The daily gazette., 1879-12-03
The Count IN 1Eatns.

A PLAIN K4PUBLICAN PRECEDENT IN
keGARD To couNrISe 10 THE RE
rUREs.
In relation to the probable result of
the action Of the State Board Of Can
vassers of Maine,in counting the returns
of the recent election In that State, .
correspondence Of the PbilA. Times says:
A friend, q prominent Democrat In
Maine, writes me speaking about your
able editorials on the Maine question,
which naturally carry weight there, that
the exact situation does not seem TO be
fully known here, and II these facts may
not be fully known to you l send this
extract from his letter. He says: "Lesv-
ing out. Of question the right or wrong
of the situation, it is as follows; What
the Governor and Council VIII do l
know not, but learn that by law and
precedent they can throw out enough
returns TO give the Fusion majority In
both houses. The laws and precedents
which would do this are simply those
made by the Republicans when they had
full power In Maine, and 1t Is this fact
which troubles the kepub ican managers
so much. Republican Maine chickens
threaten 70 come home To- roost. Repub-
lican aud Democratic lawyers say that
the Governor and Counci have no legal
power to count illegal returns. At the
last session Of the Legislature, when
the Republicans had full control Of the
State twiDter Of 1877 and 7S>, James
Madigan, Democrat, Of A. oostook coun-
ty, appeared by the returns TO have been
elected TO the State Senate over one
Bnrleigh, Republican. The returns
showed this, and, also, there was no
question, and has been none, as TO the
fact of Madigan having really received a
clear majority of the votes cast. But
the Republican Governor, Conner, and
his Republican Council threw out the
returns and votes Of four towns, ali of
which gave Democratic Inajorities,
They alleged that they had to throw
out the votes of these four towns on
account Of thformahties in the returns.
Poll clerks mad not signed lawfully, etc,
etc. Bat the Democrats raised the ques
tion about Burieigh being q citizen OF
Aroostook county and therefore ineligi.
BILE, he living and having hved and done
pusl ness for the three previous years In
| Bangor, In Penob-cot county. Governor
Conner aud all OF his Council agreed
that BY law they had tb throw out ths
above mentioned returns and 80 they
did, declaring Burleigh elected by the
! returns-the question AZ To his citizen
,bip, and this question only, they de
cidrd to sbbuit to Senate when 1t OF
gnzd The Republican maj jority il
| thu, Senate when II met under the lea,
of Davis promptly seai-d Burle.gh. Thi
Davis was the Repubhcau canIii late TO
Go, eruor this year. YDu Will see tina
III all this tho Republicans did muc
more than they now charge the Demt
Gratis with contemplating, as they NJ
only threw out returns for simple iDfoI
mahilss, but also seated man not
CT lzen of bis couHty at the time OF th
election. Well, the Republicans no
say that their action the n did not ch inp
the State government they had Iarg
majority In the Legislature Of II rs eve
il they had not courred in aud seate
Burleigh. So II q rcL man, who has a
abundance Of this worlls goods. steals
/ few dollars, he can claim in extenuatio
that he did not need then, and so II WI
no crime, even II he did steal from
poor man, and thus made him 1T
5 poorer.
81 hope there will be no wrong don
or even appearance OF IL done by Cove
3; nor Garcelon and his Council; Tut II
temptation, now that We have the pow
. to give these hanghty Republican man
o gers who have played High Jinks'
A long in Maine dose of their own me-
- cine is feaIfIliy strong.
N So with my Name friend, simr
d adding that the popu lar majority col
bined against Davis is l,ll9."
3. Yours, LANCASTER.
/: LANCASTER, Nov. y, 1879