The Portland daily press., 1879-12-09
BY TELEGRAPH.
THE COUNCILS DILEMMA
Will It Investigate Mr.. Rounds
Charges?
PETITIONS WHICH 1T MUST
RESPOND TO
Or Become Implicated as Accces-
sorry to Fraud.
THEMANDAMUs PROCEEDINGS POST
PoNED TILL WEDNESDAY.
THEMANDAMUS PROCEEDINGS POST
PONED TILL WEDNESDAY.

AUGUSTA Dec. S.-Petitions from various
cities and towns in the state were pre-
sented to the Governor and Council today
urging the necessity of investigating the charge
made by Chas. B. Rounds. The petition from
Somerset county is headed by ex-Gov. Abner
Coburn and signed by about fifty prominent
citizens of Skowhegan and vicinity A petit
ton from the city of Hallowell signed by JAS
Atkins Jr., and some % others, makes the fol-
lowing statement:
"If the chargesmade by Charles B. Rounds are
true you should take steps to punish the per-
sons who have tempered with the official re-
turns. If the charges are untrue you should
make it clear to the people OF Maine that they
MAY have faith in your official count"
The petition from Augusta strongly urges
the necessity of the investigation and is signed
by fifty leading citizens with ex-governors A.
P. Morrill, and Selden Conner at the head,
with five ministers of the gospel of the leading
churches of the city among the petitioners.
TIL e Bangor petition is headed by Joseph S.
Wheelwright and is signed by many leading
citizens. The petition says:
SIT cannot be possible that your honorable
board will disregard such charge made by
responsible man, alleging corruption and OIL
cial malfeasance up to the very door OF tne
Council chamber The good name OF our state
demands that its Governor and Council shall
EXPOSE the guilty men in such transaction in
order to vindicate their own integrity"
The petition from Bowdoinham is headed by
Col. j. W. Spaulding and Levi Whitney,
signed by all the principal Republicans in the
town and urges the exDediency, necessity and
justice of such investigation.
fro,, Watary,i11a ic hnadad nv
r. B. Dunn and e. f. Webb and signed by
the principal Republicans of the town. 1t de-
clares that the honor and good name Of the
state demand an investigation.
The petition from Freeport is headed by S.
A. Holbrook and numerously signed by promi-
nent Republicans demanding the investigation
of charges against certain state officers OF col
fusion and connivance with fraud.
The Gardiner petition is signed by rs of the
prominent Republicans and declares that sit
is matter of the gravest moment if the official
returns were surreptitiously opened as Mr..
Rounds charges and the result of the election
tempered with. If this be true the office
of the Secretary of State has been
conducted dishonesty and corruptly, and the
people of Maine will not be content without a
fair investigation" The petition further de-
clares that the Governor and Council cannot
attempt to shield the authors of the criminal
act without assuming the guilt thereof
Every one of the foregoing petitions states
that the investigation prayed for should be ac-
complished before the certificates are issued to
Senators and Representatives elect. After
that is done the investigation cannot cure the
fraud complained of.
The Court Hearing Postponed Till We'd
nesday.
FRYEBURG, Dec S.-Judge Virgin, upon
agreement of parties, has consented to conduct
the hearing in the mandamus case against Sec
rotary of State Cove, at the Capital, on We'd
nesday, the 10th inst Court will not finally
adjourn here until this case is disposed Of