Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-02-11

r.. .olemn occasion bad arisen. sucn ss
-. Lee contemplates. Questions were SUP
~. "s;..a,i in dine time. Those questions were
.n.wered. The propositions laid down y
,he court in that matter were fundame"ea''
Men talk of usurpation. Men talk OF the ou.
nreme Court arrogating to itseif powers
ss.a;nst the people But all the supreme
T~,,rt did was as has been well remarked ps
~, gentleman from vassalboro. to 60 DOWN
.na Law itself along side with the humbiest
";,;,en and set up for his right to representa-
ton nv the ballot. 1t was plain enough 10
hs seen when tina: opinion came forth oy the
nrudant sagacious men of either party,
rs~bat would be the end; that the Supreme
Conrt was not disposed itself to go behino
,ecbnicality and shield itself from giving al
opinion: that it didn't propose to ralse up
anv narrow margin, hut to take the whoie
of the questions, fundamentally, OF wha' '"s
people desired to express at the ballot. Ano
the answers to those questions suomltteu W
the democratic Governor of the state iala Tue
foundation for all that occurred Afterwards.
But they were not assented to. TOT the reaso"
that the violent irresponsible element IN the
marty which had submitted the questions.
maintained its control of the organization ana
persisted in defiance of that opinion IN ergan-
ling or attempting to organize legislature.
And speedily upon that, the republicans, re-
living upon the fundamental law laid down IN
the first opinion, met in this hall and set up
legislatu re- set it up by no usurpafion, oy
no act of violence. But as soon as 1t hao or
panize,l il submitted questions to the supreme
Court asking that court to apply the law IL
had laid down. In time the answers came
hack. and the court to its honor neither
shirked nor swerved Did it usurp. and IT So
what? 1t usurped nothing against the legai
House for thew had invoked its answer NO
man can be found in the State OF Name
whose rights were interfered with. There are
81 men here to-day, or on the outside waiting
to come in, who were legally elected by the
people, and the court laid nOviolent hand up
on the rights of any of these gentlemen. Sit
ting as the highest tribunal to elaborate aud
to pronounce the law for the citizens OF TINS
State, that court came to the rescue OF the men
who had been elected and declared that they
constituted the legal legislature. And then
the two bodies recognized by the court pro-
ceeded to the doing of business. But THAT didn
settle it; and the reason was as before, that
the violent, infiammatory, irresponsible men
upon the other side held the organization by
a strong clutch, with their hands at its
throat, and over rode aud overawed moderate
and patriotic men, some of whom l see here
on the minority side. and declared it would
revolt and disobey the mandate OF the court,
and persisted in setting up and continuing
two other houses. For time the violent
men in the fusion organization held control,
and pretended to do business as legislature.
But at last common sense. good judgment
and patriotism coming to the front they
said, we are running 1T n fearful rate, and
this way lies ruin. The court, the public, the
country, and the world are against us.
can fancy these men seeing their old organ
ization being dragged down speedily TO
irrevocable ruin BY the violent men who had
acted in concert and assumed to have con-
trol-the revolutionists who had for the time
got dominion-I can fancy that these men saw
that a time had come when halt should be
called, and that the traditions of the old DEM
ocratic party must again assert themselves
and that it must express ITSELF as 1t had years
ago, law-loving and law-abiding party with
claim upon the popular confidence. Such
arguments had their weight, and then, at last.
the assumed legislature invoked the judgment
of the Supreme Court, and it was felt that
there must be an end of all this in the cause
of justice, good morals. peace and business
Of the State which had been greatly disturbed
by the untoward events which preceded these
things. The Supreme Court. acting, as
l believe, in good faith, and upon
the wish of the moderate men of the other
side, did take those questions into considera-
ton and returned IN answer, carefully deter
mining in their answer that no recognition
was made of the Legislative body that assumed
to ask them. And those answers were only
exemplificatiens of the recent law laid down
in the first opinion. But they were so COM
plete and SO convincing. and they made such
clear statement Of all the lew in the case,
that at once the two bodies which had been
holding sessions down town, crumbled and
fell to pieces forthwith. Apparently, in good
faith, gentlemen came into this House from
day to day, and took the seats that stood
ready for them. We did not disrossess one
man legally elected. We did not lift a finger
against anv man sent here by the people
They were put upon prominent committees.
And am glad to bear testimony that upon
committee of WHICH am member is one of
those gentlemen who came in here in good
faith. He is appreciated by us and will be
appreciated All seemed to acquiesce, and
for time it seemed as if it was in good faith.
know what men told me when they came in
here. i look into faces here of those who
have no sympathy with those extreme, revo-
lutionary measures. They told me they were
glad to come in; they were glad to be rid of
the thraldom under which they had sat for
weeks. And the business went on. And at last
other gentlemen who had been extreme and
rabid and revolutionary in resistance to the
Supreme Court began to come in. And then
at once this peaceful scene and this acquesc-
ing mode was changed and we beheld the
same men with the same principles and the
same defiance of law and respect for constitu-
tional authority. set up their feeble, piping
voices here in opposition to what had been
accepted as law by all the State And it has
gone on until now. And 1 am glad that this
discussion has come up that the people may
know what it is that is the cause of the dis
turbance.
l hold in my hand a copy Of the Daily
Standard. In it it has the report of a great
$50 called) mass meeting held at Camden.
that pleasant and prosperous town down by the
sea, which is represented here by the gentle
man from that town. And ask the clerk IN
read certain resolutions between the marks in
INK. Let us have this proclamation of law
iessness to the people of the State of Maine.
"Whereas the so-called Legislature. now in
session at the State Capitol. obtained posses.
sion OF the legislative halls by subterfupe
and trickery and drove out thr., ugh their
base tools and minions the only legally con-
rA-xI