The Portland daily press., 1883-11-15
The First Delegate Republican state Com
ventiOn an Maine-How Hon. Hannibal
HamIin became Governor
about his Last Election ms senator.

into inc Democratic party, and became this
most intolerant portion of that party, and dur
ing the war were noted fortheir disloyal acts
AS 1 look over the names of the men who
were active Republicans at that time, / fnt
that the great majority of them have passed
away. Hardly one of the officers or singl,
member of the committee is known to our pol
ities now.
The convention met in Deering hall July 8
1856. 1t was called to order by Edward Fenno
OF Augusta who was chairman of the State
committee chosen at mass meeting the pre-
vious year. Hon. Sidney Perham was ch ossn
temporary chairman; Charles w. Goddard
VIVA. NJ Rust, Samuel Waterhouse and Ben
jsmin #. Cutter, secretaries. The committs,
on permanent organization reported tho nam,
Of well known mechanic for president, viz
Hon. Freeman I'll. Morse 81 Bath. He was .
self-made man, a block-maker by trade, anG
ole of our able men. He would be a stranger
to our people today, for he has resided in Lon.
don, England, for the past twenty years. He
was in the legislature from Bath for years, and
six years in Congress and the candidate Of the
Whig party for governor in 1915. A leading
southern statesman had called our mechanics
mud siils and 1t seemed appropriate to select
one to preside at the convention. A vice pres
ident from each county was chosen. In the
account by the Portland Advertiser Of the next
day, Knox County is not mentioned. The
list is as folIows
York-Henry Kingsbury.
umberland-Andrew T Dole
Oford-Rufus K Goodenow.
Androscoggin- -Alonzo Garcelon
Kennebec-Gustavus A. Cushman
Franklin-Benjamin f. Eastman
Somerset-Abner Coburn
Sagadahoc-Marsball S. Hager
Lincoln-Wm. s. Cochran
Waldo-Wm. McGilvery
Hancock John Bridges
Penobscot-Lysander Cutler
Piscataquis-Stephen Lowell
AroostOek-Nathaniel Blake
WaShington-Thomas j. Copeland
The State Committee chosen was:
Cumberland-George Libby
Oxford-Mark H. Dunneu
Kennebec John L. Stevens
Androscoggin--Alonzo Garcelon
Sagadahoc-John S. Baker
Franklin-Charles j. Talbot
Penobscot-Henry Z. Prentiss
Piscataquis-Josepn Kelsey
Lincoln-Benjamin ID. Metcalf
York-James M. Deering
Somerset seDjamin W. Norris
Waldo-Thomas H. Marshall
Hancock-Wyer G.. Sargent
WashingtOn-George Downs
Aroostook-W Washington Long
For Electors the following gentlemen were
nominated:
Hon. Noah Smith of Calais
Hon. Sidney Perham of Woodstock
Hon. James Morton of Buxton
Hon. Isaac Cross of Turner
Hon. Knott Crockett of Rockland
Hon. Edward Swan of Gardiner
Hon. Moses H. Pike of Skowhegan
Hon. Aaron P. Emerson OF Orland
The nominee for Governor was the Hon.
Hannibal Hamlin. 1t was In vain that he and
his personal friends protested, for they feared
1t would cost him the Senatorship. The an
swer to this was, 1--WE will make him both -
and they did it.
The campaign that year in our State was one
not soon to be forgotten. Mr.. Hamlin had an
ovation from Kitterg Point to Quoddy Head,
and from Pemaquid to Aroostook 1t is no dig
paragement to others to say that no man in our
borders ever had SO many devoted friends or
was more loyal to them than he. How gallant.
ly he bore the banner on which was inscribed
the motto Of his party-"Free Soil, Free
Speech and Freemen!" For years he had
looked slavery in the face without hinching.
With him Jefferson, Van Burep, Wright,
Rantoul and David Wilmot were the true ex-
Founders of Democracy. He had no more love
for Calhoun and his theories than honest old
Andrew jackson. The Democratic party in
Maine from the admission of the State into the
Union to 1858, had been true to freedom
From the latter date Calhounism ruled its
councils In that year came the Oxford bears
to Portland, headed by the Hon. Noah Prince,
and nominated that sturdy old Roman, Anson
P. Morrill,, for Governor. From that time
there was no more union in the party
Mr.. Hamlin was the noted leader of the
Wilmot Proviso wing, and it was proper that he
should lead party who had adopted the free
soil resolutions Of the Democratic State Con-
vention in 1S49. From the platform he looked
our people in the face and told them what his
party proposed to do. There was no evasion
or concealment; he never had two sets of
principles or candidates. Second choices had
no place in his political creed. His
opponent, the Hon. Samuel Wells, was Gov
ernor of the State, an honorable, able man
who came to Hallowell, Maine, from
New Hampshire and as aWhig had represented
that town in the legislature. He changed his
politics and was one of the leaders OF his party
III
Supreme Court from 1S47 to 1854 He was a
boy in comparison with his opponent as po-
htical compaigner; his voice was hardly heard
amid the applause Of the people for Hamlin
who beat him by twenty-six thousand votes.
Gov. Wells left the state and died in Boston
This election had much to do with perma-
nently establishing the Republican party. Mr.
Hamlin was returned to the Senate, became
Vice President and afterwards served twelve
influence he would have been reelected Vice
President in 1864. That State preferred An
drew johnson and secured his nomination.
A few more words in regard to Mr.. Hamlin.
He was the coolest and most sagacious political
leader l ever knew. His physical endurance,
was remarkable. Fatigue TO him in such
times was a stranger. His memory of men
was wonderful. sometimes think that hs
was personally acquainted in every town il
Maine. The last time he was nominated fol
senator ne did not want to be candidate, bu
his close political friends made personal ap
peal to him not to decline and he was not the
man to resist such an appeal. That the duties
OF senator we're no sinecure to him is shown by
the statement to me from his own lips; that he
never retired at right with an unanswered let
ter on his table where an answer was required
To do.this four hours Of every day Of his pub.
lie service was consumed. In addition he at
tended to the business Of his constituents at
the various departments. To him it mattered
not who the constituent was, democrat or re-
publican, rich or poor he was there to attend t.
his wants. Is it any cause for wonder that ht
is today respected and honored by men OF al
parties in Maine? WIN. 81. SMITH.
Commander G. m. Cushman.
Commander Charles Fl. Cushman, U. s. N.
who died in Buffalo, November 11th, was borr
in Bangor, Dec. 6, 1881, and was the son Of the
late Gen. G. G. Cushman Of Bangor. He en-
tered the navy when he was eighteen year.