Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-05-21
TIE NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTRAGE.
May 4th, 1875.

q
Governor Weston Of New Hampshire
seems to have plainly subjected himself to
the charge of a violation of good faith, as
we'll as of reckless indifference to the re-
quirements of the laws and peace of the
State. in the matter of the Senatorial ques-
lions. On the occasion of the hearing be-
fore the Governor and Council last Thurs
day he manifested an apparent interest in
having these questions. instead of being
dispatched of-hand. according to the die
tate of partisan leaders, fairly settled by
the most authoritative tribunal available.
lie seemed to join heartily. therefore, in
the proposition, which was carried, to re-
fer the whole matter to the Superior Court
At the same time many republicans looked
with suspicion upon the vote taken that,
if the opinion OF the Court could not be
obtained in season. the Governor should be
at liberty to take legal advice from other
quarters; but none that We are aware OF
imputed any improper design to Governor
Weston in this connection. But now-in
the light. too, the Governors own action
since that hearing-the whole action wears
the look of a deliberate plot to disregard
the laws and defeat the ends of Justice.
He did not show the least promptitude in
obtaining the opinion Of the Court. In
stead of telegraphing the three Judges as
he might have done, on Thursday night
or Friday morning, he waited till the next
day. and then went on q visit to the Chief
Justice, and obtained the latter's reply
that he did not think it practicable tor the
Court to give the opinion before three
O'Clock Monday afternoon. There APP
pears to have been no consultation with
the other Judges, no questions were sub
mitted to either of them, nothing, in fact,
was done to obtain that solution OF great
public matter by which all fair-minded
men had agreed to abide.
Surely, it was worth while to have taken
great pains and to have run the risk OF
some Inconvenience. There was no
statute. no public necessity that stood in
the way OF giving the Superior Court all
reasonable time for considering and de-
Gliding the questions which the Governor
and Council had gone through the forms
of referring to it. The republicans at
least had expressly agreed to waive all
objections to the steps necessary to that
end. The trouble. we fear, was, that the
democratic conspirators who under the
party lash have been driving this matter
to extremity, had reason to dread that the
opinion of the Superior Court would be
against them. and so they determined to
avoid it and consummate their own
schemes in the swiftest manner possible.
If Governor Weston really STOOD out
against them for time, as he appeared
to do. he gave in at last, and pusilani-
mously surrendered the Executive of New
Hampshire to one OF the most nsolent and
outrageous plots ever concocted by ca
bal of irresponsible demagogues.
1t is not worth while to review at this
time the legal points of the Senatorial
questions in issue. We have done that
heretofore. 1t seems to US that there
never was clearer case than this, that
the Governor and Council had no right to
90 behind The election officers returns
and throw out the votes for Gen. Head
and Mr.. Deering as blanks, in order to
count in their democratic competitors.
At all events, the Governor and Council
decided that, before they would yield to
any such demand, they wanted the advice
of the Superior Court-aud then they sud-
denly concluded 10 do without it, and per-
petrated the iniquity! We sympathize
thoroughly with the feeling Of astonish-
ment and Indignation which pervades not
only, We believe, the republicans OF New
Hampshire, but the minds of all candid
and dispassionate citizens. An unjust,
rash deed has been done the confidence
oil the people in popular government has
been grievously wounded and proceed
ent of great danger has been sot 1t be-
comes the republicans of New Hampshire,
in the inflexible determination which we
know animates them to right this wrong
and repair its evils, to act with great eau
tion and consideration. Their first object
will be 10 leave no stone unturned to OBJ
tain an authoritative legal adjudication of
the matter, which shall lead to a correc-
tion Of the injustice, through the remedies
allowed by the Constitution and laws of
New Hampshire. They have able minds
to make the most of these methods, and
the good sense of the people will sanction
the propriety of the course. Ii that fails
or proves insufficient, there remain the