Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-05-30
THE STATE CONVENTION

THE STATE CONTENTION
The time for the assembling of the Re-
publican State Convention is close at hand,
bringing with it important duties to be at
tended to- Within the next ten days eau
cuses will be held, or should be, in every
town and city in the State, for the election
of delegates. We urge upon the voters of
the republican party the necessity of at
tending these primary meetings, and care
fully selecting such men as they desire to
represent them in the State convention.
1t is duty which they owe to themselves
and their party, the neglect of which often
occasions towns to be misrepresented or
unrepresented. to be followed by dissatis-
faction and indifference at the election, for
which nobody is so much to blame perhaps
as they who find the most fault. If the
mass of voters will stay away from eau
cuses from lack of interest in current po-
Itical affairs, and allow those who are ac-
tive to manage such things, they ought not
TO complain at the result. 1t would be
better for all, however, to make it a point
TO attend all caucuses of the party to which
they belong, for it is there in many cases
that the question of Office is settled. the de-
cision of the caucus being equivalent to an
election at the polls. If certain policy
or certain men for candidates are desired
the caucus is the place to show it. Much
has been said about some other mode of
choosing delegates and candidates, but
after all nothing has yet been invented TO
take the place of the caucuses. They are
open to all, their acts are not above CEN
sure or correction, and there is no good
reason why they may not represent fairly
the wishes and opinions of the majority,
providing that majority viii look we'll to
the performance of its duties.
The State Convention on the 18th will
be a meeting of considerable importance.
Governor Chamberlain retires after four
years of honorable service, and makes il
necessary to fill the gubernatorial chair
with new incumbent. There has been a
strong and earnest pressure upon him TO
be candidate in the coming convention.
but his decision is otherwise and irreyoca-
bic. The names of two men, both meri
torious, both familiar with public life and
distinguished by private virtue and worth,
either of whom would ill the Office of gov
ernor with ability, are prominently before
the people as candidates for that position.
1t lies with the republican party to choose
between them. In spite of rumors of
complications, combinations, rings, threat
enings. underground workings, whichar
chiefly the invention of the enemies of the
republican party and designed to distract
opinion and promote the very thing which
they seem to deprecate and denounce, the
gubernatorial question is entirely within
the control of the masses of the republican
party. Let men attend the caucuses and
vote without regard to whispers of COM
binations or frowns of dictation as they
believe to be right and best. Let the hon
est sentiment of the party rule, and what
ever the result it viii be well with the re-
publican party and the State. We desire
that the State convention shall truly rep
resent the republican party in its action,
and to this end we appeal to all who be-
long to it to engage actively in the selec-
ton of delegates, so that when the candi-
date is nominated there shall be universal
acquiescence in the result and hearty and
united effort at the polls in September.
Leave to the democracy the labor of rails
ing visionary schemes to arouse jealousy
and create division in our ranks, while we
go forward in fearless preparation to give
them their annual drubbing in September.