Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-08-12

SPEECH OF b. D. HADLOCK. ESQ.
oFsCCksfoRr
De1tver~A - che 0epssus~aa Wsss
Meeting ~ E1ls~ ossA,
TUESDAY, AUGUST 10TH, 1880.


Feii"s-eif.feas If Haaoeck County:
The events OF the past year within the
borders Of our State ha,. marked With deep
significance the future Of our political exist
ence, and imposed a duty upon every voter.
which must be discharged in the campaign
nov inauguratcd in the State OF Maine.
Las, winter for the frs, time in the history
of our State the party in power ea,leavorea
to suppress the voice Of the people as ex-
pressed b, the ballot-,hst sacred pledge
of power entrusted TO the citizens un.
der our republican form Of government
and to deprive the people Of their legally
chosen representatives in the several depart
men;s Of the State government.
That attemp; TO sahscrt the will Of the
people was pregnant with danger and we'll.
nigh brought TO our doors the discortlan,
elements of var, and is too deeply impressed
upon the tablets Of memory TO be soon for
gotten.
The election Of 1873 made j, possible for
the foundation of a conspiracy tn thwart the
will of the people a. expressed at the polls
In 1876 the Democratic party in thi. State
stood upon democratic principle. and demo-
cratic precedent on all National and State
questions, and formed a phalans Of sixty
thousand voters. then deemed Il an honor
to belong to the Democratic party u Maine.
In ISIS the elections in this State vas
contested BY the Greenhack party which had
as the corner stone OF It's foundation the
'rredecmahle issue Of paper money. a stone
that had been rejected BY the builders Of
the Democratic party.
The Grccnbaok party recruited from the
radical men Of the Democratic party and the
radical men OF the Republican party. and
brought TO the front men Of desperate poli,-
ieal fortunes who above all earthly desires.
longcd for political and Official power
In 1873 the Democratic party in the State
Of Maine departed from the doctrine. Of i,s
founders and the principles tina, had been
enuncis,ed b, those men ~ho had supported
Its honor and fame ~hcn IN the Icui;h Of it,
glor, gave support to the Grrenhack
party and ,ufed for its nominees and then
the dl.graeefua spectacle Of men Who claim
Cd 10 be democrats voting for the election OF
the advocates for an irrcsieemable paper cur
rcncy. was presented to the people 81 ,hi.
State
The result of the election in 1873 impos-
ed upon the Legislature Of 1879 the .elcc-
ton Of Governor.
Neither Of the ,hrrc political parties had
MAJORITY in the House Of Representative.
In tho Senate the Republican party we're
in majority.
The representatives Of the Grrcnback par
~ and the representatives Of the Demo.
cratic party IN the legislature OF 1879 enter
ed into a trade for the apportiunmcn, 81
oihoes add became known as fgsioni.is
Bs the Constitution Of our State ,h. 80.
lection Of tao candidate. from xhirh a gov
ernor "a. tn b- elected by thr senate dc.
VOWED upon the House Of Representative.
The Grecnhack candidate for Governor. and
the Democratic candidate for Governor ~crc
presented TO the Senate and 4 Republican
majority elected Democratic Governor. and
the Grvcnback and Democratic rrprr,cn,a-
uSes by combining IN JOINT convention elect
cd the Executive Council whose .ubsequeu,
ACTS brought Disgrace upon the fair name Of
our beloved State.
In the election Of 1879 three candidate.
~ere IN the political field for guhernatorial
honnrs and the election a. in 1873 resulted
IN no direct choice by the people But !,
.as conceded b, all parties ~hrn the vote
uas fr.; announced that both the House and
Senate we're Republican and 1t "a. assumed
that the Republican party would have The
control Of the Stale government during tn.
political wear Of 1870.
but soon rumors we're abroad OF drfcci.
that existed IN the returns from iONn. that
had given republican mAJortles and II VAS
thought that the Republican party might
fail Of majority in the Senate. And then
II ~as asserted that hy rason Of fatal de-
fleets in the returns from towns iha; had
given Republican malori,ies the Fus.onisis
would have majority in the House Of Rep
reseniativcs. And the people ~crr willing
10 aoccp, the reversal Of their ~Ill ~ eI-
pressed a; the polls il the Governor and
Council in tabula;ing the returns followed
the .,rici letter of the Law.
But when !, became apparent that returns
xerr being duplicated and corrected b, the
fu.lonls;. the people became alarmed And
a. from time 10 time the reason. for reject
ing returns ~crr made public the people be
gan TO fear tina, the Governor and Council
we're acting under a mi.apprehension Of the
duty imposed upon them b, the constitution
and Laws Of the State
And when a petition vas addressed 10
Governor Garoelon requesting tina, the opln-
ion OF the Justices u the Supreme Judicial
Court be asked in relation to the duty i'm
posed by the constitution and laws upon
the Governor and Council IL va, signed by
men Of all parties.
The questions we're framed and duly pre-
senied TO the Justice. Of the Supreme Court
who promptly gave construction Of the
Law involved in the questions submitted.
which construction ~as no; IN accordance
With the action that had been taken by the
Governor and Council in relation 10 the re-
turns.
The opinion OF the Justices tina, had been
asked for and rendered was ignored, and
men who were no, legally elected TO Office
received certificates a. SENATOR and Repre-
sentatives, and the senator. and representa-
tives duly elected BY the voice Of the people
OF this State as expressed at the polls were
counted out.
Those persons who had received cer,if-
Gates that had been Illegally issued to them
participated in an attempted organization Of
the Senate and refused to seat the legally
elected Senators. The House as certifcated
BY the Governor and Council, also attempted
an organization.
The fusion members of the Senate and
House who had received certificates from the
Governor and Council met in Join, conyen-
ton and went through the form Of inducing
into Office the Greenback candidate for Gov
ernor, who had been voted for by the Fus-
ionists. and Of electing State officers.
The legally chosen Representatives and
senator's assembled and organized House
and Senate. and propounded questions to
the Justices Of the Supreme Judicial Cour,
who in their opinion declared the Legisla-
ture organized by the leg ally elected Sena-
tors and Representatives to be the only Law
full Legislature Of Maine. Immediately up
on the announcement of the opinion Of tht.
Justices the Legislature met and elected A
Governor and in joint convention elected
State officers. and thus after many DAYS Of
anxiety the State Of Maine had a legally
elected chief magistrate.
The fusionists in the meantime were in
session in what they we're pleased to call the
Legislature Of Maine and thew submitted
questions to the Justices of the Supreme yu-
dicial Court to their status rs a legi.la-
ture. And the Justices after due consider