The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-06-06

Delegates to the State Convention to be |
holden at Augusta on the 18th inst, will all |
be chosen the present week; consequently this |,
is the last opportunity to address to the people
directly suggestions which we think should in
fluence them in the choice of a candidate and
of delegations which shall vote according to
the preferences Of the towns they represent.
Whatever may be hereafter said must be to
the delegates, and may fail to receive proper
attention if they be selected having precon- |
celved opinions not known to the caucuSes
which choose them. We are conscious OF no
personal bias for or against either OF the TWO
gentlemen, one of whom is almost certain 10
receive the nomination: for, since GOV. Cham-
berlain withdrew his name. though theorcti- |
callv there is the whole State to choose nom,
practically the choice is reduced to Perham |
and Hersey. Last year, in case change had |
been thought desirable, we should have favor
ed Gen. Hersey because we supposed him the |
most available candidate; now we confess we
think the situation of affairs has made him ap-
pear more obnoxious to large portion of
those usually acting with the Republican party
than he did last June. The Republicans orig
inally organized their party upon liberal
basis and it has obtained and retained control
OF the State and national administrations only
by this course; it can continue itself in power
only by continued exercise of liberality tow
ards the different shades of opinion entertain
ed by the men who compose it. Formed up
on and out of the disruption of old parties it
was its Just and proper policy to select its can
didates partly from those who had acted with
the Wings and partly from old Democrats, At
later time it was advisable to accept the ac-
cession OF those whom the war drove from the
ranks ofthe fossil Democracy into our own and
to recognize them by the nomination of one of
their number (Cony) for the governorship.
When peace returned, it was fit recognition
of eminent services in the field and of the mil
itary element of the party, to place Gen.
Chamberlain in the chair and keep him there
longer than most Of his predecessors and I'M
til he chooses voluntarily to retire from the
position he has so honorably and admirably
ililed. There is now very large proportion
of the Maine Republicans with whom the ques-
ton of temperance is paramount. Although
their ideas were embodied and endorsed in
the resolutions of last year they say that "talk
is cheap, and utterly worthless unless carried
into action. Therefore they think they
ought now to have a candidate who is in en-
tire sympathy with them, the same as the civ
II ana military sentiment of large portions of
the party have been heretofore thus respect
ed. Last year before any part of the temper
al
the political associates with whom they had
previously acted, we doubt not that General
Hersey, though not their favorie, would have
been accepted as compromise candidate and
no third nomination made solely on this ac-
count we should have then been glad could
he have been taken; but he did not desire it.
nor is it by any means sure that he could
have won had he taken the field. Now. how
ever, he is not sufficiently in harmony with
the temperance sentiment to win back those
supporters of Mr.. Hichborn whom he might
possibly have held last year; but Mr.. Perham
is; nor would the latter's nomination be any
more submission to improper dictation than
acquiescence in that of Gov. Chamberlain, at
the urgent desire Of the returned soldiers. was
subsection TO military despotsm. 1t is
merely a wise and polite concession to a
strong and conscientious feeling entertained
by many lifelong Republicans. They would
not insist upon Mr.. Peiham to the exclusion
Of everybody else, but inasmuch as the choice
is palpably reduced to him and Gen. Hersey
they do say that there is nothing in the char
acter OR career of tue latter gentleman, how
ever pure and honorable they may be, which
entities him to the preference.
Gen. Hersey is an able man and commands
the respect of the entire organization OF
which he has SO long beee-- i-:G,-r-l ----A-Aai-
Gent member The time has been when his
nomination would have been fit and fecitous,
and that time may come again. But it seems
to us that circumstances conspire to place his
claims and tn" advocacy of his cause upon
narrower basis than his merits entitIe him to.
He is forced to rely too much on party ma
chinery and the efforts of personal friends
which, by the way, we do not regard as inim-
ical to the success of the party nor improper
in themselves, but as matter in which the
common public feel little concern.
Mr.. Perham will likewise be aided by party
III
succeeds he will be less indebted to these
helps than to the sentiment of the people
struggling for expression through the charac-
Ter and known opinions of candidate.
Mr.. Perlam represents and is the exponent
OF an idea and of moral sentiments which are,
and ever must be, The true strength and rel
ance of the Republican party. As the en-
couragement OF correct, healthy moral tone
and feeling in political action are of vastly
more consequence than the advancement of
any man, however friendly our feelings to-
ward him may be; as the success of that par
ty which to us appears the only one advocat-
ing proper principles of government is of
much greater concern thin prosperous issue
to the schemes of politicians; and as we are
willing TO confess ourselves extremely anx-
ious to conciliate 10 our organization that |
great number Of sincere men who left u.s. |
from conscientious motives, last fall; and |
very DESTROYS TO keep TO ourselves that great |
force which is derived from the earnest con-
viction with which these men press great |
moral reform; we are led to the conclusion |
that the wise and expedient choice for the |
convention TO make will be that of Sidney |
Perham.