The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-01-17
MAINE.
DECISION OF THE surRENE COURT

BANGOR. Jan. 4:-The optnton4rn
deced by the supreme court on Sat
urday concludes rs follows;
1t ts q government OF the people,
by the people, aud for the pe1 lie.
and Il administered in tbs sDiri:y of
tts founders it shall not peii.o from
the earth. Its constitution was form
cd, to use the apt expression. OF one
whose memory Is embal'aed in, the
hearts Of his contrymen, ''by pain
people" and plain people must ;ad-
minister It. :aT
The ballot Ia the pride as we'll as
the protection Of all. 1t is the, best
Indication OF popular will. Official
teturns, required from municipal o.
dcers Of several plantations, town
and cities, are and will be made Ivy
plain people," and made, roo, in
the hurry and hustle and excitement
OF elections. They ara not acquired
to be written with the scr;ptur..l nice.
'ty OF writing master. or With. tech-
nlca! accuracy u plea in abate.
ment. Sentences may have been
ungrammstical, spelling may do
deviate from the recognized stand.
ard. but the returns are not to BE- act
at naught because the penmRnship
may be poor, the language ungrattl.
NAUTICAL aud the spelling erroneous
), II 70 enough Il the returne eau be
understood, and II understood, full
OBJECT should be given to theit hath-
rot and obvious meaning. They are
not to be strangled by idle technical
tttee, nor is there meaning to be. dis
torted by Carpiug and captious crit
cis@. When that meaning IL 'aSctf-
tained there should be.no hesitation
10 giving 1t, full e9aot. lo7ul.c
The language Of Mr.. Justice Nor
ton y strong and IL peculiarly ap-
to the subjects under dis
Ctl0St00. i"'. !rt 81. i.n 900
i, t'Whas," he asks, 'shall be tAe
Oonsqquence Of tho omission by .tAe
or town clerks to perf6tnl
any 81 these (thelr) prescribed duties,
snd upon whom shall It falt tor vii.
lul neglect OF duty I? Officers would
undoubtedly be liable to punishMent
BY reason OF fraud Or negligence.
THIS would be Furnishing the limo
cent for tho fraud OF tho guilty. i,
would be more just and more cOEsV.
nance with the generous spirit Of our
Institutions. to 1nfltct severe penal
ejee upon misconduct, Intentional or
occidental, Of officers, but to receive
votes whenever they can be ascer-
tanned With reasonable certainty.
:. It no return. or only an impcr.
lect one, can be received, let it,be
Dupplied or corrected by the original
record, u any there 10. Returns
should be received with favor and
construed with liber lily, for" NJ
Adde. ''from men who usually are
md necessarily must be employed t.
make them, great i0rmality and
nicely can not be expected. and
should not be required. ,sa'
The general principle which, gov.
erne 10. that there should be strict
compliance with the provisions OF
the statute: yet when they are mere.
y directory; such compliance is not
essential to the validity OF the NO.
ceedlngs under such statute, unless
Il is 90 declared to be therein. This
le especially applicable when. The
rights OF the publlo or Of q third per-
sons arc concerned. ..s .e,e-o
Tue dominant rule is to give such
conviction to official acts OF mun1ci.
pol officers % will best COMFORT with
tho meaning and interests OF the
partleo, o derived from q fair and
nOnaaE inkaPrreafal1nn nP fho lanuuo,o
lsed, 70 ouotain rather than to defeat
tho viii Of tho people and disfiua.
chise cttizens.
Signed By John Appleton. Ohkrlrs
W. Walton, William G.. Barrow.
CHARLES D*ntorth. John A. Peters,
Artemue Libbey. Joseph ". Sy.