The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1880-07-29
WALDO lNINIl NOMINATIONS.
The CastIne Convention

he Democratic congressional cOuNtn-
ton which met at CaStine on Tuesday
last was more than respectable in mum
bcrs and material. and with one eNcep-
ton its proceedings were marked by una
nimity and dcc0rum. Among those pres
ent were such we'll known Democrats as
James X. and John c. Talbot, of East
Machias, \ McNichol. of Calais, John
Lynch, of Machias, John b. Redman and
Geo. :. Peters, OF Ellsworth, Charles 4
Spottord Of Deer Isle, /. NJ. Morrow, of
Scarsmont, Edw. Cushing. of Camden
and \. ;. Rice, of Rockand. But though
the rank and file of the old Democracy of
the Fifth District We're fairly represented,
the spirit which had animated these men
III the past was wanting. Democratic
principles were ignored in the speeches
made and found no expression in formal
resolutions. No platform was adopted,
and having ratified the nomination Of
Thompson II. Murch for Congress by the
Grcenbackers the convention adjourned
The chairman, Mir Spot1ord. in his ad-
dress on taking the chair, sounded the
key note OF the convention. and with one
exception, to he noted hereafter, every
speaker declared Thompson H. Murch to
he fit candidate for the suttrages Of the
Democrats of the Fifth District Some
Of the delegates, it is said, went to the
convention with the intention of oppos-
lng Alurch and thus asserting their man
hood and devotion to Democratic princ-
pies, but On the ground they We're whip
ped or coaXed into line and the nominal
ton was made by reclamation without il
dissenting voice.
Mr.. McNichol could not contain him
self but got Off his speech nominating
Nurch before the committee on credcn-
tials had reported. The pledges he and
others made in bchalfo Murch were such
as to give rise to c0njecturcs as to what
the Greenbackers are going to do about
it. According to these gentlemen. Mr.
Murch is not now and never was a Green
hacker, but a Democrat of the most APP
proved kind. He pledges himself, if elect
ed, to vote with the Democrats to secure
the organization of the House, and he is
SAID to favor giving Hancock and Eng
lish not simply three but the whole seven
electors. Another bait thrown out by
McNicholand Redman was that if the con
vention nominated Murch, Tilden would
open his barrel and money and speakers
without limit would be supplied to carry
not only the Fifth district but the State.
1t may be fairly doubted whether the del
cgates, who certainly looked like intelli-
gent men, believed all the cock and bull
stories with which they were surfcited.
but that they had the desired effect is
very evident. 1t may be that some of the
delegates did believe, not only that the
fate Of the nation depended on the nom
ination of Murch, but that the eyes of the
nation was fixed upon Castine on Tues
day last If so they certainly need guar
dams.
The Murch men had it all their own
way until \. 5. Rice, Il leading lawyer
and influential citizen of Rockland and a
tried and true Democrat, raised his voice
against the barter and sale of what is left
OF the Democratic party in the Fifth Dis
trlct after it has been dragged through
the mud at the heels Of Mcclellan. He
simply declined to support Plasted, whom
he called a Republican renegade, or Murch
who had voted against the Democratic
party in Congress and treated the De
mocracy of Knox with ndgnity and con
tempt. Mr. McNichOl charged Mr.. Rice
with having thrown fire brand into the
convention, and the friends Of Murch
might well have stopped there. When Mr..
Wallace, of Castine, undertook to impugn
Mr.. Rice's integrity and to convey the
impression that he (Rice) had been bought
up by Mr.. Milliken he overshot his mark
considerably. Mr.. Rice could well afford
to treat such insinuations with silent con
tempt, and needed no defence, though
Mr.. Montgomery, of Camden, was impell-
ed to rebuke briefly the efferyescent Wal
ace