The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-12-31
Tine Maine Fraud-John Quincy Adams


ThesprlugiOll Republicans summary Of the case.
John Quincy Adams, late Democratic
candidate for Governor in Massachusetts,
expresses himself unreservedIy in con-
domination OF the conduct OF Governor
Garcelon and council in Maine. Mr..
Adams says that he would sooner cut of
his hand than take seat In the legisla.
ture to which he felt the people had in.
tended to elect another man. We quote
what he says as follows:
II know that Governor Garcelon is act
ing stupidity. He and his associates have
made miserable blunder in counting out
decided Republican majority on mere
technical points. The Governor was
bound TO execute the spirit OF tho law
rather than the letter. Had no done that
he would have satisfied the people OF his
State without distinction OF party, and his
own conscience. As 1t is he has made a
fatal mistake, sad blunder, one that will
have m injurious effect upon thepolitical
party to which no belongs. am sur
prised that Governor GGrCelon should
have allowed himself to be influenced into
such action. He must have had very
bad counsel for ii. The result is hard to
foresee. 1.-THE members Of the Legislature
who have been wrongtully countedin 10
the exclusion OF those actually elected BY
the people will follow the advice OF Mr.,
Wilder Farley, Of Newcastle the affair
will be settled at once. They had better
decline to take their seats, or at least re-
sign them, when convinced that their op-
pOnents obtained more votes at the polls
than they did. That would be the fair
and manly course TO pursue, and Justice
would then be done even il the strict let
ter OF the law was not complied with. II
had been candidate and received Ger.
tificate OF election to the Legislature when
was certain that my opponent obtained
more votes than myself, would sooner
cut my hand of than take the prnfFersd
seat, ! should feel that was taking what
did not belong to me"
The Springfield Republican independently
states the case with Its accustomed i'm.
Partially, as follows:
Neither party in Maine has seen fit to
publish Its case clearly; giving the law,
stating the practice, reciting the facts and
tabulating the votes at the last election.
Both would suffer from such statement.
The fusionists can not safely place before
AIe country the tllmsy reasons on which
the Governor and Council acted. The Re.
publicans probably think that their case
stands better with the sweeping declara.
ton that 81 members.elect Of the I.egisla.
ture have been counted out, than 1t would
after cold.blooded recapitulation OF the
facts which showed that in part the action
Of the Governor and Council was legal, In
part open to reasonable doubt and In the
largest part wholly wrong Snd uniustii.
able. The published facts make It clear
that Gov. Garcelon and the Council by a |
series OF partisan and prejudiced rulings
excluded enough returns to change the |
political complexion Of both branches OF |
the Legislature; but they were greatly
aided In doing this by the carelessness Of
both Republican and Democratic town
officers, the peculiar requirement Of the
laws and the decisions Of Maine courts,
which have ruled almost uniformly
against counting a defective ballot even
when the intent Of the voter was clear"
The Boston Transcript publishes the U