Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-11-15
From the Bangor Wing and Courier.
The Threatened Villainy.

Inc conspiracy tIlat mas peeh Matching
since September for the Inauguration of the
Solid Southern revolutionary methods in our
hitherto law abiding State, is evidently reach
ing its elimination and we shall soon know
the degree of villainy to which defeated CO.
aiition will resort. An Associated Press de-
spatch printed in our telegraphic columns
gives the report from the State Capital out
lining the programme that has thus far only
been limited at, and it is sufficiently bold and
monstrous to satisfy the widest revolutionist
of South Carolina or Mississippi. Whether
such startling and wholesale vilainy will be
actually attempted remains, OF course, to be
seen, but that it is urged by prominent polit-
ical fnglcrs and organs of the coalition is
matter Of public notoriety.
1t is time to take cognizance of these con-
timed and deliberate threats, and it is too
late for the Governor and Council or their po.
litical friends to complain if public suspicion
is excited after they have permitted the pub
lie declarations of proposed outrage to be
made in every form for many weeks without
a word of denial or disapproval on their
part. For weeks past the Governor and
Council of Maine have been accused by the
glib tongues of their followers and in the pub
lie utterances of their party papers, Of pur-
pose to commit a high-handed outrage, in
volving perjury, the violation Of the Consti-
tuition and Laws, the reckless usurpation of
unwarranted power and the revolutionary
seizure ofcontrol of the Legislative branch of
a.. ,,,T,
accusation by their own partisans ringing in
their ears from every quarter, not one of the
men who are sworn TO take care that the
laws be faithfully executed" has uttered lisp
Of denial or rebuke of the proposed crime.
In view of this remarkable silence the pub
lie are justifediin seriously considering the
dangerous threats that are made against the
peace and order of the State.
The report from Augusta is an astonishing
one to be published in the State of Maine !,
While it is matter of public knowledge and
public official record that at the September
election in this State nineteen republican and
twelve Fusion Senators and ninety-One re-
publican and sixty Fusion representatives
were elected, we are informed that ''the State
AUTHORITIES have certificates prepared to send
tout giving seats to seventeen democratic
Senators and eghty-fve Representatives,
giving them majority and quorum in
lease the republicans retire."
| Mark the announcement that the certificates
for the preparation of this colossal fraud
are already prepared although so far as
the public are aware and by the statement of
Councillors none of the returns of the cleo
ton have as yet been even submitted to the
inspection of the Governor and Council 1t
has been widely proclaimed that the returns
would be taken up by the Council at the
meeting called for next Monday, Nov II, and
yet we are now told that certificates are al
ready prepared for counting out the over
whelming republican majority in both
branches
No other Governor and Council in the his
tory of Maine would have rested quietly for
an hour under such an infamous imputation.
The law Of the State provides that returns
may be corrected by the official town recoi DIS,
but says that 'no suchscorrection can be made
without application within twenty DAYS af-
ter the returns are ''opened' etc. 1t is the
presumption of the law that the returns will
be opened publicly as has always been the
case; but if the report from Augusta be
true that the returns have been secretly
opened and certificates prepared" without
notice or hearing, it would seem the inten.
ton to ignore al. the legal rights of parties
interested and to trample upon all semblance
of law and public decency. If the Governor
and Council shall seek to act upon any infor.
mality or technical error in any return to the
prejudice Of any candidate. the law provides
that he may give notice and compel a correc.
ton by the record. Candidates thus are en-.
titled to know when the returns are ''opened''
and to be given opportunity to protect th.ir
, rights.
The fraud proposed by the Maine Standard,
Portland Argus, Boston Globe, and other
organs of anarchy, is the most gigantic public
crime contemplated since Tweed and his rob-
Der gang throttled the Empire State and held
it for years powerless in their desperate
clutches. 1t is boldly proposed that a Coy
ernor and Council, themselves political ac-
cidents, shall not only reverse the result OF
a State election but by usurping control OF
the Legislature also control the choice O,
= Executive, and thus practically assume per-
p lnanent and dictatorial possession of the State
Government! The success of this revolu.
tlonary programme would render all future
: elections farce, as the Governor and Conn.
ell Installed in authority by the fraud of this
t, year, could as easily ''count in" a sympathiz.
ing legislature next year and so on indefinite.
Y ly. The men who shall have the hardibood
p to attempt such crime against the rights OF
the people will assume the risk of inaugural.
n IH tI.EA a.a..