Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-09-25
CALLAWAY'S TECHNICALITY.

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The Madisoniaa Of the 10Th instan
contains three column article entities
Tile Capital Lac Canrass," purp0rl
e ing to emanate from the urbane an
), courteous Secretary Of the Territory
1t is q very lame apology to the indis
3 nant people Of the Territory for hi
r nOn-action in the premises in refusin.
, to re-canvass the vote Of Meaghe
, county on the Capital Law. TIL
Secretary signally and ignominiousl!
: fails to meet and refute the invincibl'
! argument Of Colonel Voolfolk. In tn
, verbose and vapid opinion he enunci
atcs he offers neither argument o.
authority for his non action, but in
: stead thereof attempts to shield him
self behind the most contemplate
technicalitics. AN Indignant people
upon whom this monstrOus and scan
dnlous fraud is attempted to be per
petrated, in the disposition made Of
this Capital contest, will fail to regard
the Sccre tary's opinion in other light
than as a lame, weak and purile apol-
ogy unworthy of his hitherto high
character, for impartiality in the dis.
charge of the responsible duties of his
office. We will not impute to the Hon.
Secretary stupidity; therefore he could
not fail to have known, both in the
first and last place, that the returns of
Mcaghcr county on the Capital Law
vote was either mistake or fraud.
We therefore are panied to witness
the impotent struggle he makes to ex-
tricatc himself from the perilous posi-
ton he p.a:el himself in by his action
in the first place; and it cannot be but
cause of deep regret upon the part
of his most partial friends and warm
est admirers, if lovers of fairness and
justice, that the Secretary has proven
himself unequal to the great occasion.
Instead Of promptly taking the ap-
propriatc action in the premises, to
correct the manifest fraud or mistake
in the return of the vote of Meagher
county, hc flies off III tangent; af-
fects to be Mortified at fraud, and
discourscs in this wise:
sFraud is again charged, and the
charge is unquestiOnably true. 1t be-
gan with the passage Of the Capital
Law, ran riot during the canvass, sat
triumphant on election day, and there
is evidence it Travelled to the Capital
in the election returns"
In what returns, Mr.. Secretary, did
fraud travel to the Capital' When
did you first ascertain il (fraud) travel
ed to the Capital in the election re-
turns! We charge that it travelled
there in no other returns than the one
from Meagher county-was found in
no other, and that you so knew, in the
first and last place. But there is very
serious doubt whether the fraud trav-
oled to the Capital III the returns.
But whether or no, why did you not
investigate the matter, and as faith
jul and honest officer discharge your
high duty in the premises by purging
the returns Of the fraud you admit to
nave existed, instead of resorting to
he old cry Of (" stop thief" in order to
livert public attention from the enor-
nous iniquity perpetrated in counting
he vote Of Meagher county in favor
# Virginia instead Of Helena' Your
action smacks more like that of a feed
,ettifogger than sworn and impartial
,anvasser. Had you, Mr.. Secretary,
,roceededed to discharge your duty
~ purging the returns of fraud, you
veil know the Capital Law was ap-
proved. Was your non-action intended
o throw the laboring oar upon Helena,
md only strategic movement, so as
0 give the friends Of Virginia an OPP
to play their strongest suit,
o-wit: fraud, in this game for the
,apital! Capt. Blake was signally
nd pungently, but justly rebuked by
he Herald for his Jesuitical declara- /
ion that it was justifiable to fight the
EVIL with fire. Do you, Mr.. Secretary, I
ndorsc the proposition Of the editor I
f the Montanian, that fraud justifies
raud, perjury, pcrjury' Indeed it )
,Ouid seem SO.
HE TOTTNTA RENTORA TT0N|