Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-29

HAYnN@F rI4ELAIM
II ExcUsE FOR THE OUTRAGE.
Boston, Dec. GA spscial to the Heral
from Augusta says: The following q Il
abstract from the report of The committe
on the Maine election returns, made in IN
codncil
Your committee, on submitting this re
port, deem it necessary to state speciicall,
certain facts connected with tho return
from many of the towns, cities and planta
tions which have materially affected III,
result of the canvaseing of the votes return
Cd. There are many returns. which, OWNS
to fatal sdefects, cannot be counted, but =,
shall specify only those which have affected
the result. The constitution regulates the
manner of electing state senator's and
representatives and provides that in the
case Of towns and plantations the municipal
offtcers shall In open Town and plantation
meeting. at the Close Of election day, sort,
count . declare the votes cast and form q
list OF oil persons voted for. and after the
name OF each person thus voted for shall
write the number Of votes received BY
.- ~ ASNVANSN ~ VRSu
meeting BY . clerk and . copy Of this 70.
corded liat ahall be signed By the selectmen
and attested by the clerk and sealed up in
open meeting. This copy Of the recorded
liat thus attested 10 to be deposit.d in the
Office of the secretary Of state within thirty
days thereafter. The section of the revised
statutes requires that in addition
to the foregoing specific and mandatory
provision i the constitution the returns
shall state the whole number of ballots cast
at election. The same section Of the con-
stitulion requires that the governor aud
council shali open and compare the returns
thus transmitted, and from them determine
who appears to DO elected, and the rover
ror 10 to issue to such persons az thus an
pear to be elected . summons to take their
seats In the legislature. The frat require
ment Is that the returns shall be made and
sealed up In open town or plantation meet
ing. We understand this 10 required in
order that the electors may be present and
see that the returns are made In accordance
With the facts, aud we are of the opinion
that the re,urns not made up 10 open meet.
log are not legal returns and cannot be
counted, and we have acted upon this
belief in making our tabulatious. Several
protests accompanied With sf1davits to
support them against the counting of returns
specified therein have been considered by
Us. These protests allege that said returns
should not be counted because they were
not made up In open town meeting. but
were made after the meeting closed in some
private office or store, when no one but q
portion q the municipal omcefs was pre-
scot, and 10 some cases only the clerk.
This condition OF things In several cases
Was proven 70 our entire Satisfaction aud
We have rejected the returns thus detective
IN our taouiauons: 10 inc case OF the town
OF Stoneham az amdav,t signed by two ~.
lectmen estsolishes me isc! mat they sign
ca Inc returns IN the olank o tho toWn
CLERK TOOK tnem nome AND nlled them up.
ano the seiectmen nave NO knoWleeRo Of
wnst the letorns contsin. fof the torego'
log reasons We ave reJ. cted IN our tabula.
tions tne f~eptesentsnve returns rom
the towns OF Jay. Stoneham. Lis
Don, Weos1er, o farm'nRton.
ine !etoln from tne Town OF oearsport has
s!so oeen rejected because 1t vas not sealed
up IN open town meeupg. BY means OF
MS telecllon nve persons VIII receive seats
10 tue LEGISLATURE VINO Wouio not nave been
mus seatea nao inc returns from the atore
salo town neen maue up as the constitution
requires. 1e supreme court mas neio mat
uun'c.p:l onucels soa't sig ,ne returns
WIN tne.t o"n nanos. Ut make teeir marks,
9!netw,se tne returns cannot oe counted.
we ave iouno several returns fatally oefec'
i've ~ .n,s particular ana nave a~ccoroingly
IeJectea mem. ny MS rue 's,d down oy
tue cou1S We leJec!eo me New onsnnon re.
.uln' anas teJscu.on , nnse!s tne elecuon Of
one iepiesen!at.ve: We lounu seve!ai re.
su.ns 'a'a.ly ue'ec..vo oecause !ney wercno
s.tes'ed ~ tue Town cierR. Inc supreme
court nolos sna! sucn are not iegsl returns,
ana We nay TO-, ,e!scsea mem: ioey are quite
guo. ,ha .ss - =, s ~. -, .p ~; - on ms sue n. 20
san 1 re,mrn fro ,ne , TI I'LL &c re tep.e,
!. ona NJ them f,s rs;ec,;on .ff.c,. , ,ba
siect,on If one 70 nye.an:s Vsncehnro
.nG A1h.n, .rs ii o..e. :nd ,h. sa;aa,;nss
If ihe re,nrn. from ,hess ,osn. :. .ffsc,. ~.
election If Two Ienre.entstives' The fnil
Christian Mans. If N. candidate. .eem -
nave been used sometimss. ar onlv .hs mi
tials and We hesitated a. to whether We