New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-19

worthless because the court Is composed
mainly of Republicans. Nevertheless. il
he should defy and disobey that decision, be
ought TO be treated rs a traitor. Precisely so
in Maine. No other power exists to expound
the law, where dispute arises, than the SUI
preme Court of the State. The law SO ex-
rounded must be obeyed. If the Court were
Democratic Republicans would be compelled 10
obey it's decision; as it Is mainly Republican,
none the less Democrats are compelled TO obey IL
they refuse or resist, they are rebels and de-
serve punishment.
The power Of General Chamberlain was not
the less clear but the Democrats refused 20
acknowledge it. Under the laws OF Maine ne Is
commander of the military forces and mas
certain legally-defned duties and powers
Whenever there is 2 Governor, the General Is
subject to the orders of the Governor. When
ever there Is a civil authority, he Is subject to
if. His function is to preserve peace, not 10
expound the law not to make or unmake hut 10
prevent violation of law and fOrcible resistance
to it. There came a time, after the term
of Governor GarccOn expired and before Mr..
Lamson had qualified, when there was not
even the pTetence OF an existing civil authority
in the State above General Chamberlain. lie
had no lawful superior None the less he was
still legaly-qualiied officer Of the State.
None the less he had legal duties to per-
form. II would have been treason had he
failed to preserve the peace in this emergency.
It would have been treason had he per-
mtted any other than the lawfully consti-
tutcd authority TO wrest from him the power
intrusted to his hands Precisely this position
he held, and he did no more. He demanded
that the power which he was to obey should be
clearly the lawfully constituted civil au-
thor1ty of the State. Until that qucs-
ton had been decided by the only proper
tribunal he refused to Withdraw from
the performance of his duties namely. to pre-
serve the peace and to see that violation OF
law by force should not prevail.
Finally the Supreme Court has decided that
the so-called Senate OF which Dir. Lamson Is
President is not a Senate ut all that the So
called Legislature which has pretended TO
elect Mr. Smith to the Office OF Governor Is
not Legislature but an unlawful gathering
of usurpers and that the only true legislative
authority of the State of Maine is now law
fully vested in the body organized by
the members who were actually elected by
was EXPRESSED in The first words of 1.-THE
formal address to Joseph A. Locke, Presi-
81 dent of the Senate and George f. Weeks,
"Speaker of the House of Representatives.
BY these words, the bodies which these per-
sons represent were formally recognized as the
only lawful Senate and House of Representa-
tivcs in the State The decision gives con-
elusive reason for that recognition. But de-
bate is ended, for all citizens who do not
mean to be rebels and breakers, when
the highest Judicial authority in the State
officially declares the validity of the organize
ton effected by the Republicans, and when
that organization elects, in accordance with
the forms of law. as Governor the man who
received large plurality in the popular vote
last September II remains for the State Gov
eminent, now legally organized, to put down
every form OF resistance to its lawful authority.
And it remains for the Democrats and Green
PACKERS to submit, or to su1er the penalties
of violated law.