Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1880-01-06

III the Legislature IN Name, simply De-
cause the Constitution and The laws alb
solutely prohibited the Governor and
his Council from issuing certificates to
those Republican and Democratic mem
bers Of the Legislature who have not re-
ceived them. BY the laws of that State,
although empowered to sit as a canvass
ing board, have no right to sit upon the
returns, and in this case they have not
gone behind the returns IN any instance.
They are not even authorized to take tes-
timony or TO investigate any charge Of
corruption, bribery and intimidation
and in this case they have rot taken tes-
timony in such investigation officially.
The calivassing board of Maine is mere
| ly empowered to canvass the vote as re-
| turned to it by the proper officials of the
voting precincts Of the State, and the
law is very plain and very explicit as to
whom they shall issue certificates and to
whom they shall refuse them. 1t will
| bN lONiih iIltlL WV NaiNfADll anu Ii.S
council have issued certificates TO every
man entitled to receive them under the
law, and have refused them to every
man not entitled to receive them wheth-
cr he was Democrat or a Republican.
The fact that the opposition have con-
troll Of the Legislature is Of more i'm
portance because of It's bearing next
year than it is for its immediate effect
this year. The immediate effect will be
as have said, an investigation and
thorough one Of the last election Ii il
quite possible that the next effect wllLbe
a redistlicting Of the State, which has
been shamclully gerrymandered by the
Republicans, during their long lease of
powor,tor the deliberate purpose Of max
ing it impossible for the Democratic par
ty ever to carry the State. But of more
importance will be the effect upon next
years election. In the first place the
people Of Maine will have vastly more
hope and encouragement to make a Wig
orous fight next year, bccanse the Re
puhlicans have been outwi;ted in their
attempt to prevent fair election this
year. And in the next place the ear
vassing board next year win again he an
honest one, and not mere Republican |
registering machine, as it has been in
Maine for the past ten years, at least
IL made the mistake of my lifc," said |
Blaine the other day to a friend, "When
| allowed the anti-Rcpubican State Off
GERS TO be counted M and he did. As
his remark implies, he could have pre-
vented ii in exactly the same way he |
has prevented it Il good many times be- |
fore-by having his canvassing board |
count them out. lie did not do 1t, and, |
as he says, II was the mistake of bis life |
In a purely political point Of view, for it
was mistake that has cost his party the |
State Of Maine and has given the people
of that state chance fora fair express
sion of their will.
The Maine Republicans we're awfully |
mad when llIcy received the news from
the state. Uncle Hannibal sworo blue |
streak and can hardly now speak of the
affair without using good many naugl-
ty cuss words The venerable old poll
tloian vowed and declared that thc Re-
publcans willncver submit. but Fcyc
and Reed, although no less mad, tell The
old man that II Is no use to kick; that !
the fuslonists have done the job con-
pletc; that the Republicans cannot help
themselves aud must make the best they |
can Of II and wait ill next year. When
next year comes they VIII be apt TO find
that the people Of Maine have taken the
bits In their own teeth for good. L0dd
and Murch, the Democratc aud Green
back members from Maine both say that
the Republicans will be buried next year
under majority Of at least 10000. If
their prediction prove true, lIamllu viii
depart from The Senate and Democrat
viii be sent In hls place, and Il Is quite
among the probabilities that the power
of the Democratic party In the Senate
will hinge upon this one unexpected
Democrat from Maine, for If the Demo
Gratis lose their Senators from New York,
Pennsylvania, New Jepoy and Connoc-
ticut az seems quite probable now, the
Democratic party In the Senate viii he
reduced to one, counting as Democrat
Mr. Malone, the recently elected Scna-
tor from Virginia, who, IL Is rumorcd,
viii act rather os an independent and
will vote occasionally with the Rcpubll-
cans.