The Portland daily press., 1880-09-03

campaign GOSSIP.
The New York Tribune correspondent,
writing from Maine under date of Aug 90,
says: The Maine Republicans are marching
to victory. As their State campaign draws to
close they grow more and more confident.
Now they only talk of majorities The turn
ing-point of doubt is passed, they think, and
the only question is how many recruits from
the Fusion coalition will fall into their ranks
as they move along the broad road leading to
the goal OF success already in view. 1 have
been but twenty-four hours in the State, and
have had only glimpse of one side of the can
vass To attempt to describe the situation
with so little knowledge would be presumptu-
GUS, but there are some plain indications lying
on the surface which point to results, and
winch anyone with open eyes and ears can
gather at the outset of q tour of observation.
First, it is apparent that the Republican
leaders are not nervous and anxious as they
were at this stage of the contest last year.
They are not eagerly scanning the returns
from the preliminary town canvasses, and
ciphering on probable shrinkages and exagger-
ations in the reports of their canvassers They
do not talk about the conversion of individuals
here and there. Too many men have come
over from the Fusion camp for them to make
careful note of single accessions. tits not
question now of a vote or two in this town or
that, but of masses of voters. They no longer
frame arguments to keep men from deserting
who were with them the year before. Every
man who voted for Corporal Davis in 1879 will
vote for him this year. This much is certain
beyond doubt. So the Republican campaign
does not need to be in the slightest degree
defensive, but is aimed directly at winning
back old Republicans who went astray in 1878
and 1879 after Solon Chase and his fellow
Greenback quacks and hard-times shriekers,
This makes simple straightforward canvass.
The issues of the National contest are power
full levers to detach old anti-slavery men and
Union soldiers from the Fusion party, while
the infamous attempt to steal the State Gov
ernment last year by counting out forty fairly
elected Republican members of the Legsla-
ture makes local issue which appeals to the
conscience of the honest voter, whether he be
Greenbacker or Democrat.
TWO STRONG LIENS OF ATTACK.
No party in any contest ever had two strong
er lines OF ATTACK than the Maine Republicans
have this year. The solidity Of the South, its
intolerance, its greed of power, its practical
nullitcation of the constitutional amendments,
its systematic suppression of the Republican
and Independent vote, its conscienceless
frauds upon the suffrage, repeated only few
weeks ago in Alabama on larger scale than
ever before, it's imitation of the census for the
purpose of stealing representation from the
North, and its menace to the credit, currency
and business stability of the country, make an
aggressive issue which interests directly every
man who was on the side of the Union in the
war, and every man who has a stake in main-
tanning the present prosperous condition of
our national industries. The Garcelon and
PillSbury frauds of 1879, the tricks and perver-
sions of law, the secret manipulation of re-
turns behind the locked doors of the Council
Chamber, the outrageous disfranchisement of
whole communities, the attempt to foist upon
the people as their representatives and law
makers men whom they had overwhelmingly
defeated at the polls--in short, the whole vile
conspiracy dSdluSt tu0 DdllOG WHICH WAS Ga
posed and overthrown last year, makes home
issue which affects every voter who values
fair elections and prizes the honor of his State
Loyalty, patriotism, conscience, honor and de-
cency are fighting on the side of the Maine
Republicans this year. 'If we cannot win
this fight with everything in our favor" said
General Hall to me on the cars yesterday 1--WE
ought to be taken up on the hill back of Au-
in linn ornA chnft Of y.
er an extravagant way of pntting the case, but
1t expressed the feeling entertained by all Re-
publicans that the advantage is entirely on
their side in the fight, and that if they are de-
feated it will be their own fault.
DIscoURAGEMENT OF THE FusIoNIsTs.
learn that the Fusion leaders are beginning
to.show signs of confusion and despair. They
are finding out, what everybody who has stud
led political history knows, that a fusion is
never thorough. There are always some ele-
mentS that will not fuse-Some classes of vot-
erS who look upon the coalition as an abandon
ment of principle, bartering away of the
cause they have at heart for the sake of offices
for few bargaining politicians. The only
chance of success coming from the present in
congruous and demoralizing alliance between
the Democrats and Greenbackers in Maine
was that the whole vote of both parties as cast
for separate State tickets last year could be
pooled upon single ticket The entire vote
contest in 1879-nominally triangular at least
so there is no reserve sto be drawn upon by
the greater excitement of a Presidential strug-
gle. The Greenback vote added to the Demo-
cratic vote last year exceeded the Republican
vote by few hundreds only. The visionary
Fusionist cannot suppose that any of the Re-
publican voters of 1879 can be drawn away by
the canvass of this year, with the National is
sue holding them strongly to their old party
alliance and the Garcelon and Pillsbury fraud
fpAc iva fJnrp ,<rfAC r
sion were thorough, nothing more could be
hoped from it than complete combination of
the separate Democratic and Greenback vote
of last year. 1t is not thorough, however If,
it were an honest, decent movement for high
ends it could not be thorough, because no fl-
sion was ever made that controlled all tie
votes subject to be amalgamated into the new
organization. 1t is dishonest and indecent
movement for the low ends of place and pat
ronage, and it disgusts the best men of both
elements it seeks to bring together
met in Boston, Friday. one of the leading
Massachusetts lGreenbackers, Mr.. Devine, who
presided at General Weaver's meeting in Fan
euil Hall. Last year he was on the stump in
this State. He said he had refused to take
part In the canvass this year because the fusion
cal effect. eff it could succeed, he said, "the
Democrats would claim the result as a Han
cock victory, and it would help their fight all
over the country. But it will not succeed be-
cause there are thousands of Greenbac kers
who don't want to helpelect Hancock and who
will not vote the Fusion ticket. We are going
to have another State Convention in Maine
pretty soon, and we shall then put up separ-
ate electoral ticket for the Greenbackers to
support in November-a distinctive Weaver
and Chambers ticket, with no sort Of connec-
tion with the Democrats. Our party is the
party of the future, and we must keep it clear
of all bargains with the old parties if we want
to gain converts to its principles
No doubt Devine speaks for a considerable
element of Greenbackers in Maine. am told
that old Solon Chase himself has made up his
mind that the Fusion movement is mistake
and is doomed to failure, and that he means to
cut his party loose from the Democratic alli-
ance right after the State election, and help
make astraight-out Greenback electoral ticket.
Weaver's visit to the State is with view of
aiding this separative impulse which is work.
ing among the conscientious, fanatical ele-
ment OF the Greenback party.
NOTES OF THE CANVASS.
Mr.. Blaine, who is continually on the stump,
and is at the same time doing the hard, vigil
liant committee work of the canvass, came in
last night from meeting in the northeast part
of the State. He says the tide began to take
its set in favor of the Republicans eight
days ago, and is running stronger every day.
He has now not the.slightest doubt OF sub
stantial Republican victory.
Ill II T..z1 III n =