The Portland daily press., 1874-12-03
The Press and the SenatOrship.
lFrom the Brunswick Telegraph |

lffom tne BrunSwick Telegraph
Mr. Blaine has addressed letter to the Port
land PRESS, in which he expresses the hope
that that Journal will not permit Mr.. Hamlin
to be beaten without the ceremony Of a caucus
and says that for himself he does not want the
Senatorship. even if it were offered to him, and
has only spoken on the subject to two MEM
bers of the Legislature, whom he "met by
chance, the usual way but at the same time
has never concealed his deliberate Judgment
that Maine would best consult her highest in
terest and honor by returning Mr.. Hamlin to
the Senate. Mr. Blaine adds that he sees moth
ing in the recent political reverses elsewhere to
weaken that conclusion. The PRESS finds the
situation good deal changed by the revolution
which has dsposed Mr.. Blaine from the Speak.
ership, and makes a vigorous rejoinder, pro.
testing against the election Of Mr.. Hamln, as
the representative of the office-holders' party
NOT as bad man in himself, accused Of 10
wrong doing, but rather q negative quantity,
and raising no powerful remonstrance against
the wrong doing of Congress of which he is a
member tsi-ii lG.l7
[From the Machias Republican,
The Bangor Whg and Portland PRESS seem
TO be the only two Republican papers in the
state who are fighting out the senatorial con-
test. We do not see, however, as they are like.
ly to settle anything The question now is
shall it be Mr.. Hamlin or some one who is new
in the business, and who will go into the work
with all the freshness Of conscious honesty, and
responsibility for wrongs which may be done
should he fail to ''cry aloud and spare not"
We do not think there will be as many of the
delegation from this county who will be ready
to vote for Mr.. Hamlin for Senator, as there
might have been before the handwriting on the
wall. When SO many men whose sins have
been those of omission only, have had to give
place to others. even If no better than them
selves 1T becomes our representatives and SEN
ators to weigh well the situation, before they
make up their minds that thing is certainly
best, because it is old.
From the Belfast Age.J
We had not supposed that Senator Hamlin's
chances for reelection had become so much
endangered as to render it necessary for Speak
er Blaine to throw the weight of his influence
into the SCALE Mr.. Hamlin's retainers all
was fixed, and that there would be no opposi-
ton to speak Of But it would now seem quite
otherwise, and that Mr. Baine's powerful help
is needed. The letter seems to us inopportuEe;
there seems to be q straining in finding an oc-
casion for it. We have the Daily Press regu.
larly, and have never seen any suggestion or in
timation in it, that it favored o bolt, and as to
the mere suggestion of Mr.. Blaine's name as
possible candidate, we don't see why that
should have necessitated the writing Of this
long letter and sending it in advance to all the
Republican papers OF the state. We regard it
inOppOrtune because it will tend to strengthen
a suspicion existing, that there is Blaine-
Hamlin ling in this state to which we have
hieuCitO StfCu ho CiCuCuSC, duu ib ID quitt pOS-
sible that it may have an effect quite opposite
to that intended. Mr.. BIaiue is sagacious
political leader, and it may be good leadership
to discard the old doctrine of rotation in office;
but we cannot think lis. 1t seems to us that
the sending of some new, fresh men to the
front is one of the needs of tho Republican par
ty at this time. The people get tired of having
one thing always, be it ever so good. The re-
ply of the Press is sharp and vigorous and pre-
sents the question upon its true merits.
(From the same
We believe in rotation in office We regard
it as the handspring of party success. The OPP
posite policy paralyzes individual effort, and
tends to build up an Office holding oligarchy,
And in our view it is a serious objection to Mr.,
Hamlin that he has numerous body of party
retainers, who make office seeking q business,
and who 60 for keeping him in office merely
because he, in turn, keeps them in office.
Many OF those men are not popular with the
people. They are suspected of having bat lit
tie interest in party success beyond what re-
dounds toward keeping themselves in office.
And we have 1t from good authority that but
from the importunities of lthose men. Mr..
Hamln would have adhered to his expressed
intention of retiring at the end of his present
term. And the question is not alone whether
Mr.. Hamlin shall be elected, but also whether
the Republican party shall uphold an office
seeking and an office holding ring of adventur.
ous politicians.
From, the Gardiner Reporter.l
Mr.. Blaine has attempted to apply his
thumb-screws quite openly at last In letter
addressed to the Portland PRESS, the most ably
conducted Republican paper in the state, he
expresses the hope that that Journal will not
permit Senator Hamlin to be beaten without
the ceremony Of a caucus, and says that for
himself he he does not want the Senatorship,
even if it were offered to him, and has only
spoken on the subject to two members of the
Legislature, whom he ''met by chance, the
usual way" but at thei same time has never.
concealed his deliberate Judgment, that Maine
would best consult her highest interest and
honor by returning Mr. Hamlin to the Senate.