Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-04-24
A CLOSE BATTLE. y
AN INTERESTING STORY IN
NAMES POLITICAL HISTORY.
HOW HANNIBAL HAMLIN WAS ELECTED
UNITED STATES SENATOR BY A
BLANK BALLOT.

On Tuesday, JAM 10, 1869, six famous
men we're elected United States senators,
saws Charles o. Stickney, in the Boston
II raid They were, Hannibal Hamlin,
OF Maine, In place of Lot M. Morrill,,
each republican,; Charles Sumner, OF
Massachusetts, republican, reelected; ex-
Gov. Reuben e. Fenton, OF New York,
republican, in place OF Mr.. Morgan;
John Scott, OF Pennsylvania, republican,
in place of Mr.. Buckalew, democrats Sem
ator Ramsey, of Minnesota, republican,
re-eiected Carl Schurz, OF Missouri,
republican, in place of Mr.. Henderson,
democrat.
So far as Is known, all OF the foregoing
were elected without special incident,
except one, and that was exVice- Presi-
dent Hamiin, OF Maine. In his case the
election of senator was attended by one
OF the most remarkable and dramatic in
cidents In the political history OF this
country. And beside the two men OF
national fame who were principals in this
historic battle, were two others of con-
temporary and prospective renown, who
played leading roles-James G. Blaine and
Thomas B. Reed.
1t was a republican fight from start to
finish, intense and bitter, and the strug
gle attracted attention all over the coun-
try OF both press and people.
Clay lost the presidency by his unfortu-
nate letter ON the slavery question to
southern friend; Tilden, by a fatal note
OF inquiry to a New York republican
editor from his friend Senator German;
Blaine by IA single word utterd by ailitera-
tive DIR. Burchard. Analogous to these
instances of mighty results turning on
seemingly inconsequential incident, was
the outcome OF the aforesaid political bat
tie, in which an vice-president cap
tured the United States senatorship from
another man Of national note, United
States senator and ex-secretary of the
treasury, by a scrap of white paper!
And right here / would observe that,
from time immemorial, Names political
giants seem to have appeared on each sac
ceeding stage In trios. At the period to
which refer the great Maine trinmvirate
were Hamiin, Morrill, and Blaine. Reed,
a much younger man, was just beginning
TO make-his mark on the prospective scroll
OF fame as mem Der of tue Maine house OF
representatives.
OF this triple constellation of that
earlier regime, two of them had been gov
ernors-Hamiin and Morrill-the former
elected in the republican revolution OF
'56, when the new party OF Fremont re-
versed the 5000 democratic majority OF
the year before and elected Hamlin on
tidal wave of nearly 10000 majority. All
of them had been representatives and
senators in the legislature and Congress.
One had been vice. president, foreign min
lister and collector OF the port of Boston.
The other two had filled cabinet positions.
All were lawyers, and two had been edi-
tors-Hamlin and Blaine. All were re-
publicans from the formation OF the
party, and right loyal.ones, too.
An ideal politician and statesman was
Hannibal Hamlin. Promoted to senator
in 1S4s, he held this office till 1861, when
he resigned in order to take his seat as
vice. president with Lincoln. His sue
cessor was Lot NJ. Morrill,, who remained
in the Senate fifteen years-1S6l- 16-then
resigned to take the treasury portIollo
under Hayes; he, in turn, being succeeueu
by Blaine. who was member OF the
lower Honse from 1868 to 1876. Hamlin
at that time belonged in Hampden; Blame
and Morrill, were citizens OF Augusta, the
State capital.
From 1866 to 1869, Mr.. Hamlin (who had