The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-12-26
Popular government OycrthrOwn.

ridiculous charges OIL bribery Ill Ine
Maine election was made public, it was
predicted in these columns that it was
the initial movement in a conspiracy to
count out the Republican majority in
the Legislature, and reverse the deci-
sion of the people. AT that time most
people. even in Maine, were inclined to
make light of our predictions. The re-
suit has shown that our fears were well
grounded. The governor and council
have done Just that thing. A Senate.
to which the votes of the people elected
10 Republicans and u Democrats, has
been so reversed by the usurping pro-
cess that it will consist OF II Republic
cans and 20 Fusionists or Democrats.
A house to which the people elected 80
Republicans and 60 Fusionists has been
so changed by The Governor and Coun-
Gil as to contain 7S Democrats Zone
more than a quorum), 90 Republicans
and 10 vacancies. These changes in
volve the defeat of the Republican
candidate for governor who had 10000
plurality over the Greenback candidate,
and who only lacked about $50 votes OF
having a clear majority. 1t also in
wolves the choice of Fusion stale Off
GERS, and gives the Government OF
Maine into the hands of a party that
the people voted down in Maine. In
other words, and to put the matter
plainly and truthfully, popular govern
ment will be suspended in Maine after
the first Wednesday OF January, 1890,
for at least one year. The government
chosen by the people has been over
thrown, too, by men who are sworn to
maintain such government. There
never was more complete nsurpation
in n Mexican state. The comp d'ctdt
of Louis Napoleon was not more auda-
cious or more subversive of the consti-
tuition of France than is this coup d'ef0t
of GOV. Garcelon and the Fusion lead
ers.
Those who make themselves the apol-
ogists for this crime will urge that the
counting out was the result of strci
observance of the law. They mus
know that such assertions are false.
Suppose technicalities did exist, does
not the act of 1877 provide that such
returns may be corrected so as to CON
form to the record? The cities of Port
land, Lewiston. Bath, Rockland and
Augusta will not be represented be-
cause the governor and council refused
20 receive The corrected returns in def
ancc of this law. What were the ma
iurc Of these errors: In Portland,
where the Republican Representatives
had at least 800 majority. they are re-
jected because on the return hundred
votes, more or less, cast for boiling
Democratic candidat.s in two Demo
cratic wards. were returned as scatter
ing, and so returned to Angus a by the
city clerk. Thus $1,000 people and
onc-eighth of the taxable property IN
the State have no voice in the forina
lion of the State Government. In
most of tho other cities the returns arc
thrown out because only three of The
board Of aldermen signed them prob
ably the fanlt Of the secretary of states
officials, who sent ont the blank with
places for but three 4Irr,nrn io write
their names. On hi. nun>, prcteyl
fonr cities are di>fruuchi.cd Al at
these returns might have been corrected
to conform with the " III ul lhe people
if the governor and council had not re-
fused to comply with the plain require
mcnts of the act of 1917 In CunDrr.
land county three Rrpnhlicnn senators
are rejected because in the return OF
one town. the votes bcinY the same for
the four R.nuh,ic,u cnud;latos ,La