine should lose the honor OF having
the third Office in the government and gain
| nothing in return.
Meantime the question of the Governorship
| loomed up, and it was found that friends OF
Gen. Hersey Ia prominent candidate) would
| oppose him because it was supposed he was
| friendly to MIR. Blaine. Friends of Mr.. Per-
ham declared themselves for Gen. Hersey, be-
cause it was supposed that Mr.. p. would op.
pose Mr.. Blaine. Minor political question:
and nominations were affected in the same
way, and general muddle was the result
Old friends were rapidly getting at logger
heads, and the newspapers were firing away
with unwonted ferocity. The contest wa:
| rapluly ueSeneratlnS INTO Dltter perSOnaIitles
and everybody getting at "heads and points,
Even Mr.. Hamln's "Old Guard" were fol
once divided among themselves. just then
and in the nick OF time" Mr.. Blaine writes
his first letter upon the subject, and withdraws
entirely from the contest. If he was unfor-
| tunate in being driven in at a time when ex.
| isting circumstances rendered the chances o
victory about even, he chose the time and
manner of Withdrawing with the utmost sa
| gacity; and friends and foes alike credit him
with having acted the part OF a pacificator
He is young man yet, and may yet illustrate
the truth of the old ditty, that
"Ee who fights and runs away
May live to fight another day."
He will be renominated for Congress in thu
Augusta District without opposition, ant
elected by large majority. ExGov. Govern
| or Washburn and Senator Morrill, will be tho
standing candidates for the Senatorshp
| How THE NAVY DEPARTMENT IS RUN
The Washington correspondent of the Tribune
furnishes lot of new illustrations OF how
economy is not practised in the navy depart.
Al IL.