The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-05-08
THE PRESS.
MONDAY MORNING. MAY s.
The Gubernational Nomination.

Inc GuperndClOnal NOmlnaJlOu.
The caucuses will soon be held in the sew
eral towns throughout Maine for the choice
of delegates to the State Convention which
will meet in Portland on June 49, 1t seems
to be generally conceded that the candidate
for Governor will be taken from this
part of the State and two gentlemen are
prominently named for the place, both of
whom we can heartily commend as emil
nently suitable for the position. These are
mentioning them in order of seniority
Hon. Frederick ROBBIE of Gorham and Hon.
William w. Thomas, Jr., of this city.
Frederick Robe is graduate of Bowdoin
College in the class of 1S41. BE afterward
graduated at the Jefferson Medical Collegein
Philadelphia and was engaged in the active
practice of his profession until the outbreak
of the war in 1851. In that year he was APP
pointed paymaster by President Lincoln,
served until the close of the war and was
breveted Lieut. Colonel for meritorious SER
vice. He has been elected to the State
House of Representatives, from Gorham,
seven times, was speaker in 1872 and again
in 1875, was member of the council under
Gov. Washburn, and has been Chairman OF
the Council during Gov. Davis's and Gov.
Plaisted's administrations. Through his in
fluence the Normal School at Gorham was
established and he contributed literally to-
ward the fund necessary for the erection of
the fine building. He. has always shown
much interest in and liberality toward reli-
gious, charitable and educational institutions.
In 1878 he was one of the Commissioners to
the Paris Exposition and during his absence
was made one of the constitutional candidates
for Governor by an agreement among the
leaders of the Republican party and was
voted for as one of the candidates for
Governor by the Republican members OF
the Legislature of 1879. He has filled many
other responsible positions and has for many
years been mentioned as an available candi-
date for the Governorship.
Col. Robbie lives in Gorham on the home
stead farm of many acres which has long
been in the possession of the family lie
has been president of the Cumberland Coun-
ty Agricultural Society and is now master of
the State Grange, an agricultural organiza-
tion containing over ten thousand members
The discharge papers of thousands of our
Maine soldiers bear his signature which was
necessary before final discharge and payment
were secured. he was always popular
with the soldiers and is still kindly
remembered by them. He is men,
Der of the Grand Army Post Of this city and
of the military order of the Loyal Legion of
the United States. When he was mustered
out of the service the Argus said, che has
been gentlemanly and courteous officer and
has faithfully discharged the duties of his
office" The PRESS said, ssCol. Robie's ser
vice has been honorable to himself and emf
nently satisfactory both to the government
and its claimants with whom he has had to
deal'' The Portland Star said, ''Maj FEEDER
lex ROBBIE, the popular and efficient Paymas-
ter of the United States who has been so long
stationed in this State, has been promoted to
Lieut.. Col. by brevet. This is the first in
stance of Maine Paymaster securing such
an honor and it could have been bestowed
on no more faithful, modest and unassum-
ing officer. He is held by the Paymaster
General as one of the best officers in the Pay
Department of our country"
William W. Thomas, Jr. is a direct de-
scendant of the first settler of Portland
George Cleeves. He graduated at Bowdoin
College, in the class of 1860, with the high
est honors, was sent to Constantinople early
in 1862 as Vice Consul General at that port,
and later in the same year was appointed
Acting Consul at Galatz, in the principally
OF Moldavia, receiving the Especial thanks
of the Department of State'' for important
services rendered while there. In 1868 he
was promoted to full Consul at Gothenburg,
Sweden, which position he filled until the
close of 1866. On accepting his resignation
the State Department took occasion to ex-
press its high appreciation of his conduct as
a public officer. He was admitted to the
bar in 1866, at Portland, and entered at once
upon the active practice of his profession.
In 1869, as one of the Commissioners on the
settlement of the public lands of our State,
Mr.. Thomas presented plan for securing
Swedish immigration to Maine. In 1870 he
took the first step in carrying this plan into
practical operation, by sailing 70 Sweden,
recruiting colony of industrious Swedish
farmers, returning with them to Maine, and
founding New Sweden in our northern for
ests. The original colony numbered fifty
persons. In 1880 it had grown to seven
hundred and elghty-seven in population,and
is still rapidly increasing. 1t is one of the
most successful colonies ever founded in
New England, and is most creditable mon
ument to Mr.. Thomas's industry, persever-
ence and public spirit. He was member
of the State House of Representatives in
1873, 1874 and 1875, and was Speaker of the
House in the last two years, being nominal
ed each time by reclamation. He was
member of the State Senate in 1879, and de-
clined denomination. He was a delegate to
the National Republican Convention of 1880,
at Chicago, which nominated Garfield and
Arthur. In 1879, at the Republican State
Convention at Bangor, he received the sup
port of plurality of the convention, on the
first ballot Mr.. Thomas friends claim that
the nomination naturally falls to him, and
to the city of Portland, which, although the
largest city in the State, has never been hon.
ored with the Governorship since the forma-
tion of the Republican party,-a period of
quarter of a century. BE is young man
of vigor and energy, good speaker, and
well versed in public affairs.
The Irish Horror.
The horrible deed done at Dublin Satur-