The Republican journal., 1871-01-05
WHO Is THE COMtNG MAN?

expires IN February, and rs there are no
hopes Of reappontment, the Custom House
is to him squeezed orange-mere pulp, rind
and unfructifying seed. The public curiosity
is greatly excited over the coming man, who
like Matthew, shall sit at the receipt OF GUS
toms, though with but little OF the apostolic
future before him.
Frye, who was looked upon as the heir ap-
parent, has taken his eyes off the purple, and
sought shelter in the sanctuary of the Court
House, cramping his genius over the record
ing Of writs and adjurations to reluctant wit
nesses to ''tell the truth, the whole truth, u
etc-pervaded by belief that a pigeon i'll
the hand is y safer thing than double
breasted turkey stalking in the uncertain
bush at Washington. Milliken, who at one
time thought he had his thumb on the latch
of the Custom House, has grown suspicious
that somebody is holding the door on the
other side. Those who control the appoint
ment. we understand. have come to the con-
clusion that if the railroad placer pans out as
well as reported, he had better continue to
work it, leaving the profitable pursuit OF
smugglers to some hungrier man and broth
CT, and one who can better rally the faithful
in this locality.
Our slow moving brother of the Age,
whose Worn out type and press pleaded 50
like the dead Cnsar's dumb mouths, still
waits and hopes. There is power in pathos,
and there are many things more improbable
than that moved by feeling and a very COM
mendable desire to recognize the often I'M
rewarded services of the press, the editor of
the Age may be appointed. Speaking in the
interest of the Democracy, we hope he may.
But wouldn't the editorial horn be exalted!
| 1t is a curious fact that no native of Belfast
was ever collector, save during the very
brief time that the tenure of Office act per-
mitted Gov. Crosby to hold the place. Those
who are 'sto the manor born" are now repre-
scented by Daniel Lane Jr., and Capt. Charles
Wording Daniel, who is one of those long
Lanes with no turning, has spotted Il path to
the Custom House door, by chalk marks on
the coats OF eminent black republicans But
OuI OJStl NtllOu iCfIS W Il DCllCl Cudu lLc
marks on that kind Of trail are extremely apt
to be obliterated. They 60 on the war path
over much, and rub against things. Mr.. Lane
is an intelligent gentleman, who has many
friends outside the party lines that would be
glad to sec him succeed
Capt. Wording, who has sailed the seas
over all his life, and always voted straight
when in port, has q maritime experience that
would be valuable in the place. But of late
the Custom House has been a fresh water
stablishment--wnich the saline odor of the
sea has not so much peryaded as that of a
perfume of hemlock bark. The captain has as
many strong friends as could be expected
where the party kindling wood is split so fine.
Outside Of Belfast, two prominent candi-
dates are visible to the naked eye-B. NJ
Roberts, of Stockton, and Il. r. Simonton, of
Camden. We have always thought that the
frantic efforts Of our Stockton friend to solve
the 'spractical difliculty' in the State Con-
vnntion of 1868. should not 90 unrewartled,
if self sacrifice is a virtue. Besides, like
mole or a military engineer, he is given to
suberranean delving and comes up at I'M
expected times and places-a habit that is
very fatal to adversaries. Roberts, too,
shines by the reelected light of Hichborn.
The revolt Of 1868, when the latter ran for
Governor, has given the radical leaders a
sort of superstit ious dread of lurking dam
gers there. The town looms, like the desert
mirages, which show threatening bastions
and forts that have no existence save in thin
air. McGilvery, of Searsport, who has look
ed with averted eyes on the Belfast Custom
House occupants in years past, and uniform
ly declined to sneeze when that clique has
taken snuff he should add his weight to
the Roberts lever, it would almost lift him
into the place
Mr.. Simonton, who has long dispensed the
law of imports from the branch custom house
at Camden, and is the head Of the party in
Knox County, has very good show indeed
for the Belfast appointment. 1nasmuch rs
he has the ear of Hale, and Hale has the ear
of Grant, he may be said to have a whisper
ing gallery which can speak very much to
the purpose. Simonton is in accord with the
party locally, and believes in Lot Morrill, and
Pcrham He makes temperance speeches
regularly, and seizes contraband gin at inter-
walls. Ii the latter had been poured into the
dock, he might expect favorable mention
in Gov. Perham's message. But as it is
auctoned off, and finally constitutes wet
damnation for somebody, it rather conflicts
with the Governors platform. In our judg-
ment, the appointment lies between Roberts
and Simonton, with the chances favoring the
latter
AS the time of the appointment approaches,
Of course the situation will get more interest
ing. We shall endeavor to give our readers
the very latest information on the subject, the
history Of new asprants, if any there be
and, in short, a full digest of the case, with
side references and explanatory notes.
One tact will strike the impartial observer,
and that is the plentiful lack of military
achievement among these aspiring patriots.
We run over in Our mind all the ''glttcring
generates" of convention promises to the
soldiery, all the cheap talk Of the stump, and
the abundant froth Of newspaper articles,
cajoling the selfsacrificing soldier with base
less promises; but in all the officials now in
the government edifice at the head of the
street, and in all the crowd struggling
to get in, not one ever saw a rebel in arms.
We tried to credit the editor of the Age with
vicarious martyrdom on the field of Gettys-
burg-but he insisted that he had no substi-