Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-01-21
The Situation in Maine.

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Our last statement of the situation
in Maine closed with the adjourn
ment of the Republican portion, or
the regularly elected portion OF the
Legislature at 240 o'clock on Tues
day morning, the 18th inst, after that
body had formulated the trouble at
issue into number of questions to
be submitted to the Supreme Court
The questions submitted to the
Court numbered twenty-seven, cover
ing every shade of the difficulty.
The first question is in regard to
the lawfulness of the Governors sum-
mon to a man to attend the Legisla-
ture who was not elected by major
ity of the lawful votes cast.
The second is in regard to the right
of such summoned members to act
as members of the Legislature.
The third asks whether such mem
bers, or those legally elected should
act as members OF the House
The fourth asks whether such mem
bers as those legally elected should
act as members Of the Senate.
The fifth and Si,rth relate to the
errors that took place in the several
election districts in the State, cler-
ical errors, papers Lot properly filled
out by election boards, and SO forth,
on the strength of which the trouble
has arisen.
The Seuenth asks whether a law
can be valid, or whether any business
can be legally done without 16 mem
bers in the Senate, and rs members
in the House, excepting to from time
to time adjourn and if less num-
ber of members can do business,
what business.
The eighth asks as to whether 16
members in one house, and rs in the
other, if not legally organized
house, can compel the attendance of
absent members.
Ninth. To make up the legal quo
rum required on any Vote in either
House, can the votes of any person
be counted who, though summoned,
does not appear to be elected by the
official returns, under the Constitu
ton and the decision OF the court
Tenth. Can the Governor and Coun-
ell legally administer the qualifying
oath to members elect of the House
of Representatives, when on yea
and nay vote, as shown by the record,
only seventy three members, both
sides inclusive, vote ON the motion to
require the attendance of the Gov
ernor and Council for that purpose
Eleuenth. Can a valid organization
be ereaESSo by the Governor and
Council when a quorum is not pres
ent, and when the point has been
raised that no quorum is present!
TpeLffh. Is the oath of the Cover
nor and Council binding when admin
istered 10 members who do not ap-
pear elected by official returns!
Thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth
are inquiries as to the time OF the ex-
piration of State officers.
S1teenth and serenteeth make inqui-
ries as to whether the President OF
tie Senate can become Governor In
sase of vacancy of the Chief Execu-
tiye's chair, when the President of
the Senate is an officer of a Legisla-
ture many members of which have
been fraudulently summoned, and
illegally organized
There were ten other questions,
but they all had one bearing, and that
was as to the right of the members
elected-but counted out by the Gov
ernor and Council and excluded from
the Legislature-to meet with the
other regularly elected members and
organize Legislature by themselves
When the Republicans adjourned
they adjourned to meet on Saturday,
January 18th. As soon as they were
out of the Legislative hall, the fu
sionists-Democrats and Greenback-
ers-entered. They had no Cover
nor, but they proceeded to form a
business quorum by counting out a
Republican here and there, and
placing a Democrat or a Greenbacker
in his place, just as the combination
between them happened to be, and so
they worked along until Friday,
when, as they thought, they had or
ganized properly, they proceeded to
count the vote for Governor and to
declare their choice. The House sent
to the Senate the names of Joseph
L. Smith, Greenbacker, and Alonzo
Garcelon. Democrat, as candidates
for Governor. The Senate elected
MIR. Smith, Governor.
At 4:30 o'clock a joint convention
was held in the House, to administer
the oath of office to Mr.. Smith. He
was sworn in. The Secretary of