Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1806-06-23
POLITICAL.
Far TIE PORTLAND GAZETTE.

THE very extraordinary report Of
the joint committee of the Legi1a-
sure appointed TO examine the votes
for Governor and Lieutenant Gov
ernor, which has contained almoR
whole feGiop, and coA the Con-
moHwealth more than t4oenfy fbas-
sosd daiarS, has been conGdered as
one of thofe fashionable productions
which democrats approve, honeit
men detef, men of understanding
defPife. This report, though finally
rejected, had paGed the Senate, by
the votes of |" the Republican Pha-
lanx;" for which, fays the Chronicle,
"they have deferved well Of fheir
country" The report is before the
public, and it would be bafenefs and
cowardice lii would be approving
and countenancing fraud and iniuf-
tice, to ihrink from the inveitigation
of an a&, which win indeEbly ftamp
the characters of thofe concerned,
with difgrace and infamy.
An attempt has been made to wreft
from the people the rights of fufrage,
and to deprive them of their Cover
nor, conftitutionally elected. This
is f-rious charge For the proof,
let US recur to few prominent fea-
tures of the report.
The votes from DsWfe7on for ca
Icb Sr0sg, initead Of Strong, were
counted among the fcatteriag votes.
Were not the gentlemen of this COM
mittee under oath to perform their
duties, according TO the beft Of their
abilities and understanding, agreeably
to the rules and regulations of the
contribution and laws of the Gem
meHwealth? Were not thefe votes
for Governor Strong Could they
doubt the certainty of it2 They did
not--But 20 count theie votes oncf
agalnit hrs EsceiIency would NOT be
b fuficient. What muff be done o.
A CsIsb Sr0ng, the name Of = perfon
not in exittence, was voted for as
Governor in Davifozva--rhefe vores
were ist againit his name-To make
this plan 9psrativs il was necefary TO
90 further Twelve votes from lie
bsroHg6 for Caleb Stoop, 0fia5 Styon,
were managed in the fame way. Mr..
Sfsos or Stron, is voted for as Cover
nor in L!e5sresgb. There is no per-
fon that bears either of thefe names,
but no matter they mutt be count
ed, if for nsbofy. Now if il were
really uncertain whether this word
were SfoOn or &roa, it would have
harmenized well with the reit of the
report to have divided them and
counted fix for Mr.. StOon and tx for
Mr.. Siren, but a0ne for Governor
Strong, the perfon for whom they
were intended. But in cafe of the
uncertainty above alluded to, the
votes ought to have been rejected for
that gHeeyfai1ty--of this the commit.
tee might have BeenaPprehenfive from
what followed. Four votes from Bel
fart were returned as "fcattcring"-
no perfon's name wasf:t agaiLf them (;
whether they we're for man, rv0man or
child does not appear ;sthey were 5raf-
tsring. Thefe votes we're not entered
on the fchedule becauie they were
for ns5ody Now mark the investion
of thef- gentlemen. They fuppofe
perfon by the name of scattering
who was voted for in Bs5fa5: as Co.
vernon, and fet thefc four votes a.
gaiaa his name. Now in cafe MIR.
Sts7a, alas Stron's votes had been
rejected for the sncertainty which OF
thole ber5OsJ was intended, fill, as
Mr.. Scattering had four votes, his
ExcelIcncy Caleb Strong wants two
of majority. and is not elected.
Have this committee conGdercd
how eoriHmnateIy riaiealesS this part
of their report mutt appear in the
eyes Of an impartial public /? Is II
necelTary TO obicrvc that, if vote
were carried in town meeting with
the Jingle word Sc lcat,cring" written
thereon, it would not be received !
If fcatering votes were returned TO
the Secretary's Office, it fhould ap-
near for ,vhon, thev were fca,tcred