Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-10-30

win H. Whitney Of Newburg, OF the
House, were greatly disappointed at the
defeat of Morrill,, which they attributed
to the bad faith of some of the Wings,
with whom they had been cooperating
up to this time.
The previous Legislature had failed to
elect United States Senator to succeed
James W. Bradbury, whose term expired
in 1858. OF course the duty deyolved
on the Legislature of 1854. The Demo-
Gratis nominated Lot NJ. Morrill,, then a
member of the House from Augusta, and
the Wings placed in nomination William
Pitt Fessenden, also a member of the
House, from Portland The Free Soil
members, led off by Henry X. Baker OF
Hallowell, and Theophilus Gushing OF
Frankfort, were satisfied to vote for Mr..
Fessenden. The House and Senate, at
that time, under the law had negative,
each upon the other. and in neither branch
could either party elect without the votes
of the Independent Democrats. They
held the balance of pOioer IN both Houses.
Before the defeat of A. Z. Morrill, for
Governor the Independents were inclined
to favor the election of Mr.. Fessenden to
the Senate; but that defeat, brought
about as it was, by the action Of certain
members of the Wing party. created so
much disaffection in their ranks that a
portion Of their numter favored an indie
pendent nomination. These men thought
they saw in the minds of certain Wings
a secret intent to manufacture party
capital, independent of the new issues
then being raised upon the slavery ques-
ton.
And what seemed 10 disturb the equa-
nimity Of both the old parties, and make
them more or less anxious, was the fact
that the Independents excluded every
body from their caucus deliberations, ex-
cep,ing those who could keep their dis
cussions and action profound secret, and
so well did they succeed in this that for
a week previous TO the Senatorial election
no one belonging to and then acting with
either of the old parties knew what their
action was TO be.
Another little circumstance which hap
pened some two or three days before the
election created intense anxiety among
some Of Mr.. FeSsendens Wing friends
Ex-Gov. John Hubbard, who at that time
would have been pleased to have received
the nomination from the Independents,
was at the Augusta House one evening,
and was invited by some Of his old friends
iEto the Independent caucus No sooner
was this fact known when il was surmised
that he was TO receive the Independent
vote for Senator. And what made this
more provoking was the silent assent
given 10 this rumor by the Independents
when charged with this purpose But
this tacit assent, was more by design
than BY accident. But while the out
side political world was cropping in the
dark, and sincerely believing Gov. Hut
bard TO be the regular caucus candidate
Of the Independents, they were secretly
graphing with the great question Of duty
in the then impending crisis. The Nan
sas Nebraska Bill. repeating the Missouri
compromise was then pending in Con-
gress. and Maine was but half represent
ed in the Senate. The slave olgarchy
was enthroned in every department OF the
national government, and steadily fasien-
ing It's deadly fangs upon the very vitaIs
of the body polite, and the North was
being Inundated before the gigantic
tread Of the Slave Power, acting
through the agency Of the old Democrat
ic party.
These patriotic men saw the storm
coming. and forgetting the defeat OF their
heroic leader for the Gubernatorial chair,
and rising above party and party predi
lectiOns, after long, calm, yet earnest
decided to take the response
bility and elect Mr.. Fessenden. And,
right here, desire to give the principal
reason why tLeir action Upon this matter
was kept a secret from both the old po-
litical parties. With the votes they
could give Mr.. Fessenden. it was well
known, that the contest would be very
close one, especially in the Senate; and
it was equally well known that there
were certain straight Wings who while
they would vote for Mr.. Fessenden, with
Ex- Governor Hubbard in the field, could
not be relied upon in a single contest be-
tween the two regular candidates. To
save the possibility Of defeat in that di-
rection, committee, of which the late
George Libby, of Westbrook. was the
chairman, was chosen by the Independ-
snts to procure the printing and distri-
bu,ior NJ votes for Ex-Governor Hub