New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-26
THE HOPES or THE FUSIONISTS.

THE HOPES or THE FUSIONISIS.
The revolution in Maine has ended. But the
revolution elsewhere has only begun. 1t has
become plain during the past week that the
prctence of q government Is kept up by the
Fusionists no longer with any hope whatever of
ultimate success in securing control within the
State, but at the instigaton, with the aid
and counsel, and for the promotion OF the
political schemes, of revolutiOnists outside Of
the State. To appreciate this new phase of
the disgraceful business we have only to con-
slider the events which have followed the de-
cision of the Supreme Court.
When that decision was made known there
was an end of all hopes of Fusion success
within the State of Name. 1t was addressed
to the persons selected by the true Senate and
the true House, not as to individuals. but as
president of the Senate and Speaker of the
House of Representatives of Maine" The
very form of address put an end to all cOntrO-
vcrsy as to the opinion and future action of the
Court. The decision itself abundanty showed
that it was the conviction of the Court that
no organization based In any way upon the
fraudulent certificates given by Governor Gar
celon was or could be made legal that such
organizations were unlawful, invalid and impO
tent, from beginning TO end, and could do no
legal act whatever as bodies claiming to be
the fruit of an election by the people. And
vet one week after this decision was rendered
we have the two illegal bodies still Ill session.
pretending that they are. or may become, a
Senate and House, and addressing to this very
Court questions which 1t can entertain only
if submitted ny properly constituted branches
of the State Government There is no
limit it is true, to the possible impudence
of an alliance of Greenbackers and Democrats.
But tins at least is certain, that no body of
sane men ever would have kept up this farce
for another week, in the face of decisions
already rendered, with the slightest hope that
its validity would ever be recognized by the
courts, by the public. or by responsible State
or local officials of any degree.
The object of this continued preteDce must
be sought elsewhere. Many of the Fusion
lists were at first ready to abandon the fraud.
Some members openly announced their inen
ton to go into the true Legislature and take
their seats. Armed bodies, when sum
moned by the bogus Governor" refused
to respond. Officials refused to pay money
or otherwise to recognize the rump. SO
TO collapse entirely, that the leaders were
forced to adjourn over from hour to hour and
from day to day, with hardly a pretence OF
action, III order to put off a little longer the
final action. But to what end9 There was
nothing possible TO be done within the
State of Maine, by any lawful means, that
could not have been done better on Monday last
than to-day. The object, it is now plain. was
to secure aid, counsel and encouragement from
outside of the State. Dispatches have
shown, too, that during certain night
the temper and purpose of the Fusion
lists suddenly and entirely changed; that
they became anxious, all at once, to insist
upon their claims and keep up their Organiza-
ton still further that they did receive, from
some quarter, supply Of money that they
presently were able to get together some bodies
of armed men, secretly organized and that
they began TO talk about getting possession of
the State buildings, appealing to Congress. In
answer to some impulse from without. the
Fusionists are now trying, either by some re-
sort TO force, or by some new trickery. to keep
ND their pretence of legality. at least long
enough to throw the State into disorder, or to
give Congress pretext for interference.
There is no reason to doubt that the object
il to provide for bogus electoral votes from
the State. Hence the strong presumption is
that persons who are managing for some
Democratic candidate, or for the Democratic
party, have supplied the needed aid, counsel
and encouragement to keep up the broil in
Maine. There is no longer a possibly honest
dispute about the lawful government within
State, but there is deliberate at
tempt to get up bogus government which,
at future time, Democratic Congress can
use as q means of defeating the will of the
people in the Presidential election. 1t is pos
sible that assurances have been given by
leading members of Congress; possible that,
when the brol has gone far enough
to afford some stipulated pretext. Con-
gress may assume to decide which is
the established Government in a State.
Then, no matter how indecent or unlawful
its decision may be, or how contrary to the
decisions Of the courts of last resort, the pre-
tence will be set up that the bogus govern
"ment" alone has power to provide for tho
choice Of electors and to give Thorn certif-
Gates. 1t remains to DO seen In what way this f.