The Portland daily press., 1872-08-01
Fifth District Democratic and Liberal
Republican Conventions.
BELFAST, July Both, 1872.


| To the Editor of the Press: el.fc ft
The long looked for and much talked of Dem
ocratico-Liberal Republican Conventions came
off here to-day according to programme, and
their looming off" was literally according to
programme, for everything was cut and dried
beforehand. It was all reclamation in both
bodies, not even the good old-fashioned method
of complimentary vote being allowed.
The so-called Liberal-Republican gathering
was weak in numbers and weaker still in brains.
The convention was held in Pierce's Hall and
not over two hundred persons in all were in at
tendance at any time and about half of those
were true Republicans, who came in to see the
fun; another part were Simon pure Democrats
and about forty-fv were Republicans who had
been disappointed in not receiving such, Offices
as they thought their value entitled them to
and were therefore for reform.
On the whole the Liberal meeting except as
a tail to the Democratic kite was q failure
Nearly every member is known as an office
holder or seeker and every one had a bandaged
head. --, o.. -
The Democratic Convention was real as
semblage of that party in numbers and names
Strange as it may seem they expressed no
change of opinion. To all intents and pur-
poses, in all their speeches, there were abund-
ant evidences of the deep seated bunkerism of
the past. Before dinner, one would not have
recognized the difference between the Demo-
cracy of 1864 and 1872.
After dinner, the usual drinks and the reso
buttons came the great final act. The parts had
been well practised. First Mr.. Walker of Ma
chias, moved the nomination of F. A. Pike by
acclamation. Que Mr.. Brown of Camden, who
had not been put in place, wanted the privilege
of voting and intimated that others would like
that privilege. He felt that all of the conven-
ton were not ready to swallow Pike.
Mr.. Pixies friend Burns former Democratic
collector at Eastport and practical free-trader,
wanted everything by reclamation. But Brown
was good stuff. He wanted to know if Mr.
Pike and his bandaged heads were wholly re-
claimed and welded to Democracy. This an
nouncement wa, greeted with "that's So"
Burns was willing to take Pike even if he was
for Grant. Anything to beat Hale; but he
knew that Mr.. Pike was for Greeley and Kim
ball-was as good Democrat as himself
At this juncture Sam Leavitt of Eastport ap-
peared Sam detests Pike and this act of advo-
eating him would have been thorn in the flesh
had he not been salved over by the promise of
the Eastport collectorship. Taking the floor
he laid it on thick, extolling Pike until the old
Bourbons could almost see Democratic Inca
ments in Pixies lamb-ke features Sam de-
clared that it was not the party which was max
ing the sacrifice in nominating Pike, but it was
his dear? friend Pike who was the martyr His
remarks brought things to climax and stand
up vote was taken resulting as near as one
could count in 100 against Is. The vote was
taken amid shower of cheers, Kisses and cries
Of no, no, and other unintellgible sounds.
1t was evident that the pill was a very bitter
one to many and that they will not all be roped
in on election day.
Pike was then called in and addressed the
meeting in speech of about fifteen minutes
duration. 1t was made up almost wholly of
the great 1. If we were to believe him, every
effort and act of Congress for the last ten years
for the relief of shipping is due directly to his
influence. The national government was be-
coming corrupt principally because Mr.. Hale
was made his successor in Congress, and the
State government has become corrupt because
it has given land aid to the K. & N. A. r. r.
Therefore he was for reform by electing Gree
ley, man with large head and heart, and
Kimball He thought the only hope of the Re-
publicans in this district was in buying votes,
and they were only to be had in the Democratic
party.
The campaign is fairly opened in the Fifth
District. 1t is understood Pike will take the
field in behalf of his new Democratic allies.
S. L. Milliken of Belfast, will take the stump
Immediately for Hale - .--.---