The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-11-12

CeeQlngly Ou6n5lVe TO tn6 great mass OF the he-
publicans of the State, whose falsh In him, and
good will towards him, grow stronger and
stronger as time proves how true and manly
and wise statesman he is. The parties who
have been keeping up this hullsballoo are in
significant in numbers and feeble Of resources.
There is now and then a man among them,
who would bs powerful in influence If he were
not so hopelessy wrong in his opinions. Bat
Tor the most part they are disappointed place
hunters with grievance, or pesvish and dys-
peptic newsmoDgers, who are vexed because
they haven't been sufficiently cottoned to. ID
is one of Mr.. Conkling's weak points, or grand
points, depending on which way one looks at 10
my love Of genuine independence of charac-
ter leads me to take the latter view of it-that
he never will turn by so much as q hairs
breadth from what he conceives to bs the
straight line Of principle to gain friend or pla-
cate an enemy. People have got the impress
sion on this account that he is an exceedingly
naughty and imperious sort of person. Men
of small calibre are very apt to dislike anybody
in whose character these traits predominate
Mr. Conkling is unquestionably a man who
has this kind Of pride in such an inordinate de-
gree that he couldn't bs prevailed upon to do
anything, or to omit to do anything, that would
have the appearance of promoting any personal
interest of his. He would make Q dreadfulIy
poor hand at the practice Of the arts of dema-
gogism, first because be never was 10 that line
of business, and next because it is utterly dig
tasteful to him.
Hs has never had much support from the
newspapers. The metropolitan press has been
generally against him; in some instances Bit
terly, meanly and malguantly so. 1t must be
confessed he has scrupulously refraiued from
adopting any course indicative OF Q wish to
avert or mollify this inky objurgation. Per-
haps he was sagacious enough to see that it did
him no harm. Indiscriminate abuse and queru-
lous censorship destroy the influence of the
parties who indulge in them, but they do not
essentially impair the standing of public men
who are conspicuous enough to be judged by
represented to bs.
Circumstances have forced Mr.. Conkliug
into the attitude of leadership both in on.
State affairs and in the Senatorial arena. a.
has proved himself sngularly able, far .-,ch,ad
and disinterested. He has twice ir .duced The
party to take advanced ground IN rss,sct of
prominent questions where the, result vindica,ed
the wisdom of his sugS< <estion,. Hs was In
advance Of his associc cces in urging ths election
OF the Greeley dteIegstes from the State Con-
venton of aS71, and the event showed how
much p.ore clearly he OWNED the future than
those did who differed with him. In 1877, Al
colchester, when quarter Of the delegates to
the State Convention and all the newspapers
south of Albany clamored for some sort Of
endorsement of the Administration he was
sensible enough to negative the clap-trap prop
osition A year later there were NOT delegates
enough in favor of such policy to get it before
the house according to parliamentary usage,
and he was chosen with absolute unanimity to
preside over, and express the sentiments Of
the Convention. The same paragraphists that
were crazy in their denunciations of his course
in 1877 were as acquiescent as babss on his
exact repetition of it in 1873 All of which
goes to show that if q man will only pursue the
path of duty with perfect Indifference to the
praise or blame of self-constituted censors who
are not as capable as he is of judging what
ought to bs done, he will bs triumphant and
they discounted in the end
But Just see what victory has bsen gained
in New York. The Senate has 80 members; Of
these 20 are Republicans. The Assembly has 12S
members, of these 98 at least are Republicans;
there are 1l8 out of 160-nearly 70 per cent of
the whole number. Mr.. Conkling will have rs
majority. There isn't man of that 11S who
will not vote for him, and nine-.enths Of them
will feel more satisfaction In recording them
selves in favor of his reelection than thy ever
have of any political act of their lives. Several
have consented to go to Alb any for Q session
exclusively for the purpose of signifylng their
appreciation of the Senator. He goes back for
third term by the largest majority By which
any Senatorial seat is held and with the great
est and most devoted constituency that any
Senator ever represented. There is no exam
pie in history OF q man only 48 years
of age achieving third election to the
highest legislative seat in the Republic,
to say nothing of the fact that it is to
be bestowed upon him by three -fourths vote Of
the body on which the choice devolves. There
is some credit due after all to the American
people for considerate and becoming treatment
towards men who have served them with
fidelity and ability in the execution of high
public trusts. The Empire State most certainly
cannot be charged with any lack of enthusiasm
and earnestness in placing the lsursls of ap-
probation upon the brow of her fAvo,ite son.
YARMOUTH.