The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-06-17

that Mr. Arthur intends to break down the
majority of the party by bringing the mi
nority into power over it.
At subsequent conversations, Mr.. Hale
was asked for examples of President Ar
thurs work for harmony, and he alluded
to the retention of Collector Robinson and
the appointment of w. E. Chandler to a
position in the cabinet. The latter he held
to be the shrewdest politician in the cabi-
net, and said he would turn the Arthur
minority over to the majority. The only
inference drawn from this remark was that
he expected that Chambers political
shrewdness would turn Arthur's stalwarts
into Blaine half breeds before the head of
the administration knew it.
A keen-eyed citizen who has done good
deal of work for Chandler heretofore at
Portsmouth and is likely to do more, and
who said he had come over from New
Hampshire only to s.see how the cat was
jumping, /" gave it to be eonfidentially un
derstood that Mr.. Chandler is urging the
President to nominate Mr.. Blaine as min
lister to England. THAT will get him out
of the way, you know, said this astute in
dividual and then you will see the fur fiy
as soon as Lord Granville gives him half
chance to tackle England on the Irish
question" A democrat to whom this re-
mark was made smiled serenely and asked
the man from New Hampshire if Blaine
was to be the James Buchanan of the re
publican party and get Presidential NOM
ination as Buchanan got one-by way of
London. The man from New Hampshire
walked away.
The contest for governor was settled on
the first ballot by majority of nearly 100
for Frederic Robbie. This is the third
time that his opponent, W. W. Thomas, jr.,
has been defeated as a candidate for gov
ernor before a republican convention. Mr..
Thomas in this contest was pressed by the
Morrill, interest and by the leading anti
Blaine men of the party and also by the
ultra temperance men. A few of the
Blaine men favored him on account of 10
cation. Mr.. Robbie is doctor who retired
to a farm after inheriting considerable
wealth, and was this summer elected as
master of the state grange, position
which materially aided his chances for his
nomination. The Blaine men claim Robes
nomination as a triumph, which the others
concede. The ultra temperance republi-
cans of Neal Dow stripe declared before
he thaf xraS
nominated they would nominate another
candidate. Whether they will execute
that threat now remains to be seen.
Owing to the loss of one member of
congress by the new apportionment and
the redistricting of the state, Maine elects
all her four congressman on the ticket at
large this year. The convention nomi |
mated for congress Thomas B. Reed and
Nelson Dingley, jr., now in congress, and |
Chas. A. Boutelle, of the Bangor Wing |
Mr.. Lindsey, who now represents the Au-
gusta (Blaine's own) district, was defeated |
and Seth l.. Milliken was nominated as his |,
successor. The first three are Blaine men, |
Mr.. Boutelle being one of his trusted lieu
tenants, while Milliken's nomination is the
only contest in the convention which the |
init Blaine men can claim to have won.
L is doubtful if it is a victory. From all
accounts of the man, if he is elected it will
be more of victory for the Washington
obby than for anything else.
The resolutions or platform contain the
Usual glorifcation of the republican party,
efer to the untimely death of Garfield as
national calamity and tender to President
Arthur assurances of confidence and APP
'roval of the moderate course pursued by
lin amid embarrassing circumstances.