Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-09-14
ARMED MEN FOR CAPTURING
THE STATE HOUSE.

II was flung into the faces Of the Re.
publican official who managed affair."
during the conspiracy at the State House
last winter, that there was unnecessary
alarm and foolish expenditure Of money
for the protection of public property
Men like Mayor Nash, Gen. Beal and Gov
Davis, who understood the character Of
the enemy, and his secret operations, did
not think so. The movements Of bands
of rufiians at Lewiston, Biddeford and else.
where, the standing. of two trains of cars
on the railroad track in distant cities, with
locomotives steamed up, ready for their
living freight of shoulder strikers, who
were only kept from coming by the militia
companies that would have followed them.
showed the great danger that at one time
threatened, and the absolute necessity Of
preparations that would ensure safety.
In the midnight counsels of the conspin.
tors before the dawn of the thirteenth Of
January last, was concocted the scheme to
bring to Augusta a military force sufficient
to bea. down the little squad of policemen
that were there night and day guarding
the capitol. On the next day, the four.
tecnth, was issued the celebrated order by
Gov" Smith, signed by his Adjuian,.
Maj. Folsom, ordering out three com
panies of militia, with three days rations
"a company from Lewiston, one from
Biddeford, and another from Portland.
This is history that cannot be doubted.
The telegram ordering the troops was H.
tercepied. and the plans Of the coHSpira,ors
revealed. What meant the order Tor III.
three days rations: What mean, the
conccalmcnt OF armed ufiitus in ihe
middle library, surrounded 10y an arsenal
OF dc idly weapons aud missiles. What
meant the nightly colclayea Of Fus.on.,.s
in different parts OF the State, the recruit.
ing Offices that were opened. and the gen
eral organization of the cnemys forces
The people of this State will never kaov
how much they owe 10 the hravr, discern
Ing men at the State House who, standing
between the homes and firesides OF the
people and the cowardly crew that mean,
to plunge the State into bloodshed. 50
promptly oaganized measures that he'd 20
their utter defeat and overthrow.
Ia the interview puhl:shedi in Thursday
Whig between frederick K. Guernsey and
Joseph l.. Smith, the latter testified that
he had been visited by delegation from
a certain county, and asked to authorize
the bringing of thousand armed men to
Augusta, for the purpose OF capturing the
State House, And on the night of Tue
day, January u, he was labored with
by certain men to consent to a plan which
hardly could have failed 20 put Us in the
State House before Thursday night.
Maj. Smith taIl tht, to clear himself from
the lmput4tion that would rest upon him
a the head of the Fusion movement. u
also said ii he hadn held back the rrch
less adventures whom be named a. Fog
and Blood. men who had no stake in tho
community, no property, who were sim
ply adyoa;gpS-if he hadn't held them
bach. there would have been civil war
He said they were ripe for it. He said
they had nothing to lose and everything
to gain. So that the evidence OF tao
contemplated outbreak and armed rcs,,-
lance to constituted authorities, conc
rot alone from Republican but from td-
sion sources. The Republican party was
able to throttle the conspiracy then, and
now that the cqaspir.tors come forward
for a yjEdioation. will deal them 4 death
blow at the September election.