The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-25
The Nominations to the Fed
eral Offices in Maine.
A new CONUNDRUA FOR THE POLITICIANS.
Senator Lamar's Speech on
the Silver Question.
THE PROTECTION OF EMlGRANTS
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

WASHINGTON, Jan. "a, 1878
UHE FEDERAL OFFICES IN MAINE-NoMINA-
TONS NOT PLEASING TO SENATORS uAMLIN
AND BLAINE-INrRIGUEs THAT HAVE COME
TO NAuGHT
The President to-day presented another conundrum
TO the Senate in the nomination Of General Benjamin
Murray 10 be Marshal IN Maine and the renom nation
Of Mr. Nathan Webb the present District Attorney in
the same State. These nominations caused greater
sensation than that OF General Williamson, sent
an a few days ago, to be Collector OF New Orleans.
Like that these are admitted be fautless char
acter but very dsagrecabc to the Senators from the
Btate General Murray served creditably in the war,
has been AdJutant General Of the State and member
OF the Legislature, and is admitted even by the Maine
mep who did not want him nominated, to be man OF
character and ability. MIR. Webb is the present Dis
trct Attorney and is acknowledged TO be faithful and
capable officer against whose renominauon nothing
can be said.
The question silently propoundcd by tho Senate in
these two nominations, as In that Of General William
son. is, therefore, what It will do with nominations
where the men good but not avorites of the Sen
aors In whose States they are to serve-whether in
fact the "courtesy OF tho Senate" Is to remain in
force and nominations shall be rejected because they
are disagrecabe to the Senators from the States in
alter pertinacious but very cautiously conducted
campaign by the Mano delegation, in which, in the
end, the delegation itself was not harmonious Tho
two Senators wanted TO have Marble the present
Marshal, whose term has expired, reappointed,
and knowlton made District Attorney instead
OF Webb. Rumors have been in circulation
for some time here OF negotiations between
the Maine Senators and part OF the represen tatves
to influence the President to nominate Marble and
Knowlton, and it said that offers were
limited at that he could the important support
OF Maine he would only conciliate' little. Prob
ably these reports exaggerated but it Is fact
that for some days hopes were confidently expressed
Of a reconciliation between tho President and the
party, based his anticipated consent to conciato
Senator Hamln and his friends But Mr.. Hamn was
not able even TO get the whole Maine delegation to
agree with him. Three at least did not think the
nominations OF Marble and Knowlton as important as
no Gid. One of these said to-day, in conversation on
the matter that Knowlton the Senatorial candidate,
was not regarded as competent for the place
OF District Attorney but that Webb, who
is rcnominated, Is undoubtedly capable, hon.
est and generally acceptable to the people
OF Maine. or Marble he said "He is q good man, but
30 is Murray, who is nominated to succeed him" AS
the President has openly said he does not Con-
gressonal advice about appointments need not
be no opposition TIE GROUND Of fitness to either Of
these nominations, and thoy cannot be opposed by
Senators Hamlin and Blaine. Marble, he added, is a
good man who has made excellent record but MUIR
ray, his SUCCESSOR is also an unexccptionable man,
and all that BIO said against either Murray Webb
is that they not tho choice oSenalors Hamn and
Blaine. This, however, in these days. does not ap-
pear 10 be important
Those members Of the Maine delegation, however,
who not pleased with the Presidents action de-
caro that tho whole thing is put up job provide
successor for Senator Hamn. whose seat It is I'M
derstood several OF the statesmen OF Maine have fixed
their eyes, Governor Chamberlain and Representa-
tives Fry and Hale being conspicuousy named
Senatorial candidates. The attempts to unite tho
Maine delegation on Senator Hamlin's men and their
recommendation to the President was therefore, pro-
sumably in Mr. Hamlns interest," and he now I'M
derstood to believe that the adm a failure
and that the Presidents policy is all nonsense.
II is charged also that the nomination of Messrs.
Murray aud Webb were made to please Governor
Chamberlain; but this II II should be true, would
harm them in the esteem Of the public, for Mr..
Chamberlain is one Of the abest and upright
pubicans in Maine. 1t would DO only natural that no
should have influence with the President for he
oponly and decidedly defended the policy In the
Maine Convention last summer. II the President
really took Governor Cham berain's advice nomi.
mating Messrs. Murray and Webb all that be said
is that he recommended two against whose char
ncter and fitness even their opponents hero have
anything TO say.
Both the nominations go to the Judiciary Commit
tee, OF which Senator Edmunds is chairman and his
recent letter to tho President against Senatorial inter-
ference to procure nominations TO- Office spoken Of
to-day in connection with these 1t Is very
probable, however, that Senators Blaine and Hamlin
WILL make no objection to tho nominations.
Ii is SAID that whom the Maine delegation came to
compare notes Mr. Fry desired the nomination OF Mr..
Clarence Hale, brother OF Representative Eugene
Hale, to be District Attorney. Messrs. Blaine and
Hamn wished Knowlton to be Distri ct Attorney, and
to have Marble retained Marshal, and tho Chamber
lain forces desired Talbot formerly Solicitor of tho
Treasury, to be District Attorney The President APP
pears to have acted Independently OF all advice. He
has not appointed either Hale, Knowton Talbot,
and he has named Murray instead of Marble, whom
The delegation docs not appear to have opposed. The
general verdict is that lie has made good nominations,
but not those the Maine delegation wanted.
sANAroa LAMAR's SPEECH AGAINST THE SILL
VIE BILL
The floor and galleries OF the Senate were crowded
to-day TO hear Senator Lamars speech against the
Silver bill lie closely listened to ana made a
Of the currency and for the national honor. Ho
spoke, apparently, under the disability of illness
which has been hanging upon him Tor some time but
hes spoke lorcbly, and easy that he pro-
duccd an uncommoniy doep impression. The anti
silver in good spirits to-day over the speeches
Of SIR. Randolph yesterday and Mr. Lamar to-day
At the close OF his speech Mr.. Lamar was congratu-
lated by Senators OF both sides.
An attempt was made somo days ago In tho Mis-
sissppi Legislature instruct Senator Lamar to vote
for the Bland BILL and ut one time this seemed likely
TO pass but resolution OF Instructions has been
laid on the table by tho Mississippi Senate.
THE MATTHEWS RESOLUTION WILL PASS
The Matthews resolution Will OF course pass the
Senate tomorrow 1t is as Mr. Blaine SAID. u nero
abstraction, and the silver will not agree Scna-
tor Conkhngs amendment to mako 1t a JOINT resou-
ton, which would expose IL TO tho veto. Its friends
- LII