Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-01-08
THE DEMOCRATIC THEFT
IN MAINE.
4 plain Statement of the Case.

mime TINS year there were three tlck-
cts, a Republican, Democratic and a
Greenback ticket. In some instances, IN
the election of Senators and Representa-
tiyes, the Democrats and Greenbackers
united and the ticket was called the
"Fusion ticket" The election was free
| aassd fair, and that there is no claim that
any fraud was committed by those who
received and counted them; and the re
sit was, as shown by the Official returns
tat the Republican candidate for Gov
|ernor had a plurality of 21,OOO votes
over the Greenback candidate, and of
$4,000 over the Democratic candidate.
In the Legislature, by the official re-
turns, the Republicans elected 10 Sena-
tJrs and the Democrats and Greenback-
ers only II; and in the House the Re
pnblicans chose 90 members and the
combined opposition only 81. On the
legislative ticket the Republicans had
an absolute majority of about 5000, Oh
the popular vote, over the other parties.
This in Ohio would have given
It b Republicans the State
ticket and control of both houses of the
Legislature, but in Maine the State Con-
stitution provides for two things not
Known in our State. First, the Governor
is not elected by plurality vote in this
State as in Ohio; he must have major
lity of all the votes cast or he is not
elected; and, at the recent September
election the Republican candidate for
Governor did not have more than the
other two candidates combined, and in
this case the Constitution of the State
of Maine provides that the Legislature
shall elect the Governor. The Republi-
cAns having large majority in the Leg
islature were sure, if this swindle had
not been perpetrated, of the election of
the Republican candidate for Governor
and all the State officers. The other pc
culiarity is, that the Governor and his
Council, composed of seven men, on re-
ciept of the returns of the election, are
required by law to issue certificates to
members of the Legislature who are du-
ly elected.
Last year the Republican candidate for
Governor failed to have majority of the
votes cast, and the election of Governor
was thrown limo the Legislature and as
the filsionists, Democrats and Green
tackers combined J had then majority
in the Legislature, the present Democrat
IL Governor and State officers were elect
Ell. And for the first time in % years the
cpntrol of the State of Maine passed into
tff hands of the Democratic party and
for the want of about ~ votes And
/ might also add that in this State the
Governor and Legislature are chosen
Democratic officials elected a year ago
are now about expiring.
With this state of facts, the people of
Maine, and the whole country, are now
startled with the almost incredible an
noulcement that Governor Garcelon, the
present Democratic Governor, and his
Council, have entered into conspiracy
by which they have changed the Repub-
lican majority Of in the Senate and 30
in the House, to Fusion Majority of Q
in the Senate and II in the House; with
cities, Portland, Saco, Lewiston, Bath
and Rockland, completely disfranchised.
These five cities, which are even denied
all representation and even new cleo
tion, pay nearly one-fourth of the taxes
of the State, and contain fully one-tenth
of the population, and yet they are to
have no voice or vote in the election of
Governor OF State officers, or in the or
ganiZation of the Legislature or its COM
mittees; or in making the laws to be en-
acted during the next year. The will of
the people is defeated, the result of Il
fair and free election is discarded, and a
great political party robbed of the vic
tory which it had fairly gained.
You say certainly this cannot be, and
if so how has it been done? 1t has been
done in accordance with a pre-arranged
plan, cOncOcted in Washington, or in
Gramercy Park, or at the home of jeff.
Davis, or somewhere else, which is very
simple and easily understood, and con-
sisted in the Governor and his Council
simply refusing to issue certificates to
81 of the Republicans who were duly
elected to the Legislature, and in issuing
certificates to certain Fusion candidates
who were not elected. And the Cover
nor and his Council, the Democratic
Secretary of State, who was an arrant
rebel during the war, declare that they
are going to organize this fraudulent
Legislature on the first Wednesday of
January, if they have to do it at the
point of the bayonet, and the Governor
is now collecting arms and ammunition
at the Capital for this purpose. On
~ - n
ger to the arsenal at Bangor for the
arms and ammunition deposited there,
and as it was being moved along the
streets of that city in wagons, the teams
were stopped by the populace, amid
great excitement, and forced to return
to the arsenal where the guns and am
munition were unloaded, from which
Governor Garcelon will not dare again
to attempt to remove it. The Governor
sent an order to a militia company at
another place, to return its arms and
ammunition, and the members of the
company sent the Governor word that
when their arms came they would come
too and carry them. Indignation meet
ings are being held ill every town, vii
lage and city throughout the State and
intense excitement every where pre-
walls. In some places they have chosen
leaders to command whatever forces
shall be found necessary to preserve and
protect the liberties of the people of
Maine. They regard this as the first
step toward the overthrow of Republi-
can Institutions in this country, and
feel about as their Revolutionary faith
ers did, a century ago, when they re-
solved to die if needs be for the cause
which they held to be more sacred than
life itself. And let what come will
come, it looks to me as if there will be
no submission to this great crime. The
New England people cannot be tri1ed
with as the people of some other locali-
ties; no usurper can manacle their linn
| its or throttle their voice, and it remains