Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-12-16
NO SUBMISSION.
SPRAGUE 81 son.
Nov. Goth. 1872.

NJ SCbMlSSlON.
The duty of the hour is to stand us firm
as rock against the wrong about to be
inflicted upon the people of this State.
When the ruling power itself disregards
the laws, obeying only such as it pleases,
the people have great occasion to be
alarmed and to take measures against such
an evil. II is useless to attempt to deny
that a great responsibility is forcedupon the
people of our State. We stand face to
face with a great danger. As yet the
masses Of our people have failed to APP
preciate the gravity OF the situation.
They have been slow to believe that such
great crime as the contingent conspir-
ators designed and is carrying out could
ever be contemplated. They can now no
longer doubt The certificates Of election
to members Of the Legislature are issued
or being issued, and the republican major
ity elected at the polls last September, in
both Senate and House, has been counted
down and cut and fusion majority in
both branches has been counted in.
1t needs no labored argument to show
that such result could never have been
accomplished by fair means. The repub-
licans had in the Senate. according to the
election returns published after the cleo
ton, nineteen members to twelve fusion
members. In the House the republicans
had ninety members and the fiisionists had
sixty-one. Now mark the change.
For the Senate, certificates have
been issued to eleven republicans
and twenty fusionists, mine republic
cans who were elected have been
counted out and nine fusionists
who were not elected or even dreamed
they were elected when the votes were
counted at the polls have been counted in.
For the House, certificates have been is
sued to fifty-eight republicans and fusion
ists-the republican strength being cut
down from ninety to fifty-eight. and the
fusion strength increased from sixty-one
to seventy-eight. In both branches taken
together the republicans have been cut
down forty votes; while the fusiOnists
have been increased by twenty-five.
How has this greatchange been wrought
The answer from the conspirators is that
it is due to defects and irregularities of
the election returns. 1t follows then
If this be true that all the defects and ir-
regularities were in the republican returns,
for the republicans lose forty men while
the democrats gain twenty-five. Can it
be possible that this is so? Are the oppo-
sition SO much better informed than repub-
licans about the making out Of returns? To
state the question is to prove the negative.
The superiority in intelligence is not on
the side of the opposition. Their returns.
without correction. were in all probability
more defective than the republican re-
turns, but the charges of Mr. Rounds
which the Governor and Council have not
dared to take notice of, also information
from other sources, make it morally GER
tain that a system of .doctoring'' fusion
returns has been adopted and carried out
by the conspirators, and to this bold viola
ton of law and justice Il is due that the
fusion returns are more correct than the
republicans-ifi it be true that they are so.
1t would be fair proposition to place
both parties on an equality in proportion
to numbers as regards defective returns,
in which case the fusionists would lose
equally with the republicans. 1t is
monstrous to attempt to stand upon the
other proposition. 1t is a falsehood on
the very face. We are counted out of our
majotty by such scheme of rascalty as
never had an equal in this part of the
country.
Let the republicans of the State of
Maine stand shoulder to shoulder in re-
sisting this great wrong. A way will be
found to correct it. 1t must be defeated
or our liberties are gone. We will be
counted-out next year if we submit this
year. Besides if it succeeds here it will
be tried elsewhere to determine the Presi
dental election. IL is part of comspira-
cy that includes the national government
and we must resist It If we do not desire to
see lawlessness and anarchy spreading far
over our land.