Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1880-01-05
Gareelon Answered.

Governor Garcelon the political thle
. Of Maine at last has his own garblet
I questions to the Supreme Court OF thu
State answered against himself, ano
there can be no excuse for any honest
Imam to continue the intent to overthrow
the expressed will Of the people at the
ballot box. The opinion Of the court
is sweeping condemnation Of the course
Of the usurpers and most emphatic
endorsement of the position sustained
by the Republicans. The court has
completely swept away the entire fabric
of Cabling usurpation and fraudulent
pretsnse set up by Governor Gareeion
and his traitorous associates. The
great error the Governor and his Coun-
Gil made, If error is the proper word to
use, was in regarding every minute
provision as mandatory and absolute,
even though it defeated the main pur-
pose Of ascertaining for what candidates
the votes were actually cast. The court
says that the constitution docs not
aim at depriving the people OF their
right of suffrage, nor Of their right of
representation for mere formal errors,
bat 1t aims at the avoidance of jest such
results aud provides the way by which
such errors can be corrected. This has
been the hinge Of the dispute, and the
action of the Governor and his Council
is not Sustained by the court.
Several representatives returned elect
ed were counted out by the Governor
and his council simply because a ma
jority Of the select men of the town,
city or borough, had not signed the re-
turns. The court very properly puts its
emphatic condemnation upon such a
fimsy pretext to disfranchise the peo-
pie. 1t states what is undoubtedly 5
the correct view, that while a majority
Of the alderman or selectmen is neces-
sary to constitute quorum, q majority
Of that quorum sufices to make that
action legal. 1t was not necessary that ,
he returns from the cities should be
signed by o majority Of the aldermen,
as the Governor and Council assumed,
but only by a majority Of those present, ,
Il sufficient number were present to
form a quorum. This decision is so ,
evidently just and fair, that it will re-
main standing wonder that honest l
men could have taken any other view
If it. Indeed honest meR could not
AXE any other view. Suffice it to say l
hat the whole ground in which the
Governor and Council stood is cut from
lnder them. The Constitution of Maine
s 30 construed as to make it consistent l
With justice, common sense and thei
light Of the electors to have their votes
counted and their intentions respected.
The intention to steal the Legislature h
hould collapse under the weight Of the
opinion of the Court, but unfortunately r
he men who are capable of filing the :,
ole of the Desperate as these men havs
hown themselves to BE-, care very little
or law equity and justice, and may yet
tempt to carry out the plan they have 7
oncocted. 1t is not likely however
hat they will be successful, for a vigi- A
ant eye is upon these brazen conspira-
Ors, and their crimes will only rebound
Ipon their own heads. The legislature A
Maineis to meet next Wednesday and
he Republicans of that State without
ommitting any overt act OF force or
iolence can afford now to watch and L
raft: