National Republican., 1878-09-13
THE MAINE CALAMITY.

The smoke Of battle has lifted from the
result, with all its lessons, is so distinctly
revealed that the extent of the disaster to
the cause of right can he very intelligcntly
understood. On the face of affairs the ca
lamity extends TO the loss of two out OF five
members Of Congress, the Governor, the
House of the State Legislature, and diver
and sundry local officers. In State of stall
wnrt Republican character these rcverscs
may be rcGnrdcdns severely calamitousi but
time will develop whether or not the Re-
publican party did not need such a rebukc
at this period TO arouse it to sense OF
the danger which now enyirons the pub
lie welfare, and which can only he avertcd
by Republican vigilance and effort. Whether
it is an evidence of the great love which an
ovcrruing Power hears for the Republican
party that this chastcning rod has fallen
upon it at the very threshold of the pending
campaign, the future must determine. Be
that a it may, the lesson is avery important
and we trust may prove very salutary one
to the Republican party, and also to the
national Administration which represents
it in the Government. 1t teaches us that
some peculiar causes have conspired to
show thus early in the canvass that the
Republican party, even where it counted
itself invincible, has not shown itself to be
strong in comparison with its past history.
Its strong men in some instances have cx-
hibited q weakness that has afforded the
enemy triumph. This has been the re-
suit, in part, perhaps, Of over-confdence
and a want Of proper intelligence relating
to the growing strength of the opposition ;
and it may come, in part, OF the disintegra-
ton of the party organization under other
causes At all events the disaster has
come, with all its disappointmcnts and dis
couragements, and it is the part of wisdom
with the Republicans not only to study, but
to profit by the lesson presented.
That the Southern and civil-servicc poll
cies of the Administration have more or
less to do in shaping and producing this re
suit no intelligent observer can doubt.
The Southern policy, which, in effect, has
literally disarmed the Republican party in
nine Southern States, where IL had decided
msjoritics in ls72, and which left that DOM
inant party at the mercy Of an armed ban
ditti, with inevitable overthrow as q conse-
qucnce, has had the effect to dispirt the
stalwart Republicans and weaken the
power of their effort. Then again, the civil
service order has pinioned the Office holders
of that State and impaired their activity
and usefulness in the canvass while but
few of the Republicans from Maine con :
tional Capital felt at liberty as
heretofore to enlist in the work
with their usual zeal and energy.
The Maine Republican Association, which
in all former contests for years has proved
an important auxiliary in political effort,
has been crushed out and disbanded by the
civil-service order of the President, and its
influence and power has been utterly lost tc
the canvass This association was composed
of Maine Republican voters connected with
Government service at the National Capital
and who have heretofore felt called upon by
a sense of duty to visit their States and vote
at each election. The present year there
has been no organization, no concert OF nc.
ton, and many have refrained from recog,
niZing ii rs duty under the civil-serviCt
right of suffrage. This has had tho direct
tendency to abate the zeal of Republicans
| at home as well as here and to impair theil
efficiency and diminish their usefulness
How far this has affected the result we viii
not pretend to estimate, but that it's innu
ence has been deleterious TO Republican
success no one can properly deny.
! The Greenback fever is no doubt the main
cause Of the disaster in its worst phases ant
| ii is no doubt the fault of the Republican,
in that State that it has gained mucl
strength from their ranks. Having drawn
| largely from our side, but less than from
the Democrats, the GIecnbackcrs becam.
the anaconda and the Democratic party the
kid which was ,limed und swallowed, and
has thus been vitalized and utilized as
political factor. But for that fact the Dem.
OvrItir party would have been as harlnIcss
IL Maine in this contest aS it was two year,
ago
| We have thus briefly alluded to somC
of the causes which have aided in Erpub
hcan discDmiorture in the Pine Tree Stat,
in this contest and it is to De hoped thai
the party aud the Administration may lcurr
wisdom from the lesson involved. The Re-
publican party cannot divide and conquer
neither can party which is ham-strung aud
crippled by untl-ltepublican policies make {
full vigorous, and successful contest agains
an cnsanguined, corrupt, and unprinCiplcd
opposition, which is lighting for existence
and for the spoiIs of office TO fight valiant
" a Rcpublican must be left to the full and
untlammcilrd exercise of his rights of cti
1enahip. This being the lllst considerable
battle that has been fought since tho pres
cnt Administration succeeded TO power the
party has for the first time felt the influence