The Portland daily press., 1880-11-29
Bangor Whig.l
The Plain Duty of the Republican
PARTY

10 me Eattof of the Bangor Whlg d Courier:
Permit Republican who is as stalwart as
yourself and who is as uncompromising in his
devotion to party, to give expression in your
columns to certain opinions touching our plain
duty at this epoch as they appear to his view;
Last winter the State of Maine was in troub-
le and turmoil for sixty days, bordering all the
while on revolution and bloodshed. The cause
of this abnormal and horrible state of affairs
was the unwillingness of the Fusionists to SUBJ
NIT to the popular verdict as rendered at the
September election.
When at last the Fusionists were conquered
and the Republicans acquired full possession
of the State Government, their first act almost
was to propose an amendment to the Consti-
tuition requiring that the Governor should be
chosen by a plurality vote and not by ma
jority vote; and further that the amendment
should propose that it be applied to the cleo
tion of 1880 if adopted. These two propositions
as one joint proposition, were both contained
in the single resolve of the amendment as
passed by the legislature.
This constitutional amendment was carefully
drafted by Hon. Joseph Baker, of Augusta,
who has had more experience, perhaps, than
any other lawyer in the State in that special
kind of work When it left Mr.. Bakers hands
it was referred in both the Senate and House
to the judiciary Committee and was most care
fully revised by the best lawyers in both
branches.
The amendment was then passed, and sub
mttted to the people. 1T was specially advo-
Gated by every Republican paper in the State
In certain sections some ten days before cleo
ton suspicion got abroad that the Fusionists
were trying to defeat it and this was the oc-
casion for fresh and renewed exertons by dif-
ferent Republican papers to stand by the
amendment and secure its adoption.
During all this time there was no Republi-
can in the State who did not feel assured that
Governor Davis would have at least pluralt-
ty of votes. If he had secured the plurality
hoped for it is not to be doubted that the great
mass of his supporters would have claimed his
election by plurality in pursuance of the
constitutional amendment that day adopted.
Perhaps there would not have been found a
Republican in this State who would not have
Joined actively or tacitly in this claim.
But the election was a disappointment.
Plaisted and not Davis got the plurality Of
votes as appears by the semi-officiaI count. No
doubt the official count will verify that YER
dict.
And now comes the test of Republican prin-
ciple The first declaration of the men who
organized the State of Maine was that we
should have "a government of laws and not a
government of men," Can we afford now to
dispute the validity of our own constitutional
amendment because it elects Paisted?
After the splendid battle we fought last
Winter for the sanctity of popular elections, it
seems to have been ordained by fate that our
faith should be tried just as it is now by an ad-
verse result 1t is very pleasant to insist on
rigid and exact justice when we are to profit
by it. The Republicans are now to be tested
by the trial of their principle when they are
called upon to uphold the same rigid laws of
Justice for the benefit of political opponent.
Will they stand the test? If they do not then
the victory of last year will remain the re-
proach and not the glory of the Republican
party!
Nor is it any answer to say that we will 60
to the Supreme Court and submit the question
to their judgment. Who will do that? The
Republicans have no right to cast doubt up
ON the legitimacy Of their own act by making
any such appeal!
The jurisprudence of the centuries has de-
clded that it is not in the interest of truth and
Justice to permit party in suit at law to call
witness and then if his testimony is not
agreeable to question his velacity and DESTROY
his character. In introducing the witness a
pledge is given for his character and veracity
by the fact of introducing him. So In like
manner (even if the analogy be not absolutely
completely the Republicans have no right to
pass constitutional amendment by the unap-
imous vote OF their party and warmly COM
mend 1t to popular approval-thus securing its
adoptiOn-and then as soon as it promises to
work In favor of the Democrats rush to the
Supreme Court and ask to have the amend-
ment lnvalidated. According to every princi-
pie OF honor and fair dealing and sound law
the Republicans are estopped from discredit-
ing and destroying the amendment which they
urged upon the people.
Nor would it be expedient in any sense to
call on the Supreme Court-largely composed,
as it Is OF Republican Judges-to render de-
cision merely to promote the partisan interests
OF the Republican party. Three times last
year the supreme Court was called upon to
give its opinion on important questions of
Law" that arose on "solenn occasions" Their
decisions were among the grandest ever rem
dered and now we owe it to that great Tribu-
nal to refrain from any aud all attempts to use
1t as an lnstrumentality to forward mere politi-
Cal interests. The extreme medicine OF the
Constitution should not be made its daily
bread" and great impartial Judiciary should
not be invoked to settle questions of mere
party supremacy.
The Republican members of the Legislature
will count the Gubernatorial vote not simply
with the eyes of Maine upon them, but under
the scrutinizng inspection of the whole coun-
try. That duty will be performed the first
week in January. One month later the Ma
tional alCongress-Democratic in both branches
as the Maine Legislature is Republican in both
branches-will count the electoral vote for
President and Vice President. How glad, in
the Judgment of many, would that Congress be
to nullify the choice of the people and count
Hancock intothe Presidency. But every Re-
publican of Maine would feel that such an out
rageous design should be resisted even by
force of arms!
And yet the Maine Legislature in taking any
step to defeat the fair result of the election of
Governor would place themselves in the atti-
tude OF accomplices, or accessories before the
fact, in any wicked scheme which the Demo-
Gratis might concoct to defraud Garfield of his
election. Their example would be quoted and
pleaded, and with many readily disposed to do
wrong it would be held as justification.
Lastly-to give an argument based on the
lower plane OF self-interest- every Republican
can see that we would be gaining nothing by
the course of those who want Plaisted Counted
out, II any such there be. The Republicans
will have the Senate, the House, the Execu-
tive Council, every State officer and the vast
majority of the county officers. The political
power of the State is in our hands, Let us
assume that Plaisted will be ugly, disposed
to obstruct, embarrass and iniure us in eyery
way he can. If that be his disposition he will
harm nobody but himself and his party. In
the Gubernatorlal chair-fairly placed there bv
the Republcans-he will ''live and move aud
have hisSbeing" as an illustration of Republi-
can fairness and honor. Wherever he goes he
will appear before every voter as the marked
representative of Republican justice.
But If he be deprived of the office either by
technical "cOunt Out' nv acida
Constitutional amendment, he will be looked
upon wherever he goes as the victim of Re-
publican unfalrness and will stand as the
special object of Republican prescription. /
think all judicious Republicans will prefer to
see Plaisted in the Gubernatorial chair as the
illustration of Republican honor, rather than
to see nim posed before the people as the mar
tyr who suffered at the hands of party who
maintained one law for themselves and an
other for their political opponents. For one 1
beg to be spared the embarrassment of looking
on this latter picture
have taken part in many political cam