The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-08-29
Democratic County Convention.

representatives of the remnants OF the so call
ed Democratic party. There were about sixty
of them, mostly from the country, and evident
ly for the greater part OF that class OF men who
had seen fifty summers of Democracy before
the winter of their fortunes, which began in
1860, chilled their aIdor. The younger portion
were mostly from the city and represent the
Young Democracy who speak with disgust of
the organization and their party leaders.
John SWEET, ESD, chairman of the county
committee called the convention to order and
nominated w. Fl. Clifford, Esq of Portland,
temporary chairman. Mr.. Clifford on assum-
ing the chair addressed the convention at some
length. After briefly thanking it for the honor
conferred he launched upon the stormy sea of
politics. He said, although it may be tue last
and expiring effort of the democrats of this
county,ye it is well for us to come together and
calmly examining the position Of affairs. The
democratic party is passing through a crisis in
its history. The air is filed with intimatons of
change and new combinations, farewell to the
dying and mournful cadence for the dead Are
they facts, or purely iuaginations? We cannot
tell. No man can presage the future. He refer
red to the corruption of the national parties
and thought il absurd for the democrats to
representatives of the salary grab corruption -
(Applause) We must arrest this tide of cor
ruption. l am favorable to the formation OF
new parties 10 be composed of combinations
from all parties.
We must obtain recruits from tire army against
us. In order 10 secure them, it will not do for
us to claim all the purity aud charge against
our adverSaries all the corruption. We can
win men to us only by Cancellation. To do this
we must sweep away the entire past with its
Iva uaSttnpc annlicahl tn
the present hour. We must form new organ
ization. know not, l care not what its name
may be called.
That which the Republican party most fails
in, is civil service reform. The Democratic
party has also failed in this particular. We
raise our bowls of denuncation, but fail to car
ry our theory into practice. In our conventions
we leave out reform from our resolutions
What we need is Civil Reform" without it,
party existence is in danger l do not say you
have endorsed party corruptions, but YOU have
tolerated them. Let us take civil reform as our
battle cry aud we can raise an ontburst of Gu
thusiasm in this State that will bear us on its
tide into power. The question is, what shall We
do? Let us leave these aecient parties that
have broken us down and form new party.
How shall we do this? 1t is the question of
the hour. If necessary, why should not the
Democracy be willing to sacrifice themselves,
their name and their old issues? If you prefer
to abide by your old party name and party is
~
Mr.. Clifford next paid his attention to the
salary grab, and characterized the men who re-
turned their back pay as arrant towards. Let
us not be so presuming as to say that while cor
ruption has stained the political garments of
others, ours are free from STAIN We do not ex-
ert ourselves for the sake of securing party
power but simply from our love OF that which
is right and aud from a desire to live. Civil
service reform, that's what we must labor for;
let party lines, party preiudces, old issues 60.
I'm .lutv iS m ora There m
dications that the Democratic party is being
brought to its close. Let it be SO. The princi-
Piles of the party will live.
So long as Mr. Clifford talked of Republican
shortcomings, his party associates were pleased
and thumped the floor with quite evident signs
of life, but when he turned to the Democracy.
and gravely Informed the convention that the
party was dead. and wicked and generally play
ed out, and generally gone to the bad, the old
fellows looked serious, and squirmed like half
dead cells in hot frying pan. The speech was
good one, as it is needless to say, for Mr.. Cliff
ord always makes good speeches and really be-
lieves that the party is dead, and is evidently
glad of it. The only reason for his being attach
ed to the old concern is that he was born in it
and like theRepuplicans he really believes that
the Democratic party of to-day is, use west.
ern phrase, an ''amoosin little cuss.''
The chairman read the call for the conven-
tion, Henry Hickson of Deering, was made
Secretary. The temporary organization was
then made permanent. On motion, the county
committee was made committee on creden
tials. At later stage of the meeting they re
ported the whole number of delegates presen
88. The following gentlemen were then nomi
mated as candidates for Senators: Charles H
Haskell of Portland; Nathaniel S. Littlefed Of
Bridgton; Oliver p. Haskell of Windham; 9th
C. Nelson of New Gloucester.
At this stage Ira c. Witham Esq, of Portland
inquired If the convention had not nominated a
man for Senator who is Republican. (cries
of who is he.ls Chairman-Is he an honest
man? Qaughter) Witham-If am to go to
a funeral this fall, 1 want to go to honest
Democratic funeral.
Stephen X. Dyer eff Portland, was nominated
by acclamation for County Treasurer.
John W. Webster presented the name of
John D. Anderson of Gray, for County Attor
ney. Mr.. Anderson declined to allow his name
to be used. Col. A. w. Bradbury of Portland
presented the name of NJ z. Frank. ESQ.,, Of
Portland, for the same Office. Mr.. Frank de-
Glued to allow bis name to be used, but was
nevertheless nominated by reclamation Mr.
Pickett of Cape Elizabeth, presented the name
of Charles A. Tlton Of Cape Elizabeth, fol-
County Commissioner, and MIR. Tilton was
nominated by reclamation. The following gen
tlemen were ap 7ointed committee on resolu,
tions; T. NJ. Given, Ira c. Witham, A. w
Bradbury and Geo. w. Woodbury..
Twelve O clock had now arrived, the custom
airy dinner hour for the farmer, and delegate
| urged by his gastronomic intimations, suggest
ed the ACCESSIBILITY of an interval of rest before
the resolutions were read. Mr.. Clifford merel!
turned his powerful magnetic eyes upon tht
unsophisticated delegate, when with a 9 asp The
man subsidized. With bland smile the chair
man then stated that a recess would be unpec
! essary as the committee on resolutions woult
report in exactly two minutes. By this tim,
not more than score of delegates remained il
the convention, and no objection could be rails
ed over the resolutions. The following wer
nominated a county committee: John SWEET
Portland; w. B. Field, Brunswick; I.
Chase, Windham; Freedom Milliken, Scarbo
ro'; Washington Bray, Naples; c, FL. Rey
nolds, Gorham; J. d. Anderson, Gray. An,
50 it passed into oblivion.