Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-12-30
No Crisis Reached Yet in the
Maine Imbroglio,
And no Abatement in the Excite
ment Over It.
A Blast from Ben Butler on the
Great Question.
He has no Finger in it, but
Thinks Garcelon did Right.
The Indian Situation Represented
as Very Serious.
MAINE.

FAIRFIELD, Dec. ga large meet> |
ing was held here last night to ratify |
the action of Gov. Garcelon and Coun-
Gil, but more especially to give Coun.
cillor Brown chance to defend him. |
SELF before his townsmen, as at the in
dignation meeting held last week a
resolution was passed personally con-
demning him for his action
as Councillor in disfranchising |
his own town, and requesting society |
to ostracise him. Mr. Brown was
called on and made short speech, de.
Tending the action of the Governor
and Council. A number of resolu-
tions were adopted, including the fol-
lowing:
Resotued, That we, as citizens of the
| town of Fairfield, believe that the
| Governor and Council have canvassed
| the election returns in strict accord
| ance with the Constitution and laws of
the State, and that they are entitled to
our respect and esteem for so faithfully
| performing their duties, and they
shall have our support and services in
whatever capacity they may be
| needed, so long as they pursue a
course in harmony with the laws and
Constitution.
NEW YORK, Dec. 2S.-The follow
celon is published here:
AUGUSTA, Me-, Dec. 27.--The diff.
Guilty grows out of the fact that the
Governor and Council confine them
selves to constitutional and legal pro-
visions in tabulating and counting the
| votes as returned by the municipal
officers. The Constitution makes GER
tain things to be done by them; imper-
ative; the law supplements others and
our Supreme Court have given official
| opinions as TO what is to be done under
| certain circumstances. Every year
there have been defective returns re.
Jected, that is, not counted, for
noncompliance with the constitu-
| tional legal y provisions, but
this year in addition to the usual oc-
currences in this direction, sort of
mildew, Or epidemic, seems to have
infected several of our larger cities.
These returns are fatally defective,
not only as would appear to an ordi-
nary mind, but as decided by the rules
laid down by our highest Judicial
tribunal. 1t is alleged, however, that
by the law passed in 1877, the Gov
ernor and Council have authority to
make alterations or amendments of
| returns; but unfortunately for their
| claims that law even constitutional
as applicable to Senators and Repre-
| sentatives, confines only the correc
ton of returns to record, made in
anopen meeting, and in cases
where the attempt has been made
for the correction of the record. if any
existed, was bound TO agree with the
returns. The simple and only ques>
ton, therefore, is, shall the Governor
and Council follow the mandates of
constitutional law and judicial decis-
ions explanatory thereof, Or in obe-
| dience to popular clamor violate their
0aths of office, trample the Constitu-
| ton under their feet and forfeit not
| only their self-respect but that which
| they have right to claim both from
| friends and foes, 80 long as they ad
here TO their line Of duty.
ALONz) GARCELON.
AUGUSTA, Dec. 29.-The general
opinion is that Gov. Garcelon will not
submit to the Supreme Court questions
prOpounded by Gov. Morrill,. The
Republicans will be prepared for this,
and will prest mt the questions through
the maj Cf the members of the
last Senate, as it is thought such pro-
ceediDg would confirm to law, The
| disposition is to exhaust every legal
means before others are tried. Mayor
| Nash, of this city, will to-day
address a letter to Governor Gar
celon urging him not to call out the
| militia on the assembling of the Legis-
Iatura, as that would provoke the
bringing of force from the other
side. He will state that the extra
police force provided by the city is
amply able to preserve the public
! peace.
BOSTON, MASS, Dec. 29.-Gen. B.
| F. Butler has stated to a reporter his
| views on the situation in Maine. He
contradcts the statement that he has
given Governor Garcelon and Council
legal advice on the course he had
taken. He had never been asked to
advise about that matter. He does
not see how the Governor and Coun-
Gil could have acted otherwise than
they have and strictly followed the
constitution and law. The Governor
Is not a Judge. Gen. Butler is re-
| porteo as having said: j: "Nor are he
ana. Council a returning board, but
simply a canvassing board. They are
TO ascertain who appear to
be elected from the returns GER
| titled by them under the DIVISIONS
of the Constitution and the laws.
| Whether the defects discovered are
amenaD:e under the laws, I don't
know. Most of them would seem to
be amenable by final judgement of
the Legislature. Gen. Butler thinks
the only way for the Republicans to
meet the situation is by legal constitu-
tional means. In response to the
question as to whether the Maine |
Legislature can choose seven PIesi-
Dental electors next year, Gen. Butler
said, Cert rtainly; that is provided for !
by the Constitution of the United |
States, which says the electors are to |
be chosen in any way the Legislature |
may appoint"
General Butler don't believe there
will be any fighting in Maine. He
thinks there Is too much common |
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