The Portland daily press., 1874-06-25
REPUBLICAN DISTRICT CONvEN'
TEGN.


morning. The attendance was large, both
counties being well represented, and the dele
gates were liberal in their concentrations OF
| the Hon. John H. Burleigh and his course in
| Congress.
The convention was called to order at noon
by Jason Beatty, esq.,, chairman of the Dis
trict Committee, who nominated Hon. Charles
| W. Goddard of Portland for temporary chair
man, and Seth e. Bryant of Kennebunk, and
c. o. Leach of Portland, for temporary Secre-
taries.
Or assuming the chair Judge Goddard spoke
as follows:
In thanking you for the honor conferred on
me, may be allowed to congratulate you
that for the past ten years the people have
endorsed your nominations by large and in
creasing majorities, deserved tribute both to
the sOundness of the principles enuncated in
your successive platforms, and to the fidelity,
ability and discretion of your nominees.
Not that this good fortune nor the uninter-
rupted possession of every department of the
national government since 1861, nor yet our
control of the state administration for eighteen
years is, in my Judgment, any reason for exul-
tation over that great party which we have sue
ceeded. Truth compes us to admit that it con-
tributed its full quota toward the formation of
ours, and eminent Democrats have from time to
time joined us, by their experience, ability and
popularity largely contributing to our long sue
cession Of political Victories and when war
came other democrats sweed the ranks of our
volunteers while Democratic generals led our
armies against the enemies of the country.
But, if triumph over a fallen foe were ever
iudicous, the present is no time for the indul-
gence of the sentiment The completeness of
our success forbids it, for the Republican party
has accom- plished all and more than all it prom
ised or undertook. We promised to repress the
aggressions of the slave power, and we abol-
ished slavery. We undertook to put down the
rebellion, and we have made second southern
rebellion impossible by dlsfranchlsinS the
rebels and enfranchiSng the slaves We under
took to elect Republican President and Vice
President in 1864, but when Booths bullet and
Johnson's treachery left us hostile executive,
We not only carried all our promised measures
amid a shower of vetoes, but by the tenure of
office act we deprived him of the power he had
abused, and we failed but by single vote of
deposng an unworthy official. Not content
with laws, we have insisted on Incorporating
our leading ideas by a series Of amendments
into the constitution of the United States BY
the election of General Grant we invested the
victorious general of the national forces with
the chief command OF the army and navy of
the Union, and by his triumphant reelection
we extingushed the last vestige of rebel hope.
The plenitude of our victory is unparalleled in
the history of civil wars, for within twelve
years from the breaking out of the most for
midable rebellion on record, the last ember of
civil strife was extinguished, so that while
Davis is to-day an object of contempt and neg
lect at home, Gen. Grant is perhaps the most
popular man among the people OF the South of
both colors. .4-s -e ''-
But in this hour of victory we are awakened
to new and unexpected danger of an appal-
ling type 1t cannot be disguised that the
credit of the nation has been inperied by the
reckless and unprinciped votes OF a majority of
both branches of Congress at the session just
closed; and if we are able to point to Republic
can President as the protector of the national
honor, with shame we are compelled to confess
that the disgrace aud ruin from which his veto
alone saved the country was the work of a
Senate and House Observation-Disclosures
and that too in contempt and defiance of our
party's creed, and oft repeated professions So
that wien, as of old we are asked, What
wounds are these that we see?' we are obliged
to answer, "These are wounds that we received
in the house of our friends" For our worst
fees are those of our own political household.
On the other hand, leading Democrats in Sen
ate and House, and throughout the country, did
all in their power to avert from the nation its
humiliation.
