Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-01-20
l2s2, written plainly, distinetlv and perfect in

t<o<s WEitteu piSluly, olSunotly ana pef1ect IN
all their parts; yet your committee have
erased two ballots from that town, giving il
$50. There is not the ghost of reason for
altering that return. There was just the
number returned for county officers as for
Senators, and the same for Governor. a
| The only defect In the town Of Swanville
Was that the whole number Of ballots was
written In figures in pencil marks, which 10
nothing unusual, because the officers might
not have access to pen. The whole num-
Der OF ballots returned is 119, still the com.
mittee reduce it to III. According to their
report, which he read, you must concede they
had some doubts about the Senator vote.
When referring to the vote for other officers
you will find that the vote exceeded 1T.
LATHE returns from Monroe, there was not
defect, but your committee have reduced
that vote by one. They were very indulgen,
to Monroe for only fling off one. The Sem
ator read their reasons for so doing, and re-
marked: After stating that atheswho num-
Der of ballots to be 267, they say they have
thrown out one blank vote. Now, blank
vote is only half ballot. Can any one sup
pose that a piece Of plain, white paper is a
ballot? He supposed tha. some name was
| erased and they called it blank. The vote in
that town is 267, right through, just what the
| committee call the Senatorial vote. In the
returns Of County Commissioner, they count
two blanks. For County Treasurer they put
in one blank. Why they did So he did not
know, and yet they say positively and square
ly that the whole number Of votes for Sena-
tors, is 267. HA 'HH
In the return of votes from the town of
Freedom, the committee say: 1--WE find this
entry: BLANK ten," which were evidently
counted to make up the whole number Of bal
lots, and your committee have reluctantly
| allow ed them to be counted"
The Senator continued: Now fearing this
statement might confuse the minds of some,
he would explain. The returns show that
the whole number Of ballots was lGs; blanks
10. BY adding these together and by divid-
ing by two, you will find it will make just
l16S. Your committee say they have reluct-
antly allowed these blanks to be counted.
Counted what? Blanks, not votes. Have re-
luctantly allowed them to be counted. 1t
seemed to him that everything that tends to
one thing in this matter has reluctantly al
lowed the votes to be counted.
| The returns of Montville were next exam
ined. 1t is evident the municipal officers
mistake the number of votes, and call them
ballots. The great point in this was to deter
mine what the people of Waldo county did,
in reference to Senators, how many votes and
how many ballots were actually thrown. To
60 outside of the returns he would speak OF
|.
number is reported for Senator at SOC; scat
tering 5. Perhaps the Senate have noticed
this little discrepancy in the majority and
minority reports. 1t was not noticed by him
when he made up his report. 1t does not af-
feet it, however. Now, if you add the whole
number of votes, and divide by two, it makes
SO6, which is the number returned for Sena-
tors The difference between that and the
vote for Governor is A, making A more
votes for Governor thrown on that day than
for Senator. Does any Senator suppose that
any person deposited a vote for Governor and
not for Senator? The Senatorial contest was
the contest. Was there any person who
| voted for Smart when he was twelve ahead of
Perham? Was there any person who voted
! for Mcclellan when he was 1863 ahead of Kim
ball2
| In conclusion, the Senator remarked that
he believed it incumbent on the Senate that
if they believed any candidate is elected be-
yond reasonable doubt, to let him have the
seat. He had no feeling in the matter. All
he contended for was the right He did not
want to establish precedents in the Senate
that returns properly made out in every re-
spect, perfect can be changed by fancy. We
should adopt no rule that cannot be applied
to ourselves.
Mr.. CHAPLIN of Cumberland was happy to
know that such progress was making, and
that we now have prospect of reaching a
conclusion of the case. He did not propose
to go over the argument of the Senator from
, Hancock, which had surprised him, as he
, supposed him to be man of facts.
The Senator proceeded to take up the most
important points bearing on the case in the
majority report which he had made, and
to which the Senator from Hancock had
spoken Of His legal principles are well
enough as far as they go, but the facts
are lacking to which he applies the law. In
Analysing some of the votes he has gone very
far out Of the way to prove his positions.
Now if it is rightfully ballot and not vote,
he would accept the result. 1t was proved
conclusively to him that blanks were used to
even up the votes to the highest candidate.
: There was no sanctity in this part of the re-
, turns, and if his conclusion was true it re-
flutes one half of the labored argument Of the
Senator from Hancock.
The Senator said he should take no issue
with the Senator with large portion Ct the
principles laid down in his argument. The
case depends upon four towns. So far as the
towns of Searsport and Monroe were con-
cerned it was virtually conceded in his re-
port that the Senator from Hancock is right.
, He was astonished that the Senator from
r Hancock found informalities in the returns
from Knox and Swanville, and thought that
tuSy WIN eSut hcAS Win uot Tic WHOlc mum
Der of returns.
7 The returns from the town of Knox have
2 evidently been sent here with the number OF
2 ballots blank. The writing on the face is
evidence of this. The letters "W. d." is
that of the name of William Deering, as he
had heard from undoubted authority, man
of high standing, and as he was also inform
ed, the writing was his, as well as the initials,
t and he meant just what was written.
t As was stated yesterday, your committee
I have gone over this matter several times, but
e never altered the main conclusions, and this
t should strengthen the force of their report
rather than initiate against it. The town of
' Swanville is blank now. The lead pencil
e marks should have no right whatever. The
returns from Knox were sent here blank,
c long after the ballots were sent to the four
= winds. The record shows vote of 208, hut
4 the whole number of returns is not stated as
sent to the office of Secretary of State. He
e contended that where the number of ballots
Y are blank, it is the province of the Senate
E through their committee to cipher out the re-
turns. .EsE
He had looked over these returns with care