Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-12-20

Never befoye in tho moro than half centur,
of tho existence of our state has II Soon ar
occasion like this an assemblaoe of ;ts moo
nile 10 take into consideration the practica
overthrow of its established free form o.
Government There have been many bo,
political campaigns. abounding in passionate
discussions and ending in exciting elections
hut when the result has been attained ther,
never has been a thought of ANYTHING bu,
submission to it. The result has been
promptlv acouiesced in and the victorious
party gracefully bowed into power.
The campaipn of last summer was one OF
the most interesting and exciting in the polit-
cal history of this State. The succession of
republican administrations for more than
twenty wears had been broken at the previous
election by n chance so narrow that twenty
votes on election day would have brnged il
and secured a continuance of republican as
tendency. That change was wrought by a
delusion so strange and so incredible to be
entertained among people so patriotic and
Intelligent. and was. withal, so fraught with
menace and disaster to the whole country,
that every possible effort was made to coun-
teract il and to keen Maine faithful to honest
money and To the fulflment of the pledges
which the country had made in its hour of
deadly peril as the price of its life. When
election had come and gone there was deep
and earnest rejoicing here and Throughout the
country that Maine had ranged herself once
more among the conservators of the country's
honor and prosperity. But the result was
hardly announced before there came sly sug-
gestions, knowing limitations and hints, all
pointing to the probability that the republican
victory, which was everywhere manifest and
conceded. the election of both houses of the
l. l. lol Al,
surfing the election of Governor Davis and
republican administration, would be over
thrown. The suspicious were at first hardly
entertained by honest. candid. patriotic men.
They would not even in thought cast upon
men holding their high position and exer-
cisng their high powers, such injurious sus-
picions. But as the indications and evidences
multiplied and as the time grew less for
bringing any hearing to counterfeit influences
and to do what Justice and right demanded, the
representative men of this state. men who
will be conceded as representative men.
through their committee. sought at the Exec
utiye Chamber what every citizen has a right
to seek, TO know what action the Executive
proposed to take under the circumstances.
and to enable those who had the right to be
heard to have that privilege accorded them
1t is matter of common intelligence with
what scorh ana cohluIheiy una. committee
Id Erarv ovonue 10 hover was hos;oaoJ
in every manner possible, but all to- no effect
The great wrong has been consnmmated. 1t
Is idie ana useless now 10 unuer'ake 10 DOL
Z, ,b W a." a. axo,,sas and roasons rhe
time for explanation has gone by. The thing
that should have been in open daylight, done
pe'ore '"e P"o'i1' Deio'e an i''e es'eu' mas
been cohsuiiiihateu ny 'iiuiiignt Piot'erS oe-
hihu cioseu uoors' ne Yues.ion no" Pu. "
you ie,io"-ci. w., ",'"' "ie YOU soile
10 90 ABOUT i'' IL IS ior 'he purpose Vi IN
curing what we are 10 uo una. we nave met
inns evening ne preceuel's LOT such ac-
non are Iortuhatciy very rev. we remember
Dack III PURITAN Lheiahu l'ia' w'le.i .le ne hulhp
Parliament sought 10 perpetuate ltseit, mere
was cromwell VINO went III tnere anu uroVe
theh ior'h Win not "orus Vi ihoigha'ioh'
preat applause ii'ut was more than TWO
huhureu years ago. leiio"-ci'i~ens' anu IL
Is possible that we nave become more iorpear-
ing 'l,ah were our ancesuUrs III muse oays'
but inns 'huch Is sure we oeioHg 10 race
VINO VIII take couhsei .egether caihiiy, VINO
VIII! submit "hen sup".'ssio,, Is 'ii'ue' anu
resist "heh resistance Is caiieu lor.
At the close of Ex-Governor Conner
speech. Mr.. Holman moved the appointment
of oo,,n,;,,.o nm rosolutiors ord tho fol,ow.
my persons were "Ppoih'eu that coH''h'''ee
by the Chair: Joseph A. Holman, Joseph
w. Patterson. Geo. F. Halves. John ID. Nv.
-;oL Iohr w Chase
MI or'iiie ~ Daher was the next speak
er. He said:
We are here to express our condemnation
of the course of conduct which. by fair means
or foul has deprived the people of the State
of Maine of the REPRESENTATIVES thew elected
to represent them. We are here as n people
10 lift the great voice of protest against that
proceedine which begins by defiance of law.
and ends with robbery of the popular rights.
He briefly reviewed the action of the Cover.
nor and Council in overruling and setting
aside the law of 1877. which allows the cor.
rection of returns. and closed as follows:
We are here tonight to keen bright the
watch fires of the old time liberty
of our fathers. We are here tonight
to show we are not recreant to the privileges
for which they fought and which they have
transmitted And it is fitting tonight that this
capital CITY of Augusta. though not disfran-
chised herself. should ioip her voice in sym-
pathv with those DISTINGUISHED cities of this
commonwealth. who. TODAY. in this important