The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-01-15

4
ers into a room alone, that he nigh
beat some sense into the blockheads
But he IL as unreasonable as he is pro
fame. What possible effect would i
have to punch. the head, or to hur
sesquipedalian oaths, like q Carthage
nian pirate, at the head of a manikin
| incapable of performing but one kind
OF action, and that a blunderP-C Chicagt
Times (Dc''s] fsI:.r a,sv-aa-. tE-yf sn
| What Did Governor GarceIon Mean.
On the Oath of December the Hon
Lot M. Morrill, addressed a letter tc
Governor Garceron begging him to re-
quire the opinion of the State Supreme
Court ION each law, point involved in
the variation of the count from tht
face of the official returns" His
was explained to be that q verJ
large . proportion of the people .oi
Maine believed that they had beer
grossly wronged by the acts of the can,
vassers, and that an authoritative dec.
laration by the Court would ' restore
peace, order, quiet and good feeling"
Mr.. Morrill, moreover showed how q
practical effect could be given to the
ORAAAOh Va bhC O00kOo Ia OSscC ~ ohouAO
be adverse to the action of the Cover
ernor Garcelon, irst,. that there were
erroneously issued; and, second, that
in. the case of the five disfranchised
cities no summons had yet been sent to
anybody. He added: " Even if there
was a question as to the strict legal
right to recall certificate of election,
it is not doubted that the decision of
the Court would at once cause the
member not entitled to the seat to re-
tire, and the rightful member to be at
once admitted" To this the, Governor
replied: "Nothing would give me
greater pleasure than an authoritative
decision upon points involved in the
present condition of affairs, and also
upon such as might be likely to arise.
Please to indicate the points that occur
to you which have not already been adj
Indicated upon, and doubt not that
we may be able to obtain satisfactory
solution of doubtful complications; or,
if not satisfactory, at least such as may
be deemed authoritative" Rightly in
terpreting the Governors reply as an
acquiescence in the propriety of SET
tling all disputed points in this orderly,
just and constitutional manner" Mr..
Morrill, indicated fourteen questions to
be submitted to the Court. Governor
Garcelon substituted for them twelve
other questions, framed, IS he pre-
sumably supposed, in the Democratic
interest, and then called the Court to-
gether. 'e' e"s-N'.
What did the Governor meanp Mr..
Morrill, proposed an arbitration; the
Governor accepted it. According to
all rules of honor both parties, having
agreed to an arbitration, are bound by
the decision. Governor Garcelon in
this case is under a particularly strin-
gent obligation TO abide by the result,
because he demanded and obtained the
points should be laid before the arbi-
traitors. The Republicans might have
for resisting the Judgment, on
the ground that the matter passed upon
was not that which they offered to SUBJ
NIT; but the Governor has no such ex-
cuse; they are his own. questions to
which the court, by unanimous voice,
has made these clear and positive re-
man, he ought to stand by his implied
pledges. He cannot plead that the
opinions of the Judges apply only to
future controversies and that the past
is irrevocable. The pertinency of an
/" authoritative decision'a of the court
to $ the present condition of Affairs
1--WE are quoting the Governor's own
words) was carefully considered in the
preliminary correspondence; and the
arbitration was proposed and accepted
- So1A TN
stated by both parties, of, settling the
existing dispute about the proper COM
plexion of the Legislature. Governor
Garcelen perfectly understood what he
was doing, and, If we assume that he is
blessed with ordinary common sense,
We must take it for granted that when |
be asked for the opinion of the court he |
to be ruled by it. He might |
have refused to 60 before the court; !
that would have been q much simpler |
,ourse than accepting arbitration and |
hen repudiating the decision.
Probably he imagined that his twelve |
questions were so artfully devised that |
The answers must be favorable to his |
'ide. He supposed that the technical |
strength of his case was much greater |
han it turned out to be. Mr.. MorrilPs
it will be remembered, were
framed with a view of ascertaining
the Governor and Council had
to permit the correction of
detective returns SO as to give effect to
he known will of the voters, the corol-
ary being that it was their moral duty
% do this if they had the power. Gov
,rnor Garcelon refused to put the in
luiries in this form. He asked instead
u L. hoI 81, so< L. |
,al right to throw out defective returns;
md to this he supposed that the Court
must necessarily answer Yes, whatever
authority there might be
or another and more equitable course.
ie overlooked two principles of law,
dearly stated by the Court: O) That
nissiye authority shall be construed as
and (2) that Constitutional
as to the form and man
er of making returns are intended to
'rotect the suffrage, and must not be
o Interpreted as to destroy it. In har-
nony with these principles the Supreme
erly overthrew the Governor. When
7as probably more astonished than
yer before in his life; and we have lit
le doubt that the catastrophe left him
7ithout plan. What he had bound
imseIf to do under these circum-
tances by his acceptance of the arbi-
ration is plain enough; but the man
rho was bold enough to defy the public
pinion of the United States by count
ag out u legally elected Legislature
7as not bold enough to do his duty
7hen it had been pointed out to him by
dvisers of his own choice. Courage
ometimes is capricious quality. DR..
retires to private life to-day
nth a singular reputation, as the Gov
rnor who was not afraid to do wrong,
ut was afraid to acknowledge that he
ad made a mistake.-M r. Tribune,
mn l.,