The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-01-15
Maine.


,rs cannot but turn our eyes every Gay
,nv.rds Na,vr> to sec what Is being zone
sssre scwsr8s the settlement Of the rems's'
-. ..n,Ak. IN which that State has re-
eautly foNod herself.
w. hsvu never felt called upon TO justly
s,overvse GARc.Lox's course In counting
An \ sslonists upon mere tcchnica''t'es' ye'
-. ave always fully believed 10 bis honesty
~ ,,,rpose ana his Hrm conviction 'nat ne
~s. doing bis duty 10 thus rigidly constru'
Veg the law.
Nevertheless, the Legislature organized
EAST week was the constitutional Legis'a'u'c
Of Ms,uc, or else she bss none. TheFe s"'I
room for doubt that had that bedy last week
.nhm,,ted 60 the Supreme Jsdicial Court
.uch questions concerning Its organizatten
M might very properly bavee been suom"1sd
20 It, that partisan tribuna wou'd g.u',
have answered them, audth~eby recogs'zeo
u as the only Legislature IL wou's nave
.nggeS,ed some changes IN the membership,
but |, would not have refused TO answer.
And having answered, it would ehereby,
we repeat, have recognized its constitution
alitv: for that court h cot requires, nor al
lowed. 10 convene at the call Of atogus Lee
visIa,ure. nor to answer questiors suomit'
ted to it by such body.
The foregoing remarks appig TO the Re-
publican Legislature organized Ghis week IN
Maine. The Judges viii! have recognized
its validity when they consider and answer
its ipierrogatories. The res,st OF their de-
alterations, as we said yesterday, Is not hid
den from view. They will recognize the
Republican Legislature. Tits result was
made possible by the course OF General
CHAMBERLAIN. Without shadow OF SHADE
of authority 10 act as such, he assumed 10
he the Lord Protector OF Maine, and has
successfully played the role OF petty
Cro,weIL. Instead Of ~ Pride's Purge"
however, he will use the Supreme-Court
Purge, and expel by force all the members
OF the Legislature whom the Republicans
may put under the ban.
These proceedings are far worse than any
thing done by Governor GARcELoN. lie was
The lawful Governor, and was by law au
thorixed to perform the duties which ht
performed so badly. But CHAMBERLAIN II
mere usurpcr. He is militia general
and has only the same sort OF right TO TAKE
charge Of the State OF Maine that Genera
FAUNyLEROY has to take charge OF the STATE
of Virginia. CHA1BERLAlN refuses TO re
cOgDize Governor L4NsON, declares tina
there is no lawful Governor, and then set
himself up us acting Governor The LIE
gislature which he and BLAINE's court vii
nut into power has as little legal title Y
exist as CHAMBERLAIN has u be Governor
This bogus Legislature was called to ordel
by EUGENE HALE fold ZACH. CHANDLER
son-in-law) and JEREMIAH DINGLEY, both o
whom had been sworn in last week a
members OF the Fusionist Legislature! Th'
members were sworn in by a justice, where
as the Constitution requires that they shall
be sworn in by the Governor, and repea
the oath after him! The roll Of member
was newspaper report! A good many o
them had no lawful certificates Of election
IL any at all. But over and above all tbt
law fixes the first Wednesday in January az
the time for the Legislature to meet. and ;
Legislature did then meet and organize ant
were sworn In in lawful form by Governor
GARCELON, who was then Governor. A
week afterwards mob assemblies at nigh
in the Legislative halls. which they entered
by force. and organized the bogus Legisla
ture which BLAINE's court will recognize.
We present the case in its legal aspects
II is one OF the worst that has ever hap
pened in the United States. Governor
GARcELON acted badly but lawfully. He al
least supposed he was doing his duty; an(
the duty which he did so badly was GER
tainly his according to law. But The BLAINE
Legislature IS an unlawful assemblage or
ganized into bogus Legislature in defiance
OF law and with the assistance OF a usurp
ing militia general, who has turned out
Governor LAMsON and set himself up a:
Governor Of Maine.
No wonder the man on horseback is seen
In the distance.