Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-09-09
General Groyesnor.

of ,I,e time in Kennebec County, Is re-
eeiying high praise from all quarters by
those who were so fortunate As to near
him. His meetings have not been an
nounced by any blowing of trumpets' but
they have all been well attended. ana
those who have heard him once are Ia
vorablv impressed with his honesty ana
ability and would like TO hear him again.
He ranks among the most effective speak
ers we have had in this campaign. AT
great meeting at Freeport Monday night,
in his opening he spoke OF the State Steal
rs follows:
ladies and Gentlemen
Coming among you from tar distant State
10 discuss with you the issues involved Ill the
current campaign, do not deem IL wise 10
enter at any considerable length into dis
ru.sion of the questions whicl, have grown
out of YOUR local difficulties here III the
State of Mvine There is. nevertheless, a
general feature to this controversy that oc-
ours alike to men of all parties and without
distinction of party. The course OF the fu-
sion party in Maine last winter Is condemned
to-day by the decent men OF all parties
throughout the United States.
II does pt often fall TO my lot TO speak a
good word for the democratic party of Ono
II has not been nv fortune TO find character
istics in that party. ordinarily to approve; but
7 feel constrained here to say that the leaders
and the honest men of the democratic party
| of Ohio unanimously and unreservedly con-
denim and execrate the course taken by the
fusion leaders of Maine to wrest from the
| people of Maine last winter their right OF
self government.
| In nv own town in Ohio there is edited and
published Il leading. prominent democratic
newspa its editor is one of the most dis
tinguished news paper writers of Ohio. time
tried in his devotion to the democratic party,
but on all occasions that newspaper has lifted
ND its voice in condemnation and disapproval
| of the attempt of Garcelon and his gang to
rob the State of Maine of her right of free
choice i'm the election of Governor and State
officers.
! Two things strike the citizen of another
State and impress him with this opinion. The
| first is that the claim of the fusionists was
based upon the theory that, by technical
| means. men who had received a majority of
votes in the towns and counties as members
| of the Legislature, were not entitled to their
seats: it was claimed that. because an initial
! letter was omitted or a wrong one introduced,
somebody, who had been nfesse6ly beaten
BY the people, was entitled to his seat: ii was
claimed that, because the selectmen of GER
| tain towns, and clerks of certain election
boards had technically failed to strictly dis
charge their duty, men who bad been repu-
dated by their constituency and confesse'lly
not elected should have the places of those
who were elected, and in that way turn out
Davis and seat Smith.
ucl, ola fIaSa -artaI Tho
people of this country never examine them
they never investigate such questions as that
they condemn the men who would take seats
under such circumstances, and that is the
popular Judgment of the people of this coun-
| try.
| But another view of this subject is more
| important and impressive. The people of the
whole country believed that you, men OF
Maine, were standing upon the crumbling
brink of precipice, down which you were
sure TO go, and at the bottom of which was
bloodshed, anarchy, civil war and the total
destruction of order and good government.
| The rule Of the shotgun in Mississippi and
the domination of the tissue ballot in South
| Carolina had not been so startling to the peo-
pie for those outrages had been committed
where respect for law has long ceased to ex-
list, but this trouble was about to occur upon
tuc SUI Vi OIle VI tuc .>eW States, Il
State with proud record, grand history, a
State that has heretofore tolerated no disobed-
fence of law, no disregard of good order no
tricks or stratagems of politicians, but had
been guided hitherto by simple adherence to
the old Puritan IDEAS of honesty in govern
ment and maintenance of law and the stabli-
ty of your institutions. Now we could see no
way out; look which way we would the grim
monster, civil war. seemed clutching at your
liberties. In that hour we learned for the
first time that questions about which you
were disputing might be submitted to and
settled by your Supreme Court. that under
forms OF law the questions might be sent to
that tribunal for ultimate decision. and that
when so sent that court would have jurisdic-
ton of the subject matter of the controversy.
When we saw that we rejoiced. The peo-
pie of the whole country knew but little
about your Legislative and executive depart-
ments; but the bench and bar of the whole
country knew and respected and honored
your Supreme Court. Its decisions have
been recognized as guides to the determina-
ton of legal disputes in all the States of this
Union; its patriotism; its honor, its high
standing as a court, had never been ques-
toned. When Gov. Garcelon. impelled by
the stern demands of the republicans of
Maine, submitted those questions to the SUI
preme Court. we felt that the war cloud that
had threatened you had broken away: we
felt that the law-abiding people of Maine
would bow their heads in calm obedience to
the Htterances of tribunal so august. so
learned so patriotic as your Supreme Court
When the decision came and was read and
studied by the people of other States, it was
discovered that it was logical, so reasonable,
so in accordance with the general principles
of law in questions of this kind, that nobody
believed that any respectable portion of the
people of Maine would hesitate to comply:
and when the fusion party of Maine resisted
the Judgment of the Supreme Court and by
revolution sought to grasp and hold on to
the political power from which thew had been
banished by the people. the popular iudg-
ment of this country condemned that fusion
party, and the pools of all the political ST.
loans on earth can never efface from the rec
ord of that party the damning blot that thew
put upon it by the course they took. Not
only did they resist and seek to evade the
Judgment of the Supreme Court. but TODAY
their party organs and party leaders through
out the entire length and breadth of the
State are condemning the action of the Sn-
preme Court, condemning its Judgment and
impugning its motives, and seeking to de-
grade and soil the judicial ermine of your
proud State by personal and political detrac-
ton. For all this the calm Judgment of the