Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-05-18
SaiIp &enlrfbtf Journal.
Augusta. Tuesday Morning. Nay 10.
The Latest ManilIstO ftlhe Count
ing-Out CsnspiEators.

The Latest Manifesto ofthe Count
ing-Out CSnspiEot0rs.
The latest defence Of the counting ont
eonspirstors y . ba1ky document. 1t re-
quires thirteen columns Of closely printed
matter in small type to tell the story which
10 signed BY Garcelon and FIVE Of his Coun-
ell. 1t was published in a Sunday paper
doubtless to give it moral and religious
support. No fusion organ in Maine was
sufficient TO be entrusted with the first
publication. the Office Of playing second
fiddle to the Massachusetts paper being
all that is allowed Maine organs, although
the subject matter of the document ap-
pears TO be much more closely related 10
Maine than to Massachusetts,
The document starts out with an attempt
to tell how honestly the returns were kept
and counted. The affidavits Of Henry NJ.
Pishon and Mark Harden, stating how the
returns had been manipulated and changed
in previous years. and how sacred they
we're kept by Garcelon and Council, is an
appropriate opening Of this farcical dis
play Of innocence of the counters-out.
When the affidavit of Pishon first appeared
1t was promptly contradicted by lion.
Summer J. Chadbourne, former and pres
ent Secretary Of State. Ex-Secrctary Of
State Stacy has not been heard from upon
the matter, but il Pishen's affidavit is true
Mr.. Stacy ought to answer to the people
Of the State for misdemeanor and corrup-
ton in office. Whether Pishons and Har-
den's afiidavlts had anything to do with
their continuance IN positions at the state
House after the fusionists came into power
1t the beginning of 1879, let the people
Judge.
Following this comes the Governor and
Councils version Of the troubles with
which they were afflicted last November.
and how piously they struggled 10 tabu-
late the returns and count them accord
Jug " thO iaWo 1Hi Tic couStttusioi anu
give everybody a chance 10 see them
who desired to. 1t is sad thing for the
Governor and Council that their statement
is very widely at variance with facts,
also with the testimony given by Garce-
lon before the Hale Committee. Governor
Garcelon testified that up to Nov. 18th no
person outside of the Committee on Elec-
ton Returns Of the Council had seen the
returns or knew what was in them. That
was the day Gov. Dingley. Hon. S. ID.
Lindsey and Hon. l.. A. Emery called at
the State House and requested permission
to see the returns. Their request was laid
over by action of the Council until Nov.
22nd. On that day the following order
was passed:
"ordered. That the Secretary give public notice
that the Governor and Council will be In session from
December let to 18th. for the purpose of examining
the ocial returns Of votes for candidates for Scna
tors, Representatives and county officers. Candi.
dsfes claiming Irregularities other causes pre-.
suined to vtiate their election will have reasonable
opportunity to be heard either personally or by duly
Authorized counsel"
The space allowed parties Interested to
see the returns was thus restricted to the
time from Dec. LIST to 18th. This only
was granted after the Court had been ap-
pealed to and petition after petition had
Hooded the Council Chamber asking per-
mission to see the returns. and this is what
the conspirators call ample time for the
sovereign people in more than four hun
dred towns and cities to exam
inc the election returns directly interest
ing them! Under no other administra-
ton in this State has there been placed
any limit to the right of the people to in
spect the election returns after they we're
opened.
The most amusing part of this plea of
the black hearted cabal in the conspiracy
to steal the State governments that which
labors to prove how closely they followed
the laws and constitution of the State in
counting and how zealously they sough,
the best legal advice they could obtain
II is fact well known that though they
were urged at the commencement of the
trouble to submit the matters in dispute
to the Supreme Court they refused to dc
20. and one member of the Council, Mr.
Fogg. stated in the columns of his own
paper. that they cared no more for the
opinion of the Court than for that OF
seven jackasscs, and threatened that il the
Judges interfcred with the conspirac,
they would be driven from the bench
These were the men who now plead with
tears in their eyes that they sought to fol
low the constitution and the laws and tn.
best legal authority to be obtained. Wha
better authority is there in regard to tn,
Interpretation Of our laws and the consti
tuition than the Supreme Court? Yet tn,
Council insulted the Judges and theiu
opinion was not asked until the force o
public opinion compiled the Governor Il
yield and submit questions for the consid
GRAFTON Of the Court. A marvellously higl
respect the counters-out had for law ant
the best legal authority. Had they gon.
to the Court, where they should hav,
gone, they would have been supplied
with sound advice. and thus saved them
selves from infamy, the State from