The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-12-04

this point Messrs. Wing and Savage sent in to
the Governor notice that they desired to be adj
mitted to the Council chamber for some pur-
pose The examination OF the county returns
was suspended and they were admitted. These
gentlemen expressed desire to examine the
returns for Senators and Representatives from
their county for the purpose of correcting en-
rors therein. The Governor asked them what
errors they expected to find in the returns
which could be corrected. They specified
them. The Governor then requested them to
retire while the Council would consider their
request. The answer to the request was writ
ten down by the Governor. and the parties
were admitted to the Council chamber when
the Governor read to them the following:
"The Council unanimously respond that as at
present advised the Constitution does not provide
for such alterations.
This was all the answer given to them. No
statement like that quoted IN the protest was
| made After this answer was gwen tlem they
| were informed that if they as lawyers dld not
| concur in the conclusion announced they
| should have an opportunity to DC hearu mere
| on as soon as the inspection OF county returns
should be completed, which tney were Inform ,
| ed would probably consume that day and part
| of Wednesday. AT their request time was
| fixed upon when they could be heard on GER
! tain corrections which they had found neces-
| sary to have made in their county returns.
| This is all that occurred between these gentle
men and the Executive Department or acy
member thereof. No examination of the re-
| turns except as above specified was asked Tor
| by them and the only answer given them was
| the one before mentioned.
In the afternoon of Tuesday the eXamlna-
| ton of the returns for county officers was re-
| sumed and continued till nearly dark, at
| which time while the aforesaid examination
| was proceeding, demands signed by Messrs.
| Hill and Smith were placed in the hands of
| Mr.. Moody, chairman of the committee. These
| demands called for the privilege of inspecting
| the senatorial returns for their respective
| counties Immediately" The Governor and
| Mr. Foster, chairman of the board, were alb
sent at the Insane Hospital, where they were
| detained by important business IN connection
| with the trustees of that institution. The
| committee with which these demands were
| left informed, through the chairman, Mr.
| Moody, the parties preferring said requests
| that the committee did not feel at liberty to
| give reply, but that their request should be
| laid before the council in the morning. Two
| members of the committee soon after met Mr.
Hill at his hotel. They assured him that all
his rights should be protected. He replied
that he had no anxiety about the matter for
| himself. He further remarked that he sup
| posed the reason of his being sent for was be-
cause he lived on the line of the railroad and
| could get here easily. He then alluded to the
| law of 1877, and during the conversation he
| remarked that large majority of his political
friends were of the opinion that said law was
| unconstitutional so far as it undertook to af-
feet the canvassing of the returns for senators
and representatives. Mr.. Moody and the 9TH
| er members of the committee appear to have
| had good reason to believe that the gentleman
| who had preferred the request would appear
at the council chamber in the morning to re-
| ceve a reply. But instead Of this they have
seen fit to sign the extremely false and parti-
san statements previously prepared by others,
we believe, for partisan purposes, and have al
| lowed the same to appear in the newspapers
today for the evident purpose of misrepresent-
| ing the action of the executive department of
| the state.
1t appears by their protest that several gem
| tlemen had it in their minds to bring the sub
iect of the inspection of the returns before the
court We understand that the courts are OPP
| en- to everybody whodesires to bring any griev-
| ances before Them and if there be any differ
| ence of opinion as to the law regulating the
| canvassing of election returns, we suppose
| there would be no improperly any party ask
| ing the opinion of the court thereon, and we
| have no do1bt that the views of the court up
on any disputed point would have great weight
with the executive department in the discharge
| of the delicate and responsible duties now be-
| fore it. Therefore, we recommend that the
canvassing of election returns be proceeded
| with in accordance with the order passed Nov
| 3D. and that all interested parties have a fair
opportunity to be heard ON all questions pror :
erly cognizable by the Governor and Council
/ (Signed,) f. G. PARKER, Chairman.
No Court Proceedings Yet Begun.
Especial to the Press.l
FRYEBuRG, Dec. 3.-No proceedings have
thus far been begun before the Supreme Court
in the mandamus matter and Judge Virgin
has no advices that there are to be any.