Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-12-23
THE GREAT CONSPIRACY TRIUM-
PLANT
THE BALLOT Box OvERrHRowN Lib
ERrY IL DANGER..!

It is no time for passion to rule the hour
nor prejudice to have possession Of our
judgments. One Of the gravcst wrong,
ever pcrpetratcd against our free nstitu-
tiouS has been committed. The Constiiu-
ton Of our State has been trampled under
foot, and the laws enacted in conformity
to II openly set at defiance, and the will or
the people, as expressed through the ball
lot, entirely reversed More than 5000
free voters have been DISTINGUISHED, who
pay more than one quarter Of our County
and State taxes, that the Ctb1l who acct
dcntally occupy the Council Chamber az
Augusta may keep themselves in power
and Sc are eNultingly asked "What are
YOU going 10 10 about 10; We have closed
all avenues 10 the courts have taken adj
vantage Of technical errors in returns d
get jury, and are now soin. to try you
| for bribery and intimidation A very
frank admission, and one that will tell,
when the arch-conspirators are tried for
conspiracy. Chap. l26, Sec. Il, X. 5,
defines conspiracy under the Statutes. Tho
common law defines conspiracy Where
two or more persons couspirc and agree
together to DO an unlawful act, &c. Art
| iclc &. Part ,. Sec. Of the Constitution
declares that persons cannot shield them
| selves behind the titles Of Gov. or Hon,
| but are 'liable 70 indictment, trial judS-
ment and punishment according 20 law.
Article (. Part !. Sec. OF the Constitu-
lion directs rs 20 the notification holding
proceedings in. town and plantation meet
ings: the receiving, sorting, counting aud
declaring in open town meeting the votes
| for Representative 10 the Legislature; and
the making Of fair copies of lists OF votes
10 be attested by the selcctmen aud town
clerk. and 10 cause the same 10 be- delivered
into the Secretary of States Office thirty
DAYS al least before the first Wednesday OF
January. Is soon rs may be hereafter, the
Governor and Council shall examine the
/ returned lists, and twenty days before the
first Wednesday Of January, annually, shall
issue a summons 70 the persons who appear
10 be elected by plurality Of votes. Art
| iclc {. Part >, Secs 3 and (, direct in rela-
ton TO the election Of Senators, and the
| counting OF the votes. Chap. 2l3 OF the
public law. Of 4. d. 1877 amends the pub
lie laws Of 1876, Chap. g., by enactinS
that in all cases when 4 return is defect
i've by reason Of any informaIity, a duly
attested copy of the record may be subst!-
tutcd therefor" sc. Now, in violation Of
the Constitution, these lists have been
| opened. interested parties have been denied
the right to examine the returns, and In
defiance of law, parties have been denied
the right to correct technical errors by
attested and sworn copies OF the recorde
Towns having Republican majorties hayS
| been DISTINGUISHED for technical errors,
(Which might have been corrected under
the Statutes) and towns with fusion ma
| iortieS, containing the same errors, have
/ UCtu GOuuLtN. / Ac oAlafN W 'tsAA"N' -'-''
been prescribed as a distinguishing mark,
while the Statute declares THAT such votes
when received into the ballot box shall be
counted" They have gone behind the
returns and declared that towns had no
selectmen 10 attest votes, because they
allcge zone of the selectmen is m alien =
and thus in the name Of law these conSpir-
ators have perpetrated the greatest crime
known to free government. Are the peo-
pie going to submit to this outragef
think not. I but give expression 70 the
voice Of honest men Of all parties when
say they will not that seton must be
taken now and the conspirators punished
and the will of the people rs expressed at
the polls. indicated The same parties
that can count out - Representatives ana
Senator's this year, will count themselves
in again, whatever the majority may be
against them. The remedy, hereafter.
f. W. WOODBURY..