The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-02-14
sArURDAYaMORN1NG, FEBRUARY IA

the same blessings of his accursed Democracy
to Lewiston, Saco, Bath and Rockland. just
look in the glass, old fellow, and you will see
worse Tory vissage than Granville & Co. had
in 1774.
obadiah asks if the Republicans had major
ity in 1879. 1 reply yes, in every city and town
your rascally coparceners undertook to cheat
out of their rights. In this city over 600 major
ity; read your Year Book.
Let me quote and see If our Supreme Court,
or Pillsbury, Dana, Garcelon, Chase, Fogg,
Obadiah Adams g. Co. are right. 1t is from
"Section 2, Article /, Constitution of Maine:"
''All power is inherent in the people, all free
governments are founded on their authority
and instituted for their benefit; they have,
therefore an inalienable and indefensible right
to alter, reform or totally change the same
when their safety and happiness require it,"
To this will add the concluding part Of the
opinion Garcelon asked for, and which always
supposed the Court had to obey when called
upon. (Of course the Governor never expected
such an earful; but let any one read the bill OF
rights in our State Constitution and then ask
himself how could the court decide different
ly) 1t reads as follows:
This Government rests upon the great constitu-
tonal axiom that all power is Inherent in the people
at is a Government OF the people, for the people,
and by the people, and if administered in the spir-
it of its founders, sit shall not perish from the
earth" 'Its Constitution was formed" to use the
apt expression of one whose memory is embalmed in
the hearts of his countrymen, by plain people"
is the pride, well the protection OF ALL is the
truest indication of the popular will. The official
returns required from the municipal officers OF sew
eral antatons towns, and cities are, and will be,
made by 'plain people," and made too, in the hur-
ry and hustle and excitement of an election. They
are not required to be written with the scrupulous
nicely of writing master, or with the technical ac
curacy of plea in abatement. Sentences may have
been ungrammaiical the spelling may deviate from
the recognized standards but returns are not to be
set at naught because the penmanship may be poor,
language ungrammatical, or spelling erroneous. It
understood full effect should be given to their nat
ural and obvious meaning They not to be stran-
gled by idle technicalites, nor Is their meaning to
be distorted by ca. ping and captious criticism.
The following comment upon the above is
from the New York Tribune and is worthy of
perusal, coming from so able a source.
"These words will live long, Hereafter, it may be
doubted whether any Court in the land will decide
official, whose duty it may be to pass upon returns
to declare the results of elections hereafter es
cape the fee ing that in these words is laid down the
true will of the people and the supreme law of the
land 1t is to be hopei that this decision marks the
beginning of great and healthy reaction from the
era of pettifogging techncalities."
If Obadiah and the Democratic party want
to butt their heads against such principles as
the Court have laid down, let them do it to their
hearts content. 1 hope the Republican party
will engraft these principles in their platform
at their next State Convention. Let us go be-
fore the people upon this issue. 1t is the very
will, to further please Obadiah quote from
Jefferson's first inaugural message: "During
the contest through which we have passed the
animation of discussion and of exertion has
sometimes worn an aspect which might i'm
pose on strangers unused to think freely, and
to speak and to write what they think-but
this being now decided by the voice of the ma
ton, announced according to the rules of the
constitution, all will of course arrange them
selves under the will of the law and unite in
49, Gov
will bear in mind this sacred principle that
though the will of the majority is in all cases
to prevail, that will to be rightful must be rea-
sonable; that the minority possess their equal
rights which equal laws must protect, and to
violate which would be oppression" Compare
that with the rights awarded to minorities in
the Southern States by the shotgun Democ-
racy, and the treatment Republicans received
from the Garcelon Council, and haven't we a
pretty set of disciples of the men who penned
the Declaration of Independence! What lot
you are Obadiah! How this Supreme Court
pillories you in pillory of infamy. Jefferson
long years ago founded party on principles as
antagonistic to the Rebel shotgun, rascally
Democracy of this day as Satan is to all good.
In conclusion let me say the Supreme Court
has got to be obeyed, and no one usually finds
fault with its decisions but cut-purses and ras-
Gals, who are generally upset by Justice. No
decent man over his own signature dare accuse
the seven honored men who compose the Bench
in this State of being biased in their decision
on any subject. l know of no set of men more
honored by the bar of this State than our VEN
cradle Chief Justice and his six honorable as
sociates. Their decisions will be quoted and
honored long after this generation shall be in
its grave
In the long years to come it will be handed
down by some historian mot of the Obadiah
stripe) that in 1880 an attempt was made by a
set of scamps to steal State Government, that
it was frustrated by an honorable Court, and
that The decision OF that Court was rallied at by
o set OF fellows of the baser sort, whose names
have long since been forgotten. In conclusion
let me say: all honor to the Supreme Court of
Maine! REPUBLICAN.