New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-23
vo co,-rrDrN-cE ~ TUr COrRT

II the recent political events IN Maine were
not significant OF serious trouble IN the
future. there would be something irreslshOly
comic in the final scenes Of the Fusionist
rsurpation. When the BOGUS Legislature as
semblod 10y the roadside, and the members
sat on the fence, pretending TO transact
public business amid the jecrs OF iueverent
spectators, the last preteucc OF the dignity
with which they had striYen to clothe their
proceedings disappeared. They became thence
forth ridiculous besides beng outrageous.
When they found shelter in public hall
they were even more absurd than when they
pretended to come to order IN the street.
In spite of two sweeping and unanimous de-
ci,ions against them by the full bench OF the
Supreme Court they clung 20 the hope OF stu
cxtorting recognition from that tribunal,
and they appointed a committee to consider II
il would not be possible to " state the facts
in such a new and ingenious way that the
Court would have to side vii them TO frame
n fresh set Of questions to which the Court
must give answers less ruinous TO the Fusion
it cause than the opinions previously pro-
nounced. IL was only after q nights reelection
that they realized how prcposteroUs this was,
and then they made haste - repair the blum
der. Mr.. Swan declared in the formal assem-
blv of his confcderltcs that " the House had
" had enough Of the opinions ot the Supreme
Court There was no doubt what The nature
of any fresh utterance from the same source
would be. Other honorable gentlemen were OF
the same mind So the Fu.iouists are likely
IN future to lrt The Supreme Court alone.
The point bout which they are now anxious
i whether tho Court will let them alone.
They are in organized Instruction against
the legitimate and actual Government of
Maine; and although there is probably no
disposition to interfere unnecessarily with
their debating society while it, activity vents
itself only in talk it may become essential to
the peace of the State aud the security even
of National interests 20 put Il sudden and
full stop to the foolish farce of dual Legis
loture and Admin .tration. The claims of the
intrrders are now in such n condition that
the Supreme Court may at any moment be
required to pass upon them again-not this
time by the fundamentally of an opinion, but
bv an authoritative judgment which it will he
tbc duty OF Governor Davis to enforce
at all risks. 1t rests entirely with the Repub-
hcans to determine whether the Intervention
of the law shall be lnvoked. If the further
continuance of the Fusionist fiction is. to en-
barrass the orderly management of public bust
ness or to threaten complications in the next
electoral vote, the lawful authorities will feel
Obliged to resort without any more delay to
the lawful remedies.
There will be no appeal from the judgment
of the Court. After the Court has spoken, the
FusOnsts will have no resort except to arms,
and that last wickedncss they Will not at
tempt. All through this controversy the
respcct of the people of Maine-nOt only
the Republicans, but the majority of the
Fusonsts alsO-fOr authoritative definitions of
fine law has been most marked. Governor
CarccIon and his Council never would have
ventIred upon counting out the Republican
majority If they had not been able to per-
snade their partisans that the outrage was
committed under the protection of certain legal
technicalities. The pains which they took to
keen ND the appearance of abiding by the let
ter of the statutes was tribute to the law
abiding disposition of the people. So was the
delusive string of questions prOp0unded by
Governor Garccon to the Judges. SO
il the anxiety of the Fusioniss at
this late day to induce the Court TO
modify its decision. The leaders have not
dared to appear, even to their own party, i'm
fine character of avowed law-breakers. Re
spcctable Americans, whatever their politics,
have an inveterate habit of obeying the
Courts and whenever q formal Judgment is
nronounced against the Fusionist usurpers, by
the highest authority in the State, the bulk
of theIr followers will desert them.