Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-04-30


masses.
| POLI1IC.iL EXCITEMENT ~ NEU
HAMPSHIRE.
There is evidently grea. deal OF feel
| ing in the political circles of New Iiamp-
shire in view of the coming session of the
Legislature. The republicans claim to
have carried the House by nine majority
at lcast--the figures standing 313 in all ;
republicans elect 1871, democrats lS2. This
record seems to be clear enough. The
Senate is tie, leaving two vacancies to
be filled on Joint ballot. As there is no
choice OF Governor by the people, the cleo
ton will be made by the Legislature. and
will be determined by the majority Of the
House. The result. namely, the choice of
a republican governor. would seem TO be
inevitable; and yet the democratic papers
throughout the State show Il strange unan-
unity in refusing to concedc that the re-
publcans have control of the House. Be-
sides, there has been a great running to
election and many sinister limitations Of
surprises on foot About twenty notices
of impending contests have already been
sent to members elect How the threat
ened reversal of the republican verdict ut
the polls is to be accomplished, nobody
can conjecture with any certainty, except
that it will have to be attempted through
the agency of the Clerk of the old House,
who prepares the list of Representatives
from the certificates OF election sent to the
Secretary of State. and who calls the roll
of the new House from that list. He has
no power to tamper with. or to 20 behind,
the certificates; and it is very certain that
the republicans will allow nothing of the
kind.
The trouble apprehended in the Senate
| will be confined to two rather singular
| cases, in Districts Two and Four. The
election to fill the vacancies there must be
made from the two highest candidates who
are eligible In District Two. Mr. Deer
| ing, the Prohibitory candidate, is not one
| of the two highest, neither is he eligible,
because he has not lived in the State for
the length Of time required by law. Are
| the votes cast for him, then. so many blanks
| that are to be thrown away? 1t so,
| the democratic candidate is elected; ifnot,
there is vacancy to be filled on joint bal
lot. On general principles it would be
| assumed that those who voted for Deerin g
| did not know that he was ineligible-as
| was undoubtedly the case-Cushing 8
| Manual holding that the whole proceed
ing, in such cases, Unjust perhaps be held
void or valid, according as the electors
| have actual or presumed knowledge OF
the ineligibility of the persons for whom
| the excluded votes are given"
In the Fourth District the republicans
voted for Matt Head" whereas the dem
| ocrats contend that as these ballots ought
| to have borne the full baptismal name
| not to be counted. 1t is plain enough
that such an Interpretation would do gross
Injustice and wrong to the people OF that
Senatorial District Gen. Head all through
his public life, has been known only by
the name printed on these ballots, and we
venture to say that not an honest demo-
crat in the District on election day doubted
that those votes honestly belonged to him,
any more than he doubted that they were
meant for Gen. Head and nobody else.
The principle applicable to the case as
laid down in the treatises on pariamenta-
nv law supports this view, and would seem
to control the case, without regard to the
letter of the New Hampshire statute,
which has a different bearing. We have
not commented upon the contingency
| which has so aroused the anxiety of the
republicans of New Hampshire, because
we do not apprehend that the more des-
perate of the democratic plotters will dare
to carry out their schemes, or will sue
coed if they make the attempt Still. what
the same class has done elsewhere is well
calculated to awaken the distrust to which
we have referred boston Journal.