Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-09-20
THE PORTLAND I'D YER T/SER AND
THE SEM TORLAL CONTEST.


The Portland advertiser of Saturday
contains an article on the Senatorial con-
test which is sufficiently remarkable to
call for review Some of its statements
indeed are. sufficiently groundless to call
for fiat denial,-a denial which does not
carry with it the charity of supposing that
the Advertiser erred through ignorance
Take this paragraph for instance in which
the italics are our own:
'.There has been an earnest effort to bring
the question before the voters of the party
From them disinterested decision was to be
expected, and they have decided. Wherever
their decision ieas respected, they hare giren
us Republican gains. Wherever the majority
hare preferred Morrill,, there has been a really
aequiesceaee."
The Advertiser absolutely shows genius
in crowding so much misstatement into so
small a space. Did not Chamberlain's
supporters carry the Representative eau
Gus in Bangor and Lewiston, and was not
the choice promptly acquiesced in by the
friends of Mr.. Morrill,, without an attemp.
at separate or hostile action? And yet in
both places, always heretofore Republican
strongholds, the Democrats elected their
tickets by triumphant majorities. Are
these the Republican gains of which the
Advertiser speaks? A democratic net
gain of eleven hundred votes over last
year, furnishes Bangor's endorsement of
the truth of the Advertisers statement as
to the strength of the Chamberlain move
ment" in that section.
Following this line of statement. the
Advertiser with an audacious disregard of
truth which does credit to its courage, pro-
ceeds to say that "whereuer The majority
hare preferred Morrill,, there has been a
ready acquiesence." The Advertiser kno,Cs
this is not so. In Gardiner in the largest
Republican Caucus ever held in that city,
Mr.. Palmer was nominated for reelection
by a decisive majority. The Republican
friends of Gov. Chamberlain, aided by
some Democrats who had sneaked into this
Caucus of three hundred and fifty voters,
were fairly beaten. Did they exhibit that
ready acquiesencen of which the Adver-
tiser boasts? Not at all When beaten
they seeded from the Caucus, nominated
Mr.. Moore, the same man Just defeated by
Mr.. Palmer, united with the Democrats
andwere routed at the polls. In Winthrop
Mr.. May, the efficient and intelligent Rep
resentative of last year, was nominated
in Republican Caucus by highly com
plimentary majority over Dr. Snow, tho
friend OF Gov. Chamberlain. Did thu
friends of the General show their read,
acquiesence ?" No. AS in Gardiner the,
retired, boiled from the Republican Caucus
united with the Democrats and elected DR.
Snow over the regular Republican nom
inee. And Immediately following hi,
election, the boiling Republicans ant
their associate Democrats held meeting
to- rejoice over their joint victory, and the
principal Democratic speaker boastcd
that Chamberlain was to be sent to the
Senate of the United States and the radical
Republicans stripped Of their power
Could absolute disregard of party fealty
and the common laws of party honor &c
furthere Had these friends of Gov. Cham,
berlain refused to 60 into the Caucus and
openly proclaimed union with the Dem.
ocrats in advance. their conduct might
have pleaded the apology of being open
and avowed. They did no such thing
They claimed to be true and loyal Repub-
iicans and as such exercised their right OF
participating in the party council and
thus avowsd their purpose to abide its re.
suits. No such honorable action marked
their doings. On the contrary so soon al
they found themselves in minority, the,
deserted their standard and formed reIa
tons and alliances with the enemy.
Aud II was so, nay worse and NOR,
shameful. in Portland. under the Adyeris