The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-01-22
Name.

The difficulties in Maine nave Deen SUD-
stantially disposed Of. Under the ruling OF
the Supreme Court of the State, the Re-
publicans organized with quorum. admit
ting those who had been unquestionably
elected by the people, but refused certifi-
Gates by Garcelon. The Legislature so
constituted, proceeded, as we stated in our
last issue, to submit the legality of the or
ganization to the judgment of the Court.
The decision rendered was favorable upon
every point. In the meantime, the Fusion
lists elected Joseph L. Smith, Greenbacker,
Governor, who assumed nominal executive
authority. He issued an order relieving
Gen. Chamberlain from the position to
which he had been assigned by Garcelon,
and also the police force, which had been
sworn in to keep the peace and preserve
public property, Neither Gen. Chamber
lain nor the mayor of Augusta, however,
recognized the authority of Mr.. Smith, nor
the legality of the organization that had
elected him. The Republican Legislature,
after the decision of the Supreme Court,
proceeded to the election of Governor,
and Daniel F. Davis was chosen. He was
duly qualified, and assumed all the duties
of Governor of the Commonwealth. He
issuedan order retaining Gen. Chamberlain
in the position he had been placed by Gov.
Garcelon, and generally taken precautions
to preserve the public peace. Several OF
the Fusionists who had been in the legisla-
ture of that combination, Joined the Repub-
lican body, and it was expected that the
whole fusion fraud would disband.
The significance of this solution OF the
complication in Maine is found in the depen-
denotes of the two parties. The Democrats
and their allies, the Greenbackers. under
the nominalism of Fusionists, resorted to
legal technicalities and even frauds to secure
brief authority. and after the highest court
in the State had decided all the legal points
against them, refused to obey the law as thus
interpreted. The Republicans, instead OF
resorting to force to assert rights which had
been denied by Garcelon and his Cocoon
spirators, appealed to the Court as the prop
er arbiter in the premises, resting their
claims to the control Of the Government,
exclusively upon legal methods and deter
mination. With such an issue there could
be but one result, and that is presented in
the recognized authority of Governor Davis
and the Republican Legislature.
The disgraceful and revolutionary action
of the Democratic party in Maine, which
received quasi endorsement from three
fourths of the Democratic press of the
country, and especially Of Virginia, is thus
brought in bold contrast with the course OF
the Republicans, who rested their claims
solely upon the decision of the Supreme
Court of that State. Had Garcelon's con-
spiracy been eventually successful and a
legislature not elected by the people, and a
Governor not rejecting the popular will,
been retained in power, there would have
been no indignant protest from the Demo-
cratic party of the country. OF course,
now that the conspiracy has been baf1ed,
we may expect any amount OF morallzing
from the same source, and assumed protest
against unfair means to defeat the popular
will. We can measure the sincerity of all
such asseverations, by the hesitating manner
in which they will be given, awaiting their
appearance until the whole mischievous
scheme had been condemned by the highest
judicial power of that State, and the Re-
publcans, under the guidance and pro-
lection of the laws, securely installed In
position.