The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-12-20
Tho Maias Election.

Il having been claimed that the election
returns Of Maine have been loosely made
up, aud that Republican frauds have fire.
quently been committed for years past,
the Governor aud Council this year, as was
their right, If not duty, under the law, de-
termined to look Into returns Of the recent
election. The Governor and Council have
Just finished their labors, and the result
reached gives the Legislature to the Flu
sionists, as is claimed, on tcchniealities
and informalities. The Republican mem
bers have been counted down from ninety
to ffty-eight, and the Fusiouists counted
up from sixty-one to seveuty.eight, and
there are twelve vacancies. The Senate
viii stand twenty Fusionists aud eleven
Republicans. The Fusionists are those
elected by Democrats and Greenbackers,
combined.
If Governor Garcelon and his Coun-
Gil have proceeded strictly according to
law, they have simply done their duty.
If they have tlanscended their powers, they
have but followed precedent set by the
Republicans when they stole the States Of
South Carolina, Florida aud Louisiana.
If they followed the example of the Re
publicans, however, they deserve the exc
Grafton Of the people aud . Mich in the
temple Of infamy but little less exalted
than those of the Returning Boards Of the
stolen Southern States. Their crime would
differ only in degree-one stole the United
States government; the other State,
A special dispatch from Boston to the New
York San, says;-Uniil last year, the Re-
publicans had continuous possession Of the
State of Maine since the fonnda;ian Of the
party. The governors and councils put into
office by the Republican machines never con-
suited law or constitution TO make up their
majorities in the Legislature. They had the
exclusive power, and they never failed to ex-
ercise it without seruple. Loose practices,
bic infracfious of prescribed forms, intended
for the protection of the purity of the ballot,
became common, aud the minority were pow
erless to prevent these abuses. For the first
time in more than half a generation the com,
bined opposition won victory last year, and
they elected a Governor who has, at a single
bound, leaped into most conspicuous posi-
ton. He let il be known, after the election
in September, that the gross irregularities
heretofore praeticed would not be tolerated,
and that the returns would be subjected to the
plain requirements Of the constitution and the
laws Of the State.
Mr.. Blaine and his friends and followers,
who had claimed great victory, knew very
we'll that the application Of this rule would
throw them into a minority. Hence they be-
gan TO shout fraud, gathered together crowd
Of ex- Governors, OK Senators and noisy poll
ticians to iniimidate the Governor in the dis.
charge of his duty. and TO raise q cry of foul
play. All this clamor did not disturb Gov.
eruor Gareelon 10 the least. nor shake his
purpose of seeing the laws faithfully executed.
He stood firm as a rock, and in quiet dignity
let the revilers understand they had 10 deal
with an Official who could neither be seduced
from his convictions nor scared from carrying
them into effect The result is that the Re-
publicans have lost the Legislature. Itis not
pretended that any wrong has been perpetra-
ted, or that the Governor and Council have
done anything more than to administer the
law as il stands on the statute books.
A dispatch from Portland, says:-The
Democrats are exultant over this application
Of rigid constitutional principles to the official
canvass Of the vote. They very unwisely boast
Of it as Just retaliation for the doings Of the
Louisiana Returning Board and the Electoral
Commission. at is another eight to seven
case, some Of them say with the eight on
our side this time That view of the matter
does injustice To Gov. Garcelon aud his Coun.
ell, who have certainly followed the letter of
the law in their action, whatever unfairness
that action may have wrought. The fact
seems TO be that the chronic looseness with
which the electoral laws have been observed
during the republican supremacy have given
Gov. Garcelon and his astute adviser, the
Hon. Eben +. Pilsbury, n chance to reverse
the republican majority in the Legislature
simply by obeying these requirements of the
Constitution for the first time in many years.