The Portland daily press., 1880-03-31
Go slowly.

Ssszl3e - our Republican exchanges are
canmeztsng Hiih unnecessary heat upon the
merits ara desncrifs If theeandidaies for the
Chicago nosainaiior. and the display Of bad
temper IA which they indulge may result
very awksardiy; for they will all support
the candidate whoever he may be, and the
time and space wasted in refraciions and ex-
plantations and ingenious ignoring Of their
own hasty utterances will prove a serious
drawback 70 their nfiuence and efficiency
during the campaign
IL IS reasonable to presume that the dele
gates IF The Republican party assembled in
national convention viii make that nomina-
lion which seems to them best for the coun-
try and the party. 1t WI certainly be their
mand the heartiest and most enthusiastic
and most general support. The decision
may be safely left to them. While il is en-
inently proper to urge upon their atten ton
the merits of this man or that and to point
out the reasons why one aspirant is stronger
or weaker than another, it is unwise and
dishonest and prejudcial to the success of
the cause we all have at heart to
exaggerate the demerits of any can
didate, to misrepresent his public
and private life, to catch up and repeat and
magnify the baseless ISLANDERS which are al
ways afloat concerning man who is promi
nent enough in position and positive enough
in convictions to incur envy and hatred.
Yet not few Republican papers have been
led by their officious zeal for their favor
ties to do this very thing. One of the fore
most papers in the country has made itself
notorious by its virulent abuse of Secretary
Sherman. Two or three other prominent
papers seem to consider it the object of their
existence to assail General Grant. Yet
others delight in daily sneering at Senator
Blaine. And the prominence which has
been given of late to the name of Senator
Edmunds has provoked violent and malig-
nant assaults from some Of the journalistic
friends Of other candidates. Such course
is reprehensible in the extreme. If one be-
iieves that any man whose name is men
toned in connection with the nomination is
unfit for the position or unavailable as
candidate it is right that he should say so;
and he should urge his preference for anoth-
Ell. But he has no right to resort to exagger-
alton and SANDER, to push his favorite by
malicious assaults upon those who stand in
the way of that favorites success.
The sentiment of Maine Republicans is so
well understood it need not be dwelled upon
here. They believe that Mr.. Blaine is the
strongest and most available candidate that
can be named They believe that he is the
choice Of the mass of the party. And they
are confident that his candidacy would pro-
vide an outburst of enthusiastic effort that
would carry the campaign to triumphant
conclusion. They will labor for his success
from now until +he nomination is made, and
they believe he is to be the standard -bearer.
But they have no sympathy, as they know
he has none, with the malignant attacks
made upon other competitors for the prize,
and they deprecate the course a portion of
the Republican press has seen fit to take
Should he be defeated in the convention the
result would be to them profound disap-
pointmen;; but they would unreservedly ac-
ceptthe result and labor with zeal to give
the electoral vote of Maine to his successful
rival