Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-07-08
A PRECEDENT FOR THE "FLOOR-
BARREL" DEMOCRATS.

il, The scheme originated with willy demo-
Gratis and dissaffected and ambitious repub-
licans. Among the republicans concerned in
it were those who had received the highest
honors of the party and enjoyed its entire
confidence. One of these was Mr.
Seward. At the head of the conspiracy
stood Andrew johnson, welding all the
power of President of the United States,
and casting every energy he possessed
into the movement. The combination in
cluded the entire democratic party, Presi-
dent johnson, and all the patronage OF the
government. Mr. Seward, who was re-
garded as the chief pillar of the party,
other members of the Cabinet including
Mr. Randall who held they keys to all the
post offices in his hand, and all the ele
ments in the republican party that were
dsaffected, were ripe for revolt, and anxious
for new deal. 1t was rightly named the
Bread and Butter" party, as the move
ment now inaugurated among demo-
Gratis to seek spoils regardless of principle
is called the Flour Barrel" party. This
last shows itself so crude and unbaked-
as witness the doings at Portland the other
day-that it has not yet arrived at the dig
nifty of Bread and Butter" although it
means the same.
With this seemingly formidable combi-
nation of leaders and force there went a
strong appeal to the popular sympathy
The war was over said Mr.. Johnson and
Mr.. Seward, the slaves had been emanci-
pated, old party issues were dead and
gone, radicalism alone was troublesome,
the South needed to be conciliated, the
prosperity of the country demanded tears
and forgiveness between the lately con-
tending sections. To accomplish this,
old party lines must be discarded, Mr..
johnson thought they were useless. Mr..
Seward, the pioneer of republicanism,
advised to cast them off, and all who de-
sired a new order of things for their par
tcular benefit sang the blessings of the
new conservative party. In all this there
was shrewd address to the popular heart.
1t was not a party raising the banner of
Bread and Butter" or Success" 0he
same thing) regardless of principle. as
the new arrangement of BiOn Bradbury
proposes, but it addressed the heart and
understanding with plausible motives and
fair pretensions to honesty. 1t had will
ling candidate in Andrew johnson for
President, and was not obliged to steal
one from the opposing party as Mr.. Brad
bury proposes to do. 1t was perfect
machine, under complete control, even to
the lips which were padlocked, unlike the
Portland Babel.
What the result of this nice combination
was everybody knows. North Carolina
rebels and Massachusetts copperheads
rushed into each others arms with
gushing affection, tears flowed in riv-
ers, from the eyes of expectant office
holders, the pantomime was beautifully
carried out, but alas for A. j. and his
ninety-day prophet, the mass of the re-
publican party turned a deaf ear to their
fattering and alluring phrases and kept
straight forward in the safe and beaten
path ofthe republican party. The schemers
had underestimated the intelligence with
which they had to deal 1t was the re-
publican party which they were undertake
ing to cajole and lead into slippery and
dangerous places, and not party of idiots
and grumbers. Their scheme was mis-
cradle failure, affordng more mirth for
the comic papers and less for those active
ly interested in it, than any political move
of these latter days until we come to the
Portland democratic non-nominating,
blank candidate convention, engineered
by Mr.. Bion Bradbury, the big ..four
barrel" of the Flour Barrel" party in the
State Of Maine.
We cite this precedent for the consider
alton Of those who are devising ways and
means to defeat the republicans at the
coming election in our State. They will
find their labors come to naught, just as
the Bread and Butter" brigade did.
They may nominate, or forbear to nomi-
nate, or try whatever jugglery they please,
to obtain Success" but the republicans
of the State will stand in solid and
unbroken columns in September for
SIDNEY PERHAM There never has
been any name found among republicans
strong enough to lead them away from
their organization into the camp of the
enemy. Seward thought his name had a
charm by which republicans could be led,
but when he proved faithless to the party
and sought to break it up for the advan-
tage of the democracy, he was left almost
solitary and alone in his apostacy, and
to-day is without influence in any party.
This is history, and this history will re-
peat itself every time the experiment is
tried. We presume, however, that this
reference to a famous precedent showing
the working of Mr.. Bradbury's policy is
The first thing with the