Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-01-02
Gov Garcelon's Speech.


Following is speech delivered by Gov.
Garcelon at ratification meeting at Lew
iston, Maine, ON the 29th ult:
81 most heartily thank you for this expires
sion of your confidence. A long life of sew.
enty years has been spent in this community
and if there has been any act Of mine in any
way reasonable or in violation of law OF
order | am unconscious of it, don't come
to apologize for what has been done in the
way of counting the returns made by the
municipal officers; the records speak fol
themselves Almost Immediately after the
election it was limited that there would be
unfair means used in counting the votes, and
that an attempt would be made to steal the
State. The election returns were given tc
committee on election in October last
Until November II no person save the COM
mittee had access to them. Prior to No.
vember II had hardly seen newspaper
for fortnight, as was busy removing nv
residence and office. That day | went "a
Augusta and went directly to my chamber
in the capitol. In five minutes / was called
upon by committee Of Republicans, who
demanded to see the election returns The
conference that followed has been reported
correctly The very fact Of these Republi-
cans presenting themselves served to make
me more cautious in counting the returns in
q lawful and constitutional manner. II there
has been any act of my life of which am
proud, it is the performance of my duty in
tabulating and counting those returns. We
have simply followed the constitution and
the laws as interpreted by the Supreme court
time and again. The constitution prescribes
certain things for cities and towns to do at
elections. If the requirements Of the con-
stitution are not complied with their is no
legal election. These provisions were made
for the purpose of securing an honest cleo
ton. 1t turns out sometimes that there are
informalities in the returns. The legisa-
ture undertook to provide by law for cor
recting this. That correction must be made
by the record. If there is no record, what
can the returns be corrected by? If the re-
cord is like the returns, where can the cor.
rections come inY Now, when this ava
lanche Of Republican statesmen came in on
me at Augusta, it popped into my head that
their very object was to see the returns and
then go home and sec that their records
were made oil right. In the case of Port
land the returns were illegal and the records
were sent for. The record was found to be
just like the returns. The Republicans say
that the intention Of the voters must be re-
.
The selectmen of the town Of Danforth had
the presumption to go to the clerk and de-
mand that he change and correct the record.
! have letter from Mr.. Berry, the town
clerk, saying that he was threatened with a
fine and imprisonment unless he complied.
This is what comes Of this amended record.
Amend your records three months after the
election, and where Is the result Of any
electiong The fluctuations were made upon
the basis Of the constitution as explained by
the court as far as possible, and If there Is
any one act Of my life in which | am con-
scious OF having performed my duty with
out fear or favor, II is in the performance OF
this duty thus imposed upon me. The cir
cumstances that have surrounded me have
been unfavorable. | have, In reality, had 10
face frowning world on account of the foul
lies of tho Associated Press, and the vitu-
peration and SANDER heaped upon me. Re
member the unfavorable comments upon the
action OF William Pitt Fcssenden from q
Lewiston pulpit at the time of the impeach.
ment trial Of President Johnson The very
clergyman who hurled anathemas upon him
was obliged 10 publicly confess three years
after that Mr. Fessendcn was one Of the
most honest men ever known Every method
that could Ne devised has been brought 70
bear on me 70 induce me 10 change my line
Of conduct; not only by usual form OF souI
tacos and vilihcation, but also by threats
Of assassination. received 4 letter last
night warning me 10 he careful on my trip "a
Augusta, 10 watch the very food that put
into mouth. This il only one Of many
similar letters from various parts Of the state
] have faced more terrible guns than these
paper bullets. ! have slept where bullct'
whistled through the trees, and am not tc
be frightened by these despicablc threats
II am 10 be asssssinAtcd for obeying thu
laws Of the Stale. my life could be offered
on no better altar il would cause more re.
speci for tho constitution than ever before q