Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1880-09-21
BLAINE SPEAKS AGAIA
Ana Pats q Qaiesus on the Cry Of
Fraud-why Returns were Ds.
Iayed-Dlstrieis as Distant M Del.

Ana Pats Oaiesus ON the Cry OIL
FFaud-why Returns were Ds,
Iayed-Dlstricis AZ Distant m Del
aware.
BosroE, Sept. 21.--Senator Blains Ii
here. He sent the following dispatch
yesterday;
BosToN, Sept. 20.--To Hon. MARSHALL
Jewell, Chairman Republican Nation al
Committee -
left Maine on Friday last. Intelli.
gence reaches me here to-day indica-
ting that the telsgraphic report OF votes
as published by the Associated Press,
is in some cases modified by the Clerks
rsturns, as they reach the office Of
the Secretary Of State, where they are
open to the inspection Of tho public.
These notifications are Of such char
aoter as to render the contest between
Davis and Plaisted extremely close
possibly requiring the Official return to
determine which is elected. 0ficial re-.
tarns cannot be counted, or even open
ed, until the meeting Of ths Legislature
In January. The cry OF fraud in the
count, as put forth by Mr.. Chairman
Barnum, Is sufficiently answered by
the faot that both parties in Maine
havs recourse to precisely the same au.
thority for their figures first the tele-
grams Of the Associated Press, aud,
second, the Clerks returns from the
several towns.
The agent Of the Associated Press at
Portland, Mr.. Stephen Berry, is i'm.
pliciily trusted by all parties, and ia
incapable of wilful misstatsmsnt or
evasion. His experience in summar-
izipg election returns is as long and AZ
varied IS that Of any man In the coun-
try. Up to this hour there is not a
particle Of dispute between the parties
in Maine touching the returns from q
single town. The only possible oppor-
tunity for frauds in election returns
under our laws is In the French plan
tation or Aroostook, where the assessors
sign return, expressed in o language
with which they are entirely acquaint.
ed. The Democrat English speaking
agent, who makes out returns, has
abundant opportunity for misstating
the facts. l do not assert that the
returns from those plantations are
fraudulent, for do not know it. but l
do assert and do know that frauds
have been committed there in past
years by Democratic agents, and | re.
peat that nowhere else in Maine 10
fraud practicable. The fraud OF last
year was not in the returns at all, but
consisted wholly in Governor Garcelon
and his council rejecting returns that
we're honestly and regularly made. Mr..
Chairman Barnum is also in palpable
error, when he assumes that all cleo
tion returns should be at AueustS, the
day after election.
He forgets that Maine Is larger in
territory than the other Ave New
England States together, and that the
southwesternmost towns in Maine are
nearer to any point In the State Of
Delaware; nearer, indeed, to the city
Of Baltimore, than 1t is to the French
plantations, on the upper St. John, by
any practicable route.
In this statement l speak Of actual
distance. In point Of time the compar-
ison would but be still more striking
and significant, for q man can 60 frSm
Augusta TO Chicago as quickly as he
can 60 from Augusta to Fort Kent. The
talk Of Barnum about the Fusionists Of
Maine being counted out is mere rant.
There is not Democrat or Greenbaok-
or In Maine who has the slightest fear
Of such a result. The late Governor
Of Massachusetts, used to boast that the
Wing party was the only one then in
existanos that would count itself out Of
power and surrender to its opponents
on an adverse majority Of one vote
to the case Of Marcus Morton |
aS Governor.
The Republicans Of Maine, when
beaten in 1878, could have retained
power on two or three technical points
IN the court. Those who planned the
1arcelon count-out Of year later ex-
pected the Republicans to do it, and
suggested fear OF 1t, but there was
not q single member Of the party that
.ver harbored such a thought. II
Governor Plaisted shall have a single
,ote more than Governor Davis, the
chair Of Maine for the next
Wo years is as well assured TO him as
hough his majority were ten thous.
md. JAkRs G.. BLAINE.