The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-11-17
BY TELEGRAPH.
P|LLSBURY'S PLOT.
Intense Excitement in Augusta
Over the Proposed Robbery.
A Meeting Of the Republican
State Committee Called. :
SENATOR BLAINE DOUBTS
THE SUCCESS OF PILLS.
BURY'S SCHEME.
But the Kingfeld Hero Manifests
Confidence in 1t.
But the Kingfield Hero Manifests
Confidence in 1t.
Especial Despatch to the Press.l


nor and Council will begin the count Of votes
of the recent election. AS the time approaches
the interest and excitement is intense. A large
number of representative men from various
parts of the state are already on the ground,
and tnmnrrow's trains will bring hundreds
more.
Senator Blaine who reached home Saturday,
has called a'meeting Of the Republican State
Committee to be held here tomorrow to con-
suit in regard to the situation, and also invited
all the ex-governors to be present to state the
methods pursued under their administrations
in counting votes. Their testimony will be all
in one direction-that they have issued certii-
Gates to those who appeared to be elected by
the returns. The Senator has not believed
that the Council will have such utter diregard
of the law as to carry out the conspiracy, but
thinks that the surest way to prevent it is to
bring to bear upon them the pressure of pub
lie opinion.
E. f. Pillsbury. the originator of this
scheme, has been in consultation all day with
his tools, and today in an interview stated
he had not seen any of the returns but was GER
tain that evidence of fraud and corruption in
the recent election would be sufficient to au-
thorize the Governor and Council to throw out
votes which might continue the Legislature in
the hands of the opposition to the Republican
party. He was sure that they would proceed
according to law and well established prece-
dents.
On the opening Of the Council tomorrow the
Republicans whose seats are in jeopardy will
be represented by able counsel who will main
tain their rights. 1t is limited that Auburn
will be thrown out as the notices of election in
that city were not posted until one day too late
to meet the requirements of the law. If they
should go behind the returns in the case
of Auburn there is no safety for any of the
towns and the villainy will be consummated.
Great indignation is expressed in every quarter
which is shared in by the better class of Demo-
Gratis In Winthrop 80 out of 70 Democrats
expressed their condemnation, and about that
proportion of the Democrats in Gardiner.
Some say, however, "You fellows counted us
out in South Carolina and Louisiana and why
can't we count you out in Maine?" The con-
spirators must show their hand tomorrow, but
1 still adhere to the opinion that they will not
have the courage to carry out their plans.
GEORGE.
[From Another Correspondent
AUGUSTA, Nov. is.
Unless reports lie, the fusion conspirators
have got their plans we'll laid to capture by
theft, open and deliberate, perhaps robbery
would be better name for it, the Legislature
tomorrow. To be sure those members of the
Council who are in town, seem as innocent as
sucking doves, and at the bare mention of srch
a possibility. ruhle their feathers and look inn
mensely injured ooh, no." they say, 1--WE do
not intend robbery at all. But there was so
much fraud and bribery at the late election
that we feel it to be our duty to use every
means to prevent its consummation" How
innocent! But after all it makes little differ
ence by what name it is called. No one doubts
that majority of votes, in a majority of rep
resentative and senatorial districts were cast
for the Republican candidates. For the
Fusion crowd to gain control of the Legislature
in any way, in the presence of this fact, is
nothing short of robbery and of the most bare
faced kind.
And find that the most cool-headed, cal
culating Republicans in the city believe that
such is the intention of the Fusionists, and that
they have got things fixed so cleverly that they
will be able to put the thing through. A
number of them have been in close commun-
ion for several days. The doors have been
closed to all save Eben f. Pillsbury, who has
been seen to pass in and out at times. There
has been nothing to prevent them from fixing
things to suit themselves; particularly with
the Secretary of State in full accord with
them they ought to have been able to get
the record in tolerably presentable shape.
The way it is reported the thing has been
done is this: The clerks returns from which
the canvass is to be made have been open in
the clerks office and perfectly accessible for
many weeks. 1t is supposed that all the re-
turns have been critically examined by our
self-constituted Returning Board, and that all
returns showing Democratic majorities which
were in any way irregular, have been caused
to be carefully corrected by those who made
them up.
If, when the votes are counted tomorrow,
the returns from Democratic towns be unusual
ly correct, while those from Republican towns
show the customary inaccuracies, this SUPPOSE
ton will prove to be correct
All decent Democrats hereabouts are dis
follows such men as Fogg and Pillsbury ap-
plaud, and this is mistaken by them for SEN
timent in their own party which will sustain
them. Their plot however. if carried through,
will prove to have been nothing short of
quick and painless method of political suicide.
FELIX.
ITO the Associated Press.
AUGUSTA, Nov. 16.-The situation in re-
gard to counting QUIT the Republicans and
handing over the control of both branches of
the Legislature to the Democrats and Green
hackers is unchanged. There is great appre-
henson throughout the state that some unlaw
full and unwarrantable action is intended by
the Governor and Council. The formal count
will begin tomorrow, and it is expected that a
large number of persons will be present in the
city. The Republican State Committee of
1879 and the new State Committee of 1880 will
meet here tomorrow evening.
BANGOR, Nov. 16.-The reports from Au-
gusta of the intention of the Governor and
Council to count out the Republican majori-
ties in the legislature, and thus seize control
of the state government for the coming year,
were fully credited by leading Democrats here
ON Saturday, and Republicans who have been
Inclined to doubt the alleged revolutionary
designs have come to regard the threatenings
as serious. Great indignation is expressed at
the proposed outrage, and its preparation
would undoubtedly cause the most intense ex-
element ever known in this state. Many lead
ing Republicans of this section will go to Au-
gusta Monday.
MARINE NEWS.