The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-09-14
The Election in Belfast.

The result of the representative election
in this city, by which the republican nomi-
nee was defeated, and his democratic COM
petitor elected by u majority of 23S, is 50
remarkable that 4 word Of explanation
becomes necessary In making it we shall
give the simple facts in the case, which
our duty as u journalist imposes, setting
down nothing in malice.
That we cannot claim the defeat of Mr..
Nlllliken as a party victory, is apparent
upon the face of the matter With ma
jority of forty for Perham, it will be seen
at a glance that at least one hundred and
forty republicans must have substituted
Mr.. Burrlfs name for that of their own
candidate, with the deliberate intention Of
electing the latter To find the motive
for this action on the part of the members
OF political organization usually so we'll
drilled as the republicans of Belfast, we
must search among the records OF certain
matters connected with our railroad en-
telprise. Without going into the details
of the transactions connected with the nj
tempt to lease the road to the Kennebec
and Portland Railroad, and build it to
kendall's Mills, on 4 most favorable con
tract, ii is sufficient to say that such a con-
tract was defeated in the Stockholders
meeting by means of the city stock con-
trolled by Mr.. NIilliken. then IN alderman
| OF the city. The act was in direct and con-
temptuous opposition to the formally ex-
pressed wishes of the business men and
property holders Of the CITY, and WAS
without sanction from any source outside
| 4 majority of the Mayor and Aldermen,
who assumed the sole responsibility of the
act. We do not undertake to state the
| motive which was deemed sufficient bv
those who controlled the transaction to its
unfortunate issue, nor to recite the rl1mors
with which the air was filled, OF preferred
ucre and itching palms.
But it is due to a correct appreciation
of the result of last Monday that it should
be understood that the candidacy of Mr.
Mllllken was an appeal to the popular
verdict, not only for himself but for his
chief supporter, Mr.. Hayford. The issue
before the people was made up upon the
record, written and unwritten, of the two
And the vote of last Monday is equivalent,
| in It's mildest sense, TO that known TO
English politics as ''want of confidence y
| That these sentiments in this matter are
not new will be seen by the following ex-
tract from the journal of June 10, 1869
when, in speaking of the apprehension
| that the lease to the Kennebec road would
be rejected, we said
! At the date of this writing we have not heard
! of the acton of the city government on the
qucStlon-hllt If ii votes to defeat the lease 10
| the Portland x kennehec road, il will be thought
| strange, tefy strange, by the public. We hare
| such 4 result can be justified by those who pro-
| 'lucc it. Certain we are. that if by such action
disaster comes to the city and the railroad cor
| poration, the chances are that it will. the
men who are Instrumental in producing such
result may consider their career rs citizens en-
| titled To respect, as business men, ami polti
clans, forever closed in this locality.
As we have said, we allude to these
matters ut this time only because such
allusion becomes necessary in our calling
rs 4 journalist, and in explanation of this
| extraordinary result We said at the time
that the transaction would meet popular
is presented.