Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-12-31
The Maine Conspiracy.

The excitement in Maine is at last at
white heat and indignation meetings are of
daily occurrence in all parts Of the state.
Threats Of violence even are heard in many
quarters, and sly attempt of the governor
to import supply of state arms and am
munition into the capital was last week
prevented by the crowds of indignant peo-
pie who blockaded the streets.
The pressure of an outraged public opin-
ion, however, has at last compelled Governor
Garcelon and his council to attempt an ex-
PLANTATION and justification of their course.
On examination, however, it proves to be
nothing more than a repetition of the flimsy
pretext heretofore given.
Republican members elected to the legis-
lature by a clear and undeniable majority,
to the number thirty-seven, were counted
out, and in most of the cases the Democratic
candidates, with decided minority of the
votes, were counted in, making the extraor.
binary and revolutionary change of sixty
two and in not single case among the
entire number is it denied that the Republi-
can thus counted out was fairly and hon
estly elected, and that the plain intent of
the majority of the voters was to elect him.
The conspirators themselves do not, and
dare not, dispute this, because the facts
stand out openly in the broad light of day.
The reasons they give in justification do
not touch the merits or integrity of the
election, but rest wholly upon technical
grounds. They throw out the elected Re-
publicans, not upon the claim of fraud in
the election-for they cannot make such a
claim-but simply and solely upon the allie
cation Of technical errors in the returns
which, If the canvassers had been honest
and had meant honest results, they would
have corrected, as they had the right to cor
rect them under the law.
This case is by no means a complicated
one. The governor and council had the le-
gal duties to perform of issuing certificates
to those representatives who appeared by
the returns to be elected. Previous to 1877
returns that were marred by errors were
thrown out by law. This seemed to work
injustice, and an act was passed giving the
governor authority to allow the correction
of returns in a specified time. Governor
Garcelon ignored this law in the case of Re-
publican returns, and, when inquired of con.
corning it, declared it unconstitutional. This
plainly made him a usurper, for it is not
given to the governor but to the supreme
court to decide such a question. lie is only
an executive and has nothing to do with de.
claring what is constitutional and what is
not. The laws he finds upon the statute
books he is to obey-not that part of them
he chooses. BY his illegal and wholly UNI
warrantaole action the popular will has not
only been reversed, but upon technicalites
the most flimsy and grossly partisan. Here
is case in point: John Burnham was
counted out because on some of the tickets
the name was "John Burnam," but Alfred
Cushman, Democrat, was counted in
"Alford Cushman and though, moreover,
the correct votes for Burnham exceeded the |
correct votes for Cushman. In another case |
the returns Of town were thrown out be. |
cause the governor judged that the select |
mems names were signed by one man. These |
selectmen now come forward and make oath |
that they each signed the returns and each |
in the presence Of the others. 1t is proper |
to add that it was the vote Of a Republican |
town that was thrown out. 1t is such par
tisan decisions as these that should be con-
demned as well as the grosser crime of dis. |
obeying the letter of the law. 1t is for these |
things that the Maine Republicans are show
ing their indignation in frequent meetings. |
1t is for these things that Democrats even
should be- and are, moved to utter con-
domination upon the unworthy governor and
his associates.
In the hope OF effecting a peaceful solu-
tion of these difficulties ex Governor Nor |
rill and other prominent Republicans of the
state have zealously attempted to procure
submission of the questions at issue to the
supreme court; but there seems little hope
that the conspirators will thus incur the
risk of losing the fruits of their deep-laid plot.
At the last moment the excitement is in
tensely heightened by the alleged discovery
of clause in the constitution of the state
whereby Governor Garcelons official term
will expire or the first day of January. This
would create an interregnum between the
LIST and 7th, the day of the assembling of
the new legislature, the most critical period
OF the coming struggle, which would have
to be filled by Haynes, president of the
senate, a Republican.