New-York tribune., 1880-01-13
THE DEMocRA11c Wan oyER MAINE.

IlE ~ hDN-a-l 4 ~ ~ = l. W In ~ y ~ T.
How true these Democratic newspapers and
leaders are to their instincts and traditions.
Within the past fortnight they have discovered
that there is actually something wrong gong
on in Maine; that free institutions are really
in danger. Not, however. because a
gang Of unscupulous men, accidentally
and temporarily clothed with power,
had concoctcd a conspiracy to defeat the will
Of the people and steal the state; and even
threatening violence in iis consummltion.
Oh. no moi that. But free Institutions, they
discover, are in danger from the indiscretlon
and excitement OF the citizens, who are liable
TO violate the law or infringe the Constiiu-
fion in their efforts to defeat the plot. How
liko this is to the situation in 1851
Not Democratic leader OF newspaper
then but looked on with cOmplaconcy
at the 1ipcninc Of the germs of rebellion and
the initiation OF the war against the Union.
But so soon az Mr. Lincoln called for men to
defend the Capital against aimed rebellion,
they all broke Oni with one voice that that
would never dc-it was Il violation OF the
Constitution, and all that sort of thing. ii j.
the same old party, actuatcd by the same
old spirit of mischief and insubordnation
slow to learn Of any scheme of wickcdne - or
deyiltry their associates have set on foot. but
onick to hear and condemn as unconstitutional,
Illegal or technically informal, any effort TO
defeat IT,
when THE TRIBUNE first gave the alarm,
some months ago, that the Garcelon gang were
making arrangements TO steal the State from
the voters who had carried the election, these
Democratic leaders and organs laughed at the
sugecstion and pronounced the story labrica-
ton and "a humbug. As the plot thickened and
took shape, they pretenGedto be still increduous,
hut said they had no doubt Governor Garcclon
and the Council would act strictly within the
lazy in canvassing the returns When the
Garcclon conspirators refused TO permit Re-
pnblicans to examine the returns, according
10 custom, they saw no harm in it, but said
they presumed there were good reasons for it,.
So long as the plot was working successfully
they saw nothing out OF the way. But when
the Republicans who were about to be de-
frauded demanded OF the Governor and
Council the right Of examining the re-
turns, they forthwith set up a cry that
there was an attempt TO intimidate
the Governor and Council. Thoy heard
of that soon enough, and were quick to
form an opinion about 1t; but as to whether
the Governor and Council were justified in
counting ont enough Republicans and count
ing III enough of their own men To give them
the Legislature and the State, they really did
not know enough about the facts to
say. Leading Democrats who call themselves
decent citizens, and Democratic editors who
claim to be honest, refused to express
an opinion as to this shameful transaction, on
the ground that they did not know all the
facts. The most that any of them could be
induced to say was that Z" if "-and it was the
largest kind of an if"-'the Governor and
Council had not acted within the strict letter
of the law, it was very wrong" But on
the whole they thought Garcelon q
Co. were technically correct. Those who
doubted it were very 10th to say so, and
very guarded in their expressions. But, mark