Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-08-24
4ailp 8ennebef Jonrnal.
Augusta. Thursday Morning. Aug "a.
Don't-Care Democrats.

DOn't-Care Democrats.
There has been no campaign since the
rebellion closed when there were so many
donf-care democrats abroad in the State as
ut the present time. They are about as
numerous as the cattle on Thousand hills.
Judging from present appearances there
will be very small procession Of simon
pure democrats attend the polls two weeks
from next Monday. Those whose names
have been permitted to appear on the
fusion fist Of candidates. by the grace and
condescension of the Supreme Boss. Gov
ernor Plaisted. are interested of course
and doing what they can to interest their rel
atives and friends in the election. but they
find hard. discouraging. uphill work to
arouse even those from the deadly stupOr
which has come over the party.
The truth is the democratic party do not
see that Plaistedism has been or can be of
any advantage to them. Plaisted took par
ticular pains in his letter 70 "Sam" to de-
clare that he is not democrat. but a
grecnbacker. and that if fusion were COM
pleted the democratic party must come to
him instead Of him going to them. Ademo-
cratic Governor would have had some
qualms of political conscience about thrust
ing Judge Libbey down from the
bench, a place which he adorned with
oil the grace, dignity and ability required
of the incumbent Of q position so dignified
and honorable. The tie of political sym
patty would have pleaded strongly for
justice and fair play with democratic
Governor in behalf Of Judge Libbey-life-
long democrat that he has been-but with
Plaisted there was nothing of this kind to
withhold his hand from striking the Judge.
He struck him down without pang of pO-
litical compunction, though many of the
most respected democratic lawyers in the
State petitioned for Libbey's reappoint-
ment. Again, in the appointment of a mu-
nicipal Judge in the city of Augusta. the
petitions of democrats. in regard to that
matter, representing the strength and re-
spectability of their party, were entirely
passed over and disregarded, while re-
publican greenbacker received the ap-
pointment. He uses the democrats to
advance his own interests, but he sights
their petitions and fouts them in the face,
and took especial pains in addressing
''Sam" to deny that he belongs to that
party.
Now if democrats don't care about help
ing Plaisted to Office on account of his
past dealings with them, why should there
be any wonder at itp He has spurned
them, why should they vote for him? If
they could elect him to Office they would
only have renegade republican, not
democrat. in the Governors chair,
ready to hout them again as he has
in the past. or to abandon them
altogether. whenever pleasure or inclina-
ton prompted his Supreme Boss-ship to
do so.
1t is well known that the great object at
which Governor Plaisted aims is seat in
the Senate Of the United States. He is
now engaged in manipulating every rep
resentative district possible for the at
tainment of that object. Now suppose
the democrats could elect such = political
trickster and demagogue as Plaisted to the
Senate, what would il amount to as far as
they are concerned' They would have a
man to represent them in the Senate who
was a republican all his life until he
thought he could do better for himself by
enlisting as a greenbacker. II he has any
principles they are opposed to democracy ;
and why should democrats make him Sem
atorp If he has no principles. except to
trade for the sole benefit of Harris NJ.
Plaisted-which appears to be the TACT
why should any party under the sun de-
sire 10 place him in the Senate' II there
is chance for the election of an oppo-
sition Senator next winter, why pass over
the able, reliable and trustworthy demo-
Gratis of the State and give the prize, the
responsibility and leadership involved in
the senatorship. to renegade republican
and third-rate man at thats
Ideas similar to these have found lodg
ment in the democratic brain, and
Plaisted. the Supreme in conventions
and caucuses. will find in consequence a
diminished democratic following on
election day. There will probably be
more democrats go a-fishing on that day
than in any day for the past seventeen
years. Their places at the polls will be
vacant from dewy morn until sunset. And
when they read the returns in the papers
of the election Of Col. Robbie and the re-
publican congressional ticket, they
viii accept the result with quiet but
keen satisfaction. and thank their stars
that Plaisted and the disgusting COM
bination formed by Dane. Thing, Murch.
and Ladd are decently inferred beneath
. rousing republican majority.
An Independent Movement.
The independent movement which after