The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-06-20
sHOnest Uncle Horace as the Democrat
lie Candidate.


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ic Candidate.
VOORHEES, has been completely submerged
editor and proprietor of the New York
World, though still protesting to resist as vio-
lently as ever, has at last shown signs of ex-
haustion and intimates that even he may be
obliged to fly to Greeley as a refuge from
Grant. Greeley is Enthusiastically the choice
Of the Democracy-not for Presidency, ex-
actly, but for a temporary bridge to carry
them back to Office and power. Opposition
to him breaks out sporadically in New Hamp-
shire, in Delaware, and in New Jersey, but
there is no where the appearance of general
or even an extensive re- usal to give the Dem
ocratic suffrages to the old white hat. There
is plenty of opposition, to be sure, but it all
comes from Republicans Schurz, Trumbull,
Sumner, Cox, Bryant, Wells, Bowles and
nearly the whole reinforcement Mr.. Greeley
promised to carry into the enemy's camp, as
the consideration of his nomination. But for
the original, unterriied Democracy, in the
words of an enthusiastic Hibernian, s'Whack,
Greeley's the boyp'
Behold ''the great editor" then, already
sure of that which since the second day of
May has been the darling object of his ambi-
toni Behold him at length clasped fast and
sure to the sooty Democratic bosom on which
he 20 impetuously flung himself. What does
it profit man to gain the whole world and
lose his own soul? Of what avail is it to a
politician to gain futile Democratic nomina-
tons, and, ipsO fdct0, lose the fair fame earn
ed by g lifetime of apparently honest work
Mr.. Greeley will see more clearly than now
on the m orning of November 9th, and maybe
little before, that he paid for the Baltimore
nomination by the sacrifice of that which has
made him conspicuous figure in this brave
stage of American history, and that which
alone has induced anybody to think it worth
while to nominate him for any office. Such
an utter moral collapse was surely never seen
before
Let us see how it has come about that the
editor of the Tribune has become entitled to
the Democratic nomination. 1t would be ''to
consider too curiously'' to assume that Mr.
Greeley is so much "deeper than Australia"
as to have consciously and Systematically pur-
sued course since 1860 that would commend
him to the Democracy in 1872. We may re-
gard his cowardly at titude toward incipient
treason, his Bull Run craze, his peace policy
in 1854, his bailing of Jeff Davis and his sub
sequent desire to admit all the Rebel leaders
to instant participation in all the rights and
privileges and honors of American citizens
ocratic favorite, must, with his support of
Douglas for Senator and his opposition to
Lincoln's reelection be regarded merely as
evidences of an inherently weak and unstable
character. But let us briefly enumerate the
more recent and deliberate Of his moral lap
ses which can be explained only as the acts of
, a red-hot Presidential candidate. They are !:
Contriving with Senator Fenton, one of the
most disreputable of the New York polti-
clans, to wrest an almost fraudulent nomina-
ton from an unwilling convention at Cincin-
natl.
Calling in the intriguing Blairs, the au-
thor of the Broadhead letter among the rest
to assist in hoodwinking the Convention.
Affilating with the Tammany and other
corrupt New York rings, and so obtaining
their support.
Agreeing to keep quiet on his protection
hobby.
Opposing the Ku-Klux law which little
before he wanted "madc stronger"
Opposing the federal election law which
only few months before he approved so en-
Enthusiastically that he wanted it extended to
State and municipal elections.
Insisting on one term as a matter of princi-
pie, when he was the first man to nominate
Grant for reelection.
Denouncing woman suffrage, of which he
was one of the earliest advocates.
Supporting Democratic candidates for Of
flee, when only year ago he declared that
the restoration of the Democracy would be
the triumph of the rebellion.
What candidate for the Presidency has ev-
er before presented such spectacle as this
Which of all our American statesmen ruined
by ambition, ever fell so suddenly and fell so
low?
THE question presented to the people of
Portland in the P. & O. r. r. loan is this -
Shall we by the investment of an additional
sum, amounting to only two and seven tenths
per cent. of the real value of the property of
the town, open an Independent route to the
Great Lakes, a new route to Chicago, a new
and shorter route to Montreal; open access for
local business and trade, to populations along
the road, exceeding seven hundred per cent
of the total population of Portland; open con-
nection with the new railway system of Can
ada, a connection desired and counted upon
by its managers; open up, in short, for the
merchants and manufacturers of Portland
market immeasurably exceeding in extent
and value any to. which they now have ade-
quate and convenient access. The time nev-
er has been, and never in all probability will
be, when the same investment will secure to
us results at all to be compared with these in
Importance.
BY the way of preparing the way for Mr..
Rawson's resolution in the Bangor Conven-
ton, the Commercial, published the morning
of the meeting, had an article against prohibit
Dry legislation, in which it is laid down as a
premise that ever since the time of Noah, the
human family had sought intoxicating bever-
ages and would have them, consequently any
law TO prohibit the sale would be futile and
worse than folly. Following cut the Com
merciaps argument, it may be safely asserted
that part of the human family have had an
irresistible tendency to commit murder since
the days of Cain and by the same process of
reasoning, laws prohibiting it are worse than
useless, because under the influence of pas
sion, men will commit murder The same
venerable origin may be found for most vices
and crimes, and by the reasoning of the Com
mercial, all laws prohibiting and Furnishing
all crimes should be abolished until there is
no law left but conscience.
IT is beyond question that if Portland fails
to push through the Notch, Boston operating
through some of her energetic railway compa-
mes, will do it, and will sweep away to her
warehouses and steamships, the whole vol
ume OF business that else would come to this
city. The humiliation and disaster of such
an issue would be irrecoverable. II would he
by one master stroke of pusillanimous hack
ing-down to fling away all we have invested
in the road the advantages of our o,ooxro,>i,;