The Portland daily press., 1878-12-31
The Situation at Augusta,

Our dispatches present a graphic picture
of the motley gathering at Augusta. 1t is a
unique spectacle. Ordinarily there has been
but moderate assembly on the Monday
preceding the opening of the legislative ses-
sion. A few people with personal axes to
grind and few friends to assist in turning
the grindstone have wandered in solitary
way about the rotunda at the State House
and the corridors of the Augusta House.
Now all is changed. The trains moving
Augustaward yesterday were crowded with
an intent and eager throng. Prominent
among these we're two classes of persons
whom we wish every voter in Maine could
see. They are the old Bourbon Democrats
awakened into new life by the hope Of place
and pelf, and discontented ex-Republicans
who have been turned out of Office in the
Republican party, and who Lave gone into the
Greenback movement for what they can make
out of it. These two classes make the most
Of the noise and movement which is going on,
and they are about equally disreputable and
disgusting. IT the honest and decent rural
Greenbackers could but sec what their Sum-
mer's work has brought about, they would
indeed be sick of it. They would see all
their upright and cleanly fellows pushed into
the back ground by this mad rush of un-
savory place hunters. They would see a
combined clamor to set aside the respecta-
bic, responsible and intelligent men who now
tho Gtafo nd - ;frfa c0. ttorr,
not other men like them, but loud
mouthed, staggering and incompe-
tent blackguards whose only recommenda-
ton is that they are dyed-in-the-wood Demo
Gratis or that they blatantly professed the fiai
money theory. 1t is apitiful spectacle fol
Maine men to see. Its very vileness will be
sufficient guaranty against its recurrence, i
Haon III La,>taho tno painS " SOC IL, az IL IL
The Republicans have the opportunity tc
emphasize the contrast between them and
the combined opposition. They stood stead
fastly for principle and decent things in poll.
tics through the campaign, and it is the duty
of their representatives at Augusta to hold
the standard high to the very end. Let the
trading and intriguing between Democrats
and Greenbackers go on-we want none ol
it. Place or power obtained by trafficking OF
by any swerving from principle are not worth
having. Let no man be misled by any hope
of temporary advantage into doing anything
not consistent with the high position we
occupy. We can afford to have the ma
chinery of government go for one year into
even such hands as are stretched out to grasp
it; we cannot afford to abate one jot or one
title of our professions for all the power
which the State government can give. Il
decent Greenbackers, conscious of their mis-
take and disgusted with the outcome of it,
wish to come to US, we will welcome them
heartily; if hard money Democrats who pre-
fer principle to temporary advantage-if any
such there be-will unite with us in meas
ures looking to the interest of the State, VIZ
will be glad of their help. But not one steI
can we take in the direction of either class
We should maintain dignifed attitude
keeping strictly aloof from the petty squad
bling and intriguing of the greedy gang tha
is assembled against US, and trust to the goot
sense and discrimination of the people o
Maine. Let it be manifest to all men tha
there is one organization whose purpose
is solely to afford good government tt
the State and to hold fast by prin
ciples essential to the welfare of the com
munity. The Republican Representative
at Augusta have the opportunity to greatly
serve their party by their department and &C
ton at this crisis. We confidently look tt
them to perform this service steadily ant
n.anfully, unswerved by specious arguments
of temporary expediency or transient gain
always remembering that they represent I
great, honest and respectable party which
means what it says, and says what is right.