Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-07-07
The Contingent Outrage.


Alta republican Gag raising At Standi.h vii
laee, last week, Hon. Thomas B. Reed made
an able speech in which we're the following
remarks upon the contingent outrage:
After the smoke of the election Of last
wear cleared away it was found by common
consent BY the admissions of every newspa-
per. fusion or republican. that we had carried
the Legislature with 80 majority in the
House. and seven in the Senate. Not until
late in October did any rumors spread that
fraud was to nullify ballots. In justice to
the people of Maine, incapable of conceiv-
ing such a crime to be possible. it must be
said that these rumors created no belief. Mr.
Reed said thas for his part he must confess
that he left Maine in December believing
that no such wickedness would be attempted.
1t was not only attempted but achieved. II
now remains for rs to pronounce upon it. If
we fail SO to do we invite dishonesty and
shame.
In this case as in every other we find that
the criminals deny the crime. But God IN
his providence, has so constituted this world
that great crimes are not to be covered up
by the denials of bad men, and are not de-
pendent for detection on the testimony Of
even good men. The laws even of this i'm
perfect world, all tend tow ards the right. He
who does wilful wrong must expect the stars
in their courses to fight against him. All
great crimes are their own discoveries. The
world is not big enough to hide some forms
of wickedness, So conclusive and clear are
the proofs in this case that Henry ingalls,
and Geo F. Hill. members of the commit
tee, who heard all the testimony, strong par
tizans of the democratic party, declare under
solemn conviction of duty, that 6 they
cannot deny that tina recital Of facts in the
report (of the majority. is Substantially in
accordance Nth the eridenee" and that 'the
eridenee being uneontradicfed they cannot
make denial of the facts prOred by IT.
Now what are the facts proved by the evil
dence? They are these. Out Of 100 repub-
licans elected at the polls 81, or SO per cent
were counted out. Out of 70 fusionists cleo
ted not one single one had fatal defect in his
returns! Surely, lightning striking in the
same place thirty-seven times eonsecutively
in the same storm wouldn't have been such a
marvel!
Before the election Eben F. Pillsbury, the
State Printer, printed blank returns for the
cities with three spaces for the signatures of
aldermen. Saco, Lewiston, Bath and Rock
land were cast out because only three alder
men signed. Eben F. Pillsbury, the State
Printer, as soon as the State House came into
the hands of the State authorities left the
State.
Before and after November 18th, the date
when the reinforced committee on elections
reported they had made the tabulations,
Attorney General Mcclellan proclaimed what
was to be done and how. Councillor F. G..
Parker told Benson how to correct ''for a
precedent the returns from Dixmont, and
Congressman Ladd was writing to Washing
fpn thaf tho fusiOn VaniSlatura moul1 no
counted in.
On November Sth E. X. Smart the fusion
candidate for county attorney, and George
w. Drisko travelled over Washington county,
B. Emery Pratt in Franklin and A. S. Kim
ball in Oxford, each with blank returns or
taking affidavits. All this time not a repub-
lican was allowed sight at the returns.
Oliver p. Bragdon was first put on the list
and then scratched out and Flye substituted.
The reason given was that one town returned
his name Oliver B. As you will see by the
JAG simiie in the report, the P had been
altered to b, the lower end scratched.
When do you think this was done? Could it
have been done at any other time than when
his name was scratched off the list?
In Berwick George II. Wakefield's middle
initial was changed to an A. How, you can
see by the fac smile. Compare it carefully
A. Slower and d. A. Hill on the same paper.
When John H. Stillings. the clerk, says that
he wrote it II, how can you help believing
him?
Look at Exhibit Is and see how they put
in an "a" for Josiah Slower, a fusion candi-
date for senator, so as to save him 3l5 votes.
Mr.. Reed commented on other cases of
like character and commended to the attention
of every voter the reproductions of the origi-
nal papers which are printed as exhibits to the
committees report. These things proved the
case beyond oral testimony, and left no room
for dispute.