The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-08-03
Some Suggestions Concerning the
Fifth District Candidacy.
For the Republican Journal.

IL II.
would cripple the party, and often deprive it OF
any hope of success On the contrary it is and
always has been the custom of all parties, when
i'll minority to select their most available men,
without inquiry as to whether they or others
had been the previous nominees The record
of this district settles the question far as the
Democratic party is concerned, for it has never,
except in Il single instance, given a renomina-
ton to any candidate James White. who was
the nominee in 1862 and 1864, is the single cX-
cepton to the rule. William q. Crosby, Arno
Wiswell, Philander j. Carleton, Frederick \.
Pike and Mr.. Spo1ford have been his successors.
and no ore of them, and none Of their friends
for them, ever set up Il claim for denomination
until the present time; yet each of them had
many and jealous adherent5, who would not
quietly permit them to be treated with disr,-
spect. When you state, therefore, in your let
ter to Mr.. Spot'ord, that there is such party
usage you assume what does not in fact exist,
and Mr.. Spotford is equally mistaken when he
replies that the "usage is Old and well estab-
lished one of which he was aware when the
nomination was rendered to linn two years
ago." Both of YOU have evidently confotinded
this matter with the we settled custom that
prevails in all mojorHy parties to give sHcces2
tui candidates second term il their services
have been satisfactory.
You make Il point of the fact that since The
formation of the district majority of the Dem
Ocratic nominees have come from the west Side
of the river. 1t is true, White, Crosby and
Carleton, four nominations, i'll fact, We're west
ern men, while only three, WiSweli, Pike and
Spohord. were given 10 the east.
But it is also true that the representatives.
elected have always been eastern men, Mr..
Pike and Mr. Hale having successfully filled
the office ever since the organization OF the dis
trict. Mr. Hale is now again rcnonnatcd, and
the Just claim of Waldo and Knox for share
in the representation was thrown out Of thcir
Convention with contempt. Under the present
f,I,,
The people are indignant and demand the de-
feat of Hale rs the only possible relief. 1t is
clearly one of the most important subjects for
consideration i'll our Convention. how to take
advantage of this state of things. Ii would
seem to be good policy. other things being
equal, to nominate candidate from the section
entitled to the Representatives | believe that
leading Democrats in Hancock and Washing
ton are of this opinion, while all the opponents
OF Hale i'll his own party in those counties, and
for various causes there are many, are looking
IN this direction as the quarter from which the
available man to beat him with must come. IT
is generally believed that Mr.. Spotforl cannot
carry the district. | think he believes so him
SELF while large portion of the party have an
abiding conviction that 4 Waldo county nomi-
nee would be successful Under these crcum-
stances | am satisfied that it is only the mis-
taken idea that he would be treated discourtc-
ousy if he should not be renominated that in
duces Mr.. Spoford to take his present position
| heartily endorse everything You say about
the qualifications of Mr. spofiord lie j, gen
sI en ha scllo,el nliu man on tet nave
sionally, and have my self seen him in his accus-
,oliea piIre IN 'G oongieSa.oa cllfGt N n'
Sonal character is true. Bat the Democratic
parry wants somet I'M more 'nah lh'. II
victory. And that capacity, together With all
, TN, other qualiheallohs you nave atlfipo'ed 10
believes are found United in William H. McIcI-
that he has many and warm friends amonr the
kePuh ga ., IN iact 1t Is strong reeommen-
am at IA loss to conceive where the votes IRE
10 CONE rom, 10 eiget any Delocrl unless 'Aey
You will pardon me if add, in the knda>t
XIX a '' r , W SUiI ,ev ar ll t' ~
collection Of u personal misunderstanding. to
mhip YOUR :, tsilalaS er'iI auu a>criIili"ln
them, some of them friendly TO MIR. Spoll0rd's
WON a' rne t
yention As wholly Enjusti1iahie.
- '''>'''
We are glad that oar correspondent,
"hp2c NtoNo diG h9tailt ~ STUNT, aHil
whose position among the Democracy Of
Knox County is so prominent. has thus
frankly stated his views We will en-
deavor to be equally candid, although
obliged to dissent from the conclusions at
which he arrives, and to differ from him
concerning some Of the arguments lead
ing thereto.
CONCERNING USAGE.
So lar from arroeiur tbaf there rvists
no usapo for Denomination Inv !, nn;no,itv
party. we ar. nhlioe,l ~ ,vn. that w.
never know il tn hn nnnationni ,>cnnt ~,
our CORRESPONDENT From ,;ovufnnr ~
town representative tbo r,}. ,l,4ai,. .,aa
is sustained bv all considerations that c,n
is another matter Int ma cx,minn tho
records Of this district which nnr 4.innl
cites Iamne Vhita,s ,,nailao,- :, 1sn3
and 1854 snsta;ns our WINGS H. 1.tr
Arno iiswcl was nominated. and H.
Andrew Johnson ana his followers h,l
seeded from the Eepubljrau organization
it was deemed exDedient to provide for \
union of the Liberal Rcpublicansana Dem
ocrats Accordingly the nominating con
vention passed a resolution AUTHORIZING
Mr.. WisWe!l to withdraw in favor uf Il
johnson man, il one should be nominated
MI Mcclellan was "A member of this
Convention EX-Gov. Crosby was sub
sequentiy put IN nomination hy Tile
Johnson men, and Mr.. Niswcll, in cN-
ercise of the discretion conli,lcd to him.
withdrew in Crosbys favor in a letter
published in this paper. And 50 srrupu-
lous We're the Democracy of the rights Of
usage. that they insisted that Mr.. Wiswcll
should have his second nomination and
gave it to him by reclamation in 1865 II
a convention in which our respected Rock
land correspondent was 1elerate. SO