Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-12-25
Indignant Winthrop.
GREAT MEETING.
Packard Hall Crowded
Bold DenunciatiOn Of the Count
ing.Out Outrage.

assembled in Packard Hall Tuesday evening.
to express Indignation at the reasonable
course of Governor Garcelon and his Council.
The hall were filled to Overlooking, 800 people
being present and many were unable to get
even standing room. The utmost enthusiasm
prevailed. Governor Garcelon and his Coun-
ell were handled without gloves, as were his
co-conspirators, Pillsbury, Cove Co.
Hon. John May called the meeting to order,
and nominated Hon. j. NJ. Benjamin Chair
man of the meeting, and large number of
Vice Presidents.
Mr.. BENJAMIN said: We have met tonight
at the call of a large number of our citizens
to take counsel together on question OF
great moment suddenly sprung upon the peo-
ple of our State He then described the cleo
ton of last September, by which the returns
showed a republican majority of in the Sen
ate and 20 in the House of Representatives.
But the Governors Council, alike unmlnd-
full of the constitution. the statutes, the rights
of the people and of their official oaths, have
undertaken to reverse the verdict as declared
at the polls and themselves elect the legisla-
ture those whom the people rejected. 20 GER
tfcstas have been issued 30 2G defeated can
didates Every one of those certificates is a
lie.
leave to others to narrate the various pre-
texts bv which they have sought to produce
and excuse these results. Do you ask. Is the
Governor and Council alone concerned in this
base attempt to defraud the people of their
rights? The evidence seems conclusive that
other and mightier brains than theirs are the
authors and promoters of these foul proceed
ings. and that your Executive is but the SER
vile (but perhaps willing puppet, and made
to dance to the wise fiddling of master
hand behind the curtain.
Gan any ono uouht that this il but n stem in
gigantic conspiracy originating prior to the
election and its qualifications, extending not
only throughout our own State, but to Cipher
Allev and beyond. even to the far South
the land of the bulldozer, of the shotgun and
the tissue ballot
In this great problem which now confr Nnts
us Ca problem new to the people Of Maine)
the question comes home directly to every
man, woman and child within her borders
What is the duty of the hour? Or as the arch
conspirator himself has put it, What are you
going to do about 1T
Two courses are open for you to choose:
First, You may tamely submit to this re-
versal of the public voice, bow your heads in
meek submission to his imperial highness,
and on Blended knee give him your thanks
that you are still permitted to amuse your
self with those little paper playthings called
votes. and as you rise from your abject pos
ture address his majesty with the imperial
salutation, Long lire Afonco, the First, If
your verdict can be reversed by the fiat of
the executive this year it can be next. II is
the first step that costs, and so long as the
oligarchy that now sets up its more than king
" power in the executive chamber, desires to
retain that power, what is there to hinder.
The constitution is nothing the statutes are
nothing the supreme court is nothing and
tbn al tivo frau ic nfE (lr
Second, You MAY rise in your might and
in virtue of your inalienable right of self
government demand that this great wrong
shall be righted. You may, ifyOu will, stamp
out this vile conspiracy and tramp it down
down to the hell which gave it birth, and
never cease your efforts until every man that
is elected to the legislature is secure in his
seat. and the guilty conspirators are rcceiv-
ing the penalties of the law due to the enor-
nifty of their crime. and their names gone
down to
The vile dust from which they sprung,
Unwept, unhonored and unsung;
or remembered only like the traitor Arnold
of the Revolution, or their modern prototype
JEFF Davis, only to be detested.
Rev David Clark pastor of the Methodist
Church made an eloquent and patriotic
prayer. A committee on resolutions was APP
pointed as follows Henry Woodward, John
May, A. c. Otis, p. II. Smell, II. W. Packard.
who reported the following
RESOLUTIONS:
Whereas, The Governor and Council of this State
IN utter disregard of the dignity the duties
the proprietes of their Offices, and Influenced BY the
lowest and basest of partisan motives, have, can
of the votes OF the citizens of this State
thrown at the election on the eighth day of last Sep
TENDER undertaken to Overturn the plainly declared
will of the people, and have counted out and refused
certificates of election to senators and 70 Represen
tatives who were Enthusiastically chosen by the people
and have counted In aud given certificates to sen
ators and IL representatives who were not chosen by
the people-tha they might thereby change the po.
ltical character OF the Legislature and State Govern
ment for 1850. Therefore,
Resolved. That we. the citizens of Winthrop
sembled on this I'D day Of Deem er 1872 do charge
said Governor and Council with departing from all
PRECEDENT in the history OF State; with violating
their oaths of office; with betraying the trust the
people had committed to them with trampling upon
the Constitution with overriding the law, and setting
at naught the will of the people.
Resolved, That we denOunce such hriessness in
those appointed to uphold and maintain law as so
base, in famous and REASONABLE as to merit the un
measured condemnation of all loyal and patriotic cit
Resolved, That # this nefarious plot shall be al
lowed to succeed we have to believe that il
will prove but the beginning offurther encroachment
tonal election of 1880 which If also successful would
undermine the foundation of popular government
not only In Maine but In the whole country
Resolved, That viewing with alarm and ndigna-
ton this attempt to force upon the people Legisa
ture they have not chosen aud government they do
not want yet without Undertaking to indicate line
of action for the future, do by the memory of
Faneuil Hall and Bunker Hill, most emphatcaly
declare that the wicked deed must not be done.
Resolved. That the unprecedented action of the
Governor & Council has given just cause why the
people should hereafter be wanting In confidence in
them, and be justified In indicating to them in "A
manner unmstakable both at home and abroad that
the outrageous usurpaton of power they have under
taken to perpetrate upon the people ofthe State will
never be submitted TO, however extreme the remedy
may be.
w. X. White was called upon and spoke as
follows:
lie contrasted this meeting with the glorfca-
ton meeting, Sept. 81; took up the individual
members of the legislature who had been
counted out, cited law on the same, and
showed the utter shallowness of the reasons
of the Governor and Council.
The object Of the conspiracy is first To
obtain the flesh pots resulting from the self
elected returning board, which would be
elected by the bogus legislature.
End. To choose democratic presidential
electors.
Sd. To choose democratic u. s. Senator
to join the rebel brigadiers at Washington
The question at issue he said was above