New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-16
coprRIOR G4KCELON,S CASE.


We trust that the significance Of the con-
fessons and excuses made by Ex-Governor
Garcelon before the Maine Investigating Com
mittee will not be overlooked. The fraudulent
conspiracy of which DR.. GarceloD was the
dupe or the instrument. or perhaps both. has
indeed been defeated; but indications are
plenty that the plot IN Maine was only part OF
an extended series of operations looking to-
ward the capture of the next Presidency ana
that the cOnspratOrs, although batted In one
quarter, are still active and hopeful else
where. The Minnesota rascality was probably
postponed only on account of its exposure by
the newspapers; it has not been abandoned
and its authors seem to be now preparing
the public mind for the finale by a course OF
Misrepresentation exactly like the falsehoods
put forth as a preliminary to the rape OF
Maine.
Governor Garceon confronted with the
documents found hidden on the top of a book
case in his private Office, is obliged to confess
that the original returns, or the fluctuations,
do appear to have been tampered with, Dut
he declares that he had nothing to do with
the work. Like another celebrated Demo-
cratic statesman, he was deceived ana put
upon by his Council He remained shut up
in the back room, while the trusted copar-
ceners received and answered kilograms on
his behalf in another apartment, manipulated
figures. changed names, forged signatures,
scratched out majOrites, and IN general played
the Old Harry with the results of the election.
He could not attend personally to mere mat
tiers of detail, such as ascertaining who were
entitled to the certificates for these tribes he
was obliged to rely upon his Council, and
the Council was a very fine body. They
THAT have done this deed are honorable
"men." The Governor could no more Sis
pect them of cheating than another Governor
we wOt Of could mistrust the integrity OF his
nephew He signed everything that the COun-
Gil laid before him; and he was ineXpresslbly
fstOnished when he discOvcred,' after 1t was
all over, that in some uneX planned way the
political complexion of the Legislature had
undergone a complete change. DR.. GarcelOn
is frank enough to acknowledge that he was
pleasantly surprised" by this denoucment.
He could not have been prepared for it. be-
cause as he says himself, "nothing was said
"Ihy the Council in his presence about count
ling in a quorum of FusiOnists" lie heard
it, indeed preferred TO incidentally in the
streets; but of course a Governor does not
nav attention to things that he hears referred
to incidentally in the streets.
With regard to the opinion of the Supreme
Court, DR.. GarcelOn admits that he never had
the least idea of paying respect to It. lie sub
mitted the questions only to " allay public eX-
" element" but he meant all along TO do as he
pleased in the matter. Any way, the answers
were "partisan," and, like other Democratic
leaders. he has no confidence in the Court"
The conduct of the Democratic party in Wash
lngtOn with regard to the Supreme Bench OF
the United States is in perfect harmony with
the course of DR.. Garcelon respecting the
Judiciary Of Maine. The majority in Congress
refused to make appropriations for the deputy
marshals on the ground that the Supreme Court
vould be Obliged to declare the election law un-
and the Democratic party could
not consent to the enforcement OF an
unconstitutional statute. But now that the
Court has affirmed the validity OF the law,
they refuse the appropriations all the same.
and declare that they never intended to be
governed by the judgment of the Court, and
will nullify the law whether IL Is constitutional
or not. 1t is probably unnecessary TO point
out what q gross insult Governor GarcelOn
offered, not only to tie Judiciary, but
to the people of Maine, when lie called
the Supreme Court together, just for the
purpose of bambOozllng the public, and
asked their opinion with the fixed purpose of
not paying the slightest attention to it. We
should like to know whether candid Democrats
consider the behavior of their Congressman in
the matter of the election law different in any
important particular from the conduct of the
Ex-Governor of Maine.