Hence, So far as my untutored faculties are
able to discern, the great, absorbing, over.
shadowiDg question of the hour is not in any
just sense of the term, political one. 1t is a
direct, uDmistakable issue between ReDubli-
can President standing on the Republican
national platform, and Republican Congress
elected upon it, bnt spurnng it. 1t is, there
fore. as it seems to me, puerile and worse than
puerile, to indulge in the old-style denunciaton
of the Democracy of the last generation, or OF
TIE present generation when ajofity of Re-
publican Senators and Representatives are faith
less to their pledges and their trust, and on this
important point in open rebellion against theil
party, while large proportion of the Demo
cratic party, true to their ancient traditions are
ready to sustain the President in this great
battle with his enemies and ours. Let US not
repeat the folly of so e Of our poiitieal opnon=
ents who after treason Lad eliminates IN open
rebellion amid the flames of civil war persisted
in ignoring the mighty change and fancied they
were saving the country AMI their party by re-
affirming their faith in the Virginia resolutions
of 1898.
L perceive by the morning papers that a So
called compromise bill was, in the last hours OF
Congress, passed and signed. have had nc
time to examine its provisions critically, but II
| may be fairly assumed that if the bill now 9
| law had been seriously tinctured with the
financial beresies of its predecessor it would moi
| have escaped the vigilance which detected
them, and destroyed their vitality, and the firm
purpose which, doubt not, would have fought
| it out all summer with a recreant Republican
Congress on the same line.
In my Judgment, the danger is not over, fo
the infationists may be expected to renew thei
| warfare at the DeXt session. l insist that thu
| great issue of the hour and of the tall campaign
is substantially that which was practically PM
in the Senate on receipt OF the PRESIDENT
message. ''Shall the national credit be dishon
ored and the country embark on voyage of in
| flatiOn, bankruptcy and reputation, nOtwith
standing Gen. Grants veto?"
| | will not stop to argue the question, because
| l have not yet heard of any man in Maine who
denies that sucb was the manifest tendenc
of the currency bill vetoed by the President
| and prefer to save my strength for more use
| full service than proving what everybody ad
mts. Neither am l to be diverted from exert
| ing my influence in the most direct and effect
| i've manner upon this allimportant subject b.
antiquated political iealousies or obsolete pref
udices on the one baud, or by minor question
| on the other. On the contrary, | am prepare,
to hail as a co-worker in the nations cause, a
| a fellow laborer on the side of honor, honesty
| and trnth, every man who is willing to sustain
the President in this contest, without regard t.
| his former political affiliations or his preSen
views on the ranking privilege, civil service o
the Utah bill, and without microscopic scrnti-
ny into the precise shade of his opinions touch
ing the success of the Maine law.
| Happily for the credit of our State, its Rep
| resentatives and Senators have not followed tn
| multitude of their associates to do evil; paItic
| ularly is this true of our Representative, thu
| Hon. John HI. Burlegh, whose voice and vOt
have been given on the right side.
So far as can learn from their newspaper
| and from personal observation, the general ant
| for aught l know the universal sentiment o
! the leading Democrats of this State is in sub
stantial accord with our own.
For one, therefore, hope to see two thing
| done to-day, or rather hope to see one thire
done aud the other avoided. What | wish t.
| see done is the denomination by reclamation
| of our present Representative, as token of GU
| approval and endorsem of faithful ant
| fearless public servant, worthy successor o
| his distinguished predecessor. What hope to
| see avoided is any resolution or discussion cal
| culated TO Tepel such intelligent, honest, sin
| cere Democrats as, with perfect consistency
| and in strict conformity to the recorded taitl
| of their fathers and of those great Representa-
| tive Democrats, Old Hickory and Old Bullion
! are disposed by their votes and their influence
| to sustain our Representative and our Presiden
| in the great battle wi h the enemies of hare
money and national honor and prosperity.
7. III. Haskell of Portland, moved that th
| District Committee be constituted a committe
| on credentials, and the motion was carried
John B. Neatly of South Berwick, moved
committee Of five on permanent organization
Carried. The following gentlemen constitute
| the committee:
Committee on Permanent Organization:
John b. Neatly of South Berwick, Geo. A
Frost of Sanford, Hugh d. Mcclellan of GoI
! ham, Horace f. Milliken of Deering and Chas
G. Pillsbury of Scarborough.
w. T. Small of Portland, moved a commtte
Of nine to report names for District commit
tee. On suggestion of Mr.. Haskell the motto
| was Withdrawn until permanent oTganizatio
was effected.