The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-01-30


The following statement by p. A.
SAWYER. the Secretary Of State elected
by the Fusion Legislature of Maine,
was published on the 18th:
STATE on MAINE, AUGUSTA. January ~.
To the People OF the state ~ Maine:
ACfuufed by sense Of duty To all the poo
pie. irrespective of party. ] am compelled o
place before them a brief outline OF The pre-
cccdings which have iranspi,ed u ms state
may he deceived or lsd into msundcfstand-
ing OF the present political condition, ia tho
first place. IL Is well known that majority or
more thnn thousandot our voting populat ION
east their ballots AT the last September cleo
tinn hi opposition 20 the Republican party.
Notwithstanding the fact, however, almost be-
lore the sun went down on election day the
Republican press 81 the state and leading poll
ticians hcralded abroad that great kcpuhli-
can victory had been achieved. That this
claim WIS the result Of apreconccrtcd arrange
menf cannot he doubted ~ any Intelligent E')-
ltiral observer.
cciNcd In the Office of the secretary Of state,
were placed before the Governor and Council
and b. them opened and compared. IN accord
ancc With the provisions of the Constitution
the supreme law of the State, and which
cenrl, dciines the duty or the Governor and
tnuncll ~ me premise ,h,, ihe 'nnuencvs
intilnldating them and influencing their action
In tho exercise OF the grave responsibility
under whi,t they were acting are W u known
10 an 0ilr people. and need no repetition here.
suffice il 10 say that, combining themselves 10
the returns before them and rejecting such 40
were not made in conformity % the 'onstittl-
ton the inipurtinlity OF their action ncccssi-
fatinQ the rejection of n larger number ~
towns which appeared 10 have been carried by
the parties In opposition 10 the kepubl4 cans
than Of those which were Republican,, thcy
found ht members ~ the House %
Representatives and twenty members q the
senate elected In opposition % the Republican
parry. ana -ixty-Onc members OF the House
aud eleven senators elected by the iscpubli.
cans while no Constitutional returns from the
cities of Portland, Lcwisiown, Saco. Rock land
and Bath having been received, they declared
these representative districts vacant. and 50
reported. The certificates Of election pro
sided for BY the Constitution were accordingly
issued to those who appeared 20 he elected,
sumnoning them 70 appear ana organize the
Tue rolls containing the list Of those certified
a. appearing 10 be- elected were made and
signed by the Secretary 81 state. under seal Of
rho senate and Clerk ofthc House. as provided
~ Chapter = Of the Revised statutes.
The entire thirty -one members o. the Senate
and one hundred and thirty-iive members oil
the House who had been summoned and
whose names were upon the respective rolls
appeared ana answered % the call Of The roll
ANA al the members OF the senate and seven
ty-right members OF the House. being nvt
majority Of the whole number of which thu
House i composed. were duly qualified BY tho
qualification provided for by the tonstituf ion
ana mode never departed from In single
instance during our entire existence rs
state.
Fifty-ninc IL the Republican members lcf
the hail. refusing to qualify. The two
branches ~ the Legislature thus quaicd or
ganzcd and entered upon the discharge 81
their duties By the Constitution the HOUSE
and senate are made respectively the Judges
~ the election and qualification 81 thcl
members Having organized IN strict accord
nncc with the Constitution and law. and deter
mined who were members q the respective
elected Governor and Councillors. and ai
other state officers whose election is requires
az their hands. The Governor and majorit,
of the members OF the Council, as also hi
Adjutant-G encral and Secretary Of state
were qualified aud entered upon the dscharg
OF the respective Offices.
on the next day, january IL. certain person
who claimed 10 have been elected. bui iarg
number " whom were not elected. aecurdinl
10 the returns received. and only two uf whom
ia the House aud eleven IN the senate had beci
duly qualified. met together. and hnyin
previously gone through the form ~ organic
ing legislature, now enacted the furfhe
farce ~ choosing Governor and Council an
Secretary ~ state. Immediately the Exccu
rive chamber was broken into and posscssc
10y this crowd. The Governor and Council Il
legally chosen 10y an Illegal and uncnnstitu
tlOpa body assembled In open rebellion 10 nm
in defiance ~ the constituted authorities q
the STATE. The state Department was 500
broken into, an'h possession tskcn in'hiS man
nrr.
The archives Of the State are thus in posse.
sion 81 unauthorized persons. in violation q
law and tricr. and rebellion open and dcfian
has heen inaugnratcd. and the Constitution
the state and rights AMI liberties ~ the pcopl
are trnmpled down and threatened with IL
struciion.
As Secretary OF state. and responsible "a
the safc-kccping Of its archives. proteste
against this Outrage, and now solcmny prs
test In the name Of liberty law and order. an
present the case ~ the people, in order iha
they may Ia some degree understand the tru
condition Of affairs and inaugurate prom
measures for the vindicaton OF their right
and the support Of the duly and legally-const
tuted authorities.
Let no ono sleep while insurrection or trei
son triumphe. Let the issue be Clearly 81
fined. The laws Of the state have been VII
lated the Constitution has been trarnple
upon, fraud and violence have been rcsDrte
70. The partisan opinion 81 the members ,
the Court upon an assumed statement OF fact
has been proclaimed as n judicial decision
and the Government OF the people Il thrca
cned with destruction. IL u another leaf
the history Of the warfare ~ wealth ngain'
labor. and. unless sternly resisted and dcfea
ed will seal the doom 81 q liberty-ioslng ne,
pie, until ceasing 20 forbcar longer, they wi
he compelled to purify and rcvcncratc the
free institutions by baptism q blood.
y. A. SAWYER.
Secretary Of State.