The Republican journal., 1876-06-29
Hale for a Fifth Term.


District arc made Of They are apparent
ly as slow and passive under goadng as
the patient OK that treads out the corn
Their task masters lay out the allotted
WORK. and they 90 the accomplishing
round of its performance. There was Il
time. to be sure, some Years ago, VIXEN
they showed signs Of revolt, but it wa,
beaten out of them, and they have since
lain down in the turroW. If Mn Hale
shall fill the term Tor which he has Just
been nominated, it will make ten wears Of
consecutive service in Congress, preceded
by eight years of f. A. Pike from the ex-
IRENE eastern portion OF the district,
Twenty years ago Nehemiah Abbott of
this city had a seat in Congress. since
which time no representative having a
residence in Waldo or Knox has been
elected to that body.
Twenty years is a long time for a sec
ton so intelligent, and with interests so
varied AS those of the Knox and Waldo
portions of the Fifth District to be practi-
cally uDrepresented in Congress- There
has been nothing like it elsewhere in the
State Even in Kennebec where contin-
ued representation had the purpose Of
nursing a candidate for the Presidency, it
has continued for only seven terms, or
fourteen years. The state of things here
is simply political servitude 1t is u part
OF Il 81 stem that permits the sitting mem
Der of Congress, by control of appoint
ments. to bind to the car Of his interests
the most active politicians of his district,
and 30 perpetuate his power indefinitely.
The Convention which assembled at Els
worth on the 23d was made up three
fourths of office holders, or those under
the absolute control of that class. They
had Il lively sense of tayorS past, and
thought they understood perfectly the
source from which they were to come in
future. That is why the Convention
voted down a resolution declaring that
lilc uOlllllllIlOtl SIOuli WV SCtliG lCiIt
come west of the Penobscot river, and
why Hale received 1873 votes to II for
Milliken This appears to fix the matter,
so Tar as the Convention could fix it, for
the next two Years, aud Ilale's leading
friend on the floor Of the Convention def
antlv told them that MI Hale should be
nominated and elected l5 many times as
he wished to be.
1t is said that men have sometimes been
So long in bondage as to lose their relish
for freedom and its rights and privileges,
content to "hIg their vile chains and
dream the age away" Whether there is
to be anything like q blow ior The rights
of the western section is a question, but a
very doubtful one. The acceptance Of the
position of candidate for elector by Mill
ken. and a speech pledging his best efforts
for Hale don't look much like it. The
most spirited thing Of the occasion was
the Indignant speech by Castle, OF this
city, who, with AIilliken ciinging to his
coat tail, in deadly fear Of something rash,
flung in the face Of the ,Jannissaries their
subserviency to the one man power and
their craven fear Of losing patronage
That speech indicated to Il good many
who were present the direction in which
they might look for a man of pluck if the
nomination ever does come this way
We have said that the nomination Of
Hale was the result OF his supposed con-
troll of the officers and the lrnS sure which
he was consequently able to bring upon
officials. 1t is Il pity that there had not
been some one sufficiently We'll posted to
rise and notify the delegates of the recent
emancipation Of office holders from the
control of members of Congress by a re-
solve OF the Cincinnati Convention The
fifth resolution OF the series is this
Under the Constitution the President and heads
of departments to make nominations for office,
the Senate is to advise consent to appointments, and
the House OF Representatives is accuse and pros
ecute faithess officers. The best interest OF the pub
lie service demand that these distinctions BE- respect
ed, that Senators and Representatives who may be
judges and accusers, should not dictate appointments
TO office. The invarable rule for appointments
should have reference to the honesty, fidelity and
capacity OF the apponees, giving the party in pow
er those places where harmony and vigor of the ad-
mnstraton require its policy TO be represented,
but permitting all Others to be filed by persons
lected with sole reference to the efficiency of the
public SERVICE and the right of citizens share in
the honor of rendering faithful service TO their
country.
This Is the highest party law, and
means, if it means anything, that APP
pointments and removals are not to be
dictated by Congressman. but made by
the President and heads Of departments,
with reference to fidelity and capacity,
land the light Of citizens to share in the
honors Of service" That resolution, prop
erly used. would have blown the Hale
programme higher than kite And it
stands now as Il statute against the valid
ity of Il nomination obtained by such
means, and I; release from all considcra-
tons which make the action of the Con-
vention binding
The Convention of the Republicans OF
gor. on the 22d. was very excited affair.
Notwithstanding the pledge of Ike Con-
vention last ear that Aroostook should
have the nominee at the next election,
there was very strong objection manifest
ed to carrying out the arrangement, at
least while Aroostook presented Powers
as the candidate. That county was there
in force, and the clans of the various sec
tons INDUCED in q variety of outcries
hootings and Kisses, as the fight pro-
crossed Powers was nominated on the |
first ballot, having 1917 out of 294 votes
There is great opposition to Powers on
personal grounds, both at home and in
Penobscot, and he will be likely to ,e-
ceive hard hits in the canvass