The Portland daily press., 1872-07-03
Trying to Throw Away Congressional
District. "

Trying to Throw Away Congressional
District.
Certain Republicans of Waldo County have
taken the preliminary steps toward giving one
of our Congressional districts to the Demo-
Gratis. Two years ago the fifth district gave
Republican majority of twelve hundred
votes, electing Hale over Carlton, the Demo-
cratic candidate. Since his reelection Mr.
Hale has gained almost the foremost position
among the younger members of the House OF
Representatives. He has shown himself wor-
thy of place in Names magnificent Con-
gressonal delegation. This is saying a good
deal, for we believe that no other State can
boast of four members so prominent for
ability, industry and general usefulness as
Lynch, FRYE, Blaine and Peters. All these
are leading members of the House, Mr. Frye,
though now serving his first term, having
promptly attracted the attention of the coun-
try by a display of that ready eloquence which
has made him so widely popular in Maine.
To say that man can sustain himself among
these brilliant representatives of the people Of
Name is to say that he is fully equal to the
requirements of his position. If the citizens
of the fifth district have any pride in the
standing of their Representative, the
most of them undoubtedly have-it must
have been abundantly gratiied during the
present Congress. Under Mr.. Hale's leader
ship the House passed the important bills, re-
pealing the duties on salt and Goa, and repeat
eddy passed general amnesty bills. Failing on
account of Democratic opposition to secure the
passage of his bill to encourage the revival of
shipbuilding, he joined Mr.. Lynch, who had
already been by the same means defeated in
the same field, and the other members of the
Maine delegation in partly successful effort
to incorporate the measures of relief into the
4arif bill His position on the Appropriations
Committee has given him prominence that
the Craftsmanship of no other committee ex-
cept that of Ways and Means would have
conferred, and under his leadership some of
the leading appropriation bills have been
passed. Meantime he has not neglected any
thing calculated to subserve the interests of
his constituents. His influence with the ex-
ecutive departments and his associates i'll the
House have given him unusual facilities for
meeting all the just and reasonable expecta-
tons of the people whom he represents.
Under such circumstances it is not strange
few disappointed Office seekers in a part of
Waldo county, supported by very few kim
dred spirits in Washington county have de-
sired with absolute unanimity to give Mr..
Hale a third term. Accordingly he was
unanimously nominated at the Ellsworth Con-
vention, held ON the 2Sth ult., a part of the
Waldo delegates having withdrawn before the
nomination, in consequence of the refusal of
the convention to waive its decided prefer
ences in favor of very small minority of its
members. How much influence these TWEEN
ty-five delegates may have we do not know,
but if the proposed boilers convention is
held, it will not be their fault if the Demo-
Gratis fail to elect their man. 1t seems pity, |
when the majority of the Republicans in the |
House of Representatives is so dangerously |
small, that one of its most honorable, in
dustrious and valuable members should be |
sacrificed, without any reference to princi- |
pie, but solely because Tom didn't get the |
Belfast collectorship, Dick was unsuccessful |
in similar aspirations at Calais and Harry
met with like disappointment at Meddy.
bemps.
There are some facts in connection with |
the Ellsworth Convention worthy of notice. |
First: 1t was, to remarkable degree, COM
posed of business men, representing all the |
leading interests and industries of the Fifth |
district-men who do not follow politics as a |
business, but belong to party from princ-
pie. Second: The Convention was unusu-
ally full; and was in favor of Mr.. Hale by at |
least four to one. And this result was Sc
cured without special means to carry primary
meetings. There was not a contested case |
before the co lvention. 1t was essentially |
convention of the people and nomination
by the people.
We believe that the Republicans of the
Fifth District, knowing the plotters in this
attempt to elect Democrat, will not be de-
ceived. The little plan lacks soldty-in
other words it is "too thin" We believe that
when it is found that Mr.. Knowlton, the OPP
position candidate to Mr.. Hale, and several
other leading Waldo opponents denounce the
proposed bolt, Others who might be inclined
to join it will again return TO the ranks, so |
that in few weeks the half dozen or less of
malcontents that still persist in leading the
fOrlorn hope of the Democracy will stand
alone the avowed enemies of the party that
has too often honored them
IT was our "ex-Governor'' Pilsbury who
aptly said, in referring to the wonderful palm
genesis of Mr.. Greeley, "The Christian world |
never quotes from Paul previous to his con-
version" There can be no doubt about the
change in Mr.. Greeley, but there is a slight |
difference in the lights. The one that sud-
denly shone round Saul of Tarsus was ga
light from heaven" The glitter that hallu-
cinated an original disciple was but ''thirty |
pieces of silver" The glory which so dazes
Greeley is the Presidency. And the Chris
tan world never quotes from the apostolic |
betrayer after che went and hanged himself.
WHAT splendid chance Mr.. Greeley would |
have had for carrying this State if there had
been twelve thousand internal revenue off
GERS appointed in 1862 instead of but twelve.
Had this been the case, he would have had a
very respectable following in Maine; for it is
confined almost exclusively to those officials
who were superseded in 1869. The few ont
side of this number are those who wanted
and didn't get these places. The crowd isn't
large, but then they are earnest reformers
and cannot restrain themselves to ordinary
adjectives when they speak of Office holders.
IMPORTANT, IF TRUE-the opposition pa
pers affirm that GerriH Smiths son supports
Greeley That is disheartening, truly! 1t
completely neutralizes the moral effect or the
old gentleman's support of Gen. Grant. No
body knows much about the youth of his
mental or moral qualities, to be sure, and it
seems a little like straining to attempt to bal
ance him against his distinguished father. In
pursuance of this new method the Republi-
cans may be expected to show that Summers
second cousin, andSchurz' sisters husbands
nephew who lives in Germany, support