Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-12-30
were unanimously adopted at the close Of
the meetieg.

Mtit UNANIMOUSLY etCBeSN ~ 49,
the meetieg.
Whereas, The Governor and Council OF
the State of Maine have, without authority
of law, and without pretense of justice, re-
versed the will of large majority of the
voters of the State, rs freely and fairly eX-
pressed at the polls in September last, by
arbitrarily refusing certificates Of election
totwenty- Representatives and to eight
Senators, who were fairly and honestly
elected and by issuing certificates of cleo
ton to seventeen Representatives and
eight Senators, who were not elected by
the people: and have totally DISTINGUISHED
five the largest cities in the state, on
purely technical grounds, when the laws OF
the State expressly provide for the correc-
! ton of such defects In returns by certified
copies Of the record; and have arrogated
TO themselves the powers of the Supreme
| Judicial Court, by declaring unconStltution-
/ al, laws passed by the Legislature OF the
| State for the very purpose OF regulating
the manner of determining the results oil
an election, and have usurped the preroS-
alive of the Legislative department of the
! State government by undertaking To de
/ tcrminc the qualifications and election OF
/ IT, members and all for wicked and partisan
purposes Therefore:
! Resolved That the right Of the majority
| to rule is one of the cardinal principles of Il
! Republican form of government, and that
! this attempt on the part Of the officials To
override that principle. Is crime against
! free government, an outrage upon the lib
critics OF the people and step toward an
archy
! R,S0lr,d That the Governor and Coun-
! ell have arrogated 10 themselves powers he
! longing 10 both the Legislature and the
/ Supreme Court Of Maine, and have by such
violation OF law and uSurpation Otpower.
/ forfeited not only their claim 10 the respect
and confidence of our people but also 10
/ the protection of those laws which they SO
/ lightly set aside.
R.sulr,d. That we, the people OF oxford
| County join in the general dcuunciation oi
those CouspiratorS who have aimed blow
at our government, and ~ our liberties, and
that we pledge our hearty cooperation in
all iust0ablc means which may be- taken TO
save the State of Maine from that disgrace
which must follow the contamination of
such infamous proceedings, and for the
protection OF our rights.
James Dcering. Of South Paris, known
as Judge Dccring, man over 80 years
of age, was called up. He said he had
voted at every election since Maine be-
came a State. He was opposed to any
talk of submission TO this outrage. He
hoped the wise heads Of the State would
find some way out If they could not,
though he was too old TO take part in
any active measures. he should counsel
resistance. and would spend his last dol
lar 20 see the wrong riShtcd
II. VI Bcarcc of Norway spoke Of the
Representative contest in the Norway
district, and commented severely upon the
character Of men who would accept posi-
tious 70 which they were not elected.
Geo. F. Hammond and James S.
Wright of Paris, reviewed the situation,
and declared the people should not sub
NIT to this rcycrsion of their rights. At
one Of Nh Wright illusions, Mr.. Eos
ter proposed three cheer, g., 4. +. IN
drcvs OF Norway, the miu v-1 was
elected The cheers were given with a
Will
Rev. II. c. Estes, d. d., was called
upon, and spoke somewhat rs follows:
Years have passed since attended such
a meeting u.s. this. but ! am here tonight
because .c.t that ought 20 come aud
chat ] must come \ great wrong has
boon done iu the State. and hy high Off
cial~ Of the State. and feel that 10 is The
duty Of all good citizens, of aIi who love
the good name and welfare OF the State. TO
protest against IL, and SEQ 10 10 that the
p crime Shall not he fNlly cou>ummlicd; that
the rohbcr, shall not gct OF with their
plumber. or enjoy the fruits OF it, but that
they Dee defeated, and branded, like one OF
old. Us those "Who loved the wage, oi
uurishtoousuc>S.
/ was slow 20 believe that this great
wrong would bc done by the Governor and
Council: hut the worst OF our fears have
been realized 50. years ago. ! SAW the
cloud gathering for q long time IN the
south. black and angry, threatening Death
u the Union" and !, with thousands
found it difficult 20 believe that those
threats of secession would end iu actual
rebellion. and open war; but when lire
wa, opened on Fort Sumter, the Illusion
was dispellcd. aud we found that the cloud
had burst I'm storm of war that lasted
four long years, before the Nations au-
thority, and it, right to live, had been vim
! dicated.
From that great peril we escaped through
the patriotism and >elf-dcvotion of the
people: but now we are confronted 10y an
other The present danger is to liberty
itself The right of the people to choose
their representatives has been invaded
Popular elections are made q mockcry,
republican institutions and constitutional
government are asSailed and stabbed in
the house of their fricnds-in our own
loved State of Maine. II is for us TO un-
dcrstand the priceless worth OF our insti-
tutions: % count well the cost of main
tanning them; and be ready 10 pay the
cost, las the duty of every day may re-
quire."
The 'uSurpation" of the Governor and
Council may well remind Us Of the "uSurp-
atoms" OF King George III and his inia-
nous ministry, from which our fathers
sought redrcs, In vain; and the scom with
which the appeals of our Representatives
elect, and other good citizens Of the State,
were rejected by those in power at Au-
gusta, almost compcls us 20 say, In the
words of Patrick Henry, I'VE have petit
toned, we have demonstrated, we have
duplicated, we have Frustrated ourselves
before the throne, and have implored its
mtcrposition 10 arrest the tyrannical hands
of the Ministry, and we have been spurned
with contempt from the foot Of the throne
The situation is very grave The time
is one in which wiSeSt counSels should
prevail There is need of the utmost
calmncss, the most careful deliberation,
the most resolute firmneSS, to know and
protect the rights of the people. The