The Republican journal., 1870-04-07
MAINE POLITICS.

The radical pot is simmering to a consider
able extent already, preparatory to the fierce
commotion that it will experience as the con-
vention draws near. A contemplated change
in the Gubernatorial candidate, the Con-
gressional elections, and 4 contest for the
United States Senatorship, occurring all at
once, will throw the camp into unusual COM
motion.
The Bangor Wing, week or two AGO.
cautiously threw out fceldr to see how the
elect were affected towards the candidate of
penobScot, Gen. Hersey-and has been since
engaged in copying the pre-arrangcd echoes
from friendly organs in various parts of the
State. As an impartial observer. we mast
say that the enthusiasm for the General is not
remarkable nor equal TO his merits, when
| IT is remembered how he marched through
our streets in a Wide Awake procession in
1860 and sweatcd under the burden of an
immense tence-rail. 1t shows how easily
great services are forgotten
Waldo likewise puts in claim to the flesh
pots. The Prog. Age, under the date of All
Fools Day, brings forward Hon. Ebenczer
knowlton, who deserves more fortunate
and less laundering advocate Mr.. Knowl-
ton is really man of ability, and his only
obstacle is that he would be pretty heavily
weighted with opposition in his own organ
ization, especially by that Old Man of the
Sea, the liquor prohibition question, which in
siStS on climbing to the back of every candi-
date of the party. The small but very active
and noisy portion of the elect that centres at
Stockton, has long regarded Ebenezcr as y
very Objectionable bag in the party gravy.
And this feeling is fully reciprocated. 1t
cropped out in u published letter of Mr..
knowltons, just before the last September
election, in which he said, speaking of Mr..
Ilichborn-
'By an extended conversation with the leading
iiichborn man In this County, if not in the State.
am satisfied that hatred to Gov Chamberlain and
intensified opposition to capital punishment are
the handspring of his present political movement
Such thrust as that is no boys play. 1t
means business. The wound it made will
rankle. Hence we hear temperance men and
temperance papers, all over the State, de-
clare that in no event will they support Mr..
knowlton. His nomination would give new
vigor and ten fold intensity to the Hichborn
fight, and plunge the party into q sea of
trouble. And altogether it looks as though.
in thrusting his feeble lever under the Mont
vile candidate, the editor of the AGE has re-
pcated the error he made when, as candidate
for Speaker, he bet his last shekel on Lot
Morrill,, and lost
But here another element comes into play.
All these chances and probabilities are COM
plicated with the coming choice of United
States Senator, and the torecasting reaches
ahead even so far as the end of Hamlins
term, in 1879. For the vacancy that occurs
next year the candidates are Blaine and Nor
rill. llamin supports the latter, and both
together are pledged to the Hersey interest,
for whom their adherents are quietly and
effectively working. Hamlm will cndeayor
to transfer the strength of Penobscot to Blaine
in which it is doubtful if he wholly succeeds
Lew Barker, who is carrying on a sort of
guerrilla war for Peters place in Congress,
will oppose Hamlin and Jersey, and favor
whoever is inclined to favor him-while even
Peters, rs between Blaine and Morrill,, is said
to be in that state of indifference which the
ballad of "Old Mother Knickerbocker' cx
presses so forciblv
The prelude to the Senatorial fight is
already being sounded Last week the Port
nd dive, H.
ing article on Blaine, which will in due time
be responded to from some of the Blaine
guns of heavy calibre. The plan of the
Blaine interest includes a reelection to Con-
gress of that gentleman from the Kcnnebec
district. Ii is doubtful if even the active OBJ
position of MOrrilrs friends could lessen his
chances for the nomination, so strong is his
hold upon the party in the district. And be-
sides, we know not where an available on
posing candidate could be had Thus the
. Speaker has two strings to his bow-one be-
ing continuance in his present place, the
other the Senatorship-while Morrill, plays on
a singlc-stringed instrument Blainehas other
appliances to bring to bear, not the least OF
which is that he has more influence with
Grant than any other member of the govern
mcnt. All things considered, we should bet
our money on Blaine if we were to risk q
dollar on the issue.
Altogether, there is to be livelier time and
more earnestncss, rs between the OPPOSING
candidates in the radical ranks, than tor a
long time, if ever. We shall not be surprised
, to see a contest for the Senatorship ut Angus
ia next winter, compared with which the re-