Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-12-03
REMEMBER.
The GOvernOrship.

The GOCeT7loTSNsp.
The assembling OF our State Legisla-
,ure. and its choice OF Governor for the
ensuing year. sre nov topics OF general
discussion. 10 relation 70 choice OF Gov
ernor. as might have been expected there
Is great diversity OF views, even on me
simple question OF choosing between Two
persons. as the Senate must eventually
do. Our State law provided tor such case
as this. is decidedly peculiar, sud Is wei
calculated 10 excite derision among those
who have much faith IN the principle
which declares that 1.-The majority shall
rule." In case no candidate tor Cover
nor receives = majority OF the votes cast
ST September election, 1t becomes the
duty OF the House Of Representatives to
select TWO names from the four receiving
abe higher number OF votes, and send
these two to the Senate. IL becomes the
duty OF that body TO say which OF these
two shall preside overthe des,inies OF the
State fer one year. Now, II paTtisanshlp
did not take higher place in our estims-
ton than that occupied By the virtues OF
Justice and patriotism, the two csndidates
who received the higher number OF votes,
would be named by the House. and the
Senate would elect him who stood high
ss, in the popular estimation. Every
BODY can see that this would DC fsir and
rIoht. But our idea OF political honor
seems TO be solely TO kick down the ''ins'
and boost mp the "outs." No real, staid.
old-iashioned principles OF Justice are
allowed to Interfere with such work.
Owing TO this anomalous state Of affairs,
II will become the duty Of Republican
Senate TO oppose the wishes Of those who
placed its members in power, and to
elect for Governor. one other than him
whom their various constituencies bad
selecied. There is little doub, that the
opposition House will send up 10 the Sem
ate the minority andidates-Smilh and
Garcelon. So long as The House ignores
ihe majority candidate, the principle %
msjority rule cannot possibly bind the
Senate. II We are TO have minority
Governor. il makes no difference whether
we select him OF ten or him OF twenty
thousand votes.
Thus the matter under consideration
becomes question Of principle and pol
Icy. AS a matter of principle. first. it is
ihe duty of the Senate to elect DR.. Gar
celon. Our campaign was fought upon
The money issue. Every Republican
speech that was made, rung the changes
upon honest money" Il was declared
ths; this question had assumed national
importance. and involved national honor
We 50 regarded il. and DO nov regard II
In the same light. The question did no,
down 81 our bidding; but overcsme Us.
and must be cOmbAted again. and agsin.
ill honesty is triumphant. Mr. Smith is
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. representative
of sll Ihe principles which We opposed.
be was voted for because he stood upon
lhe platform Of irredeemable paper gov
eminent issues. His party denounced
National Banks; favored the repeal OF
the Resumption Act, advocated triple
standard. and the power of government
10 usurp the functions Of Deity, by Gre
sting value II does avail nothing 10 say
that Mr.. Smith never believed in all his
nonsense. We agree that be did not
and admitting this gives another evil
dence OF his un6tness for position. Il
proves him hyPOerite as well as a Irai-
tor. His personal views, At present
bsve nothing to do with the matter. He
Is the embodiment OF all the views that
We opposed, and it would be sadly incon-
sisient. it would show q lack OF principle
n select him.
second, as matter of party policy
Gsrce'on should te chosen by the Senate
Smi,h Was u Republican, some say, and
BE- l. N sympathy with the Republican
party in al points save that Of finance,
therefore we should choose him for party
nod. We do not endorse thai doctrine.
Smith never believed in The financial
heresies Of the greenbaok platform or
which be stood. He went into the move
nens for the simple purpose OF smashing
Zoe Republican party. Why? Because,
- was shown shortly after his nomina-
lion, some friend or relative was denied
OFF ial position under the existing ad- |