Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-08-14
From the Boston Herald.
Puhlic DUTY in Maine.

The thing that needs 10 DC done nrst oi an
and most of all in Maine this year IS to put
the seal of public condemnation upon the
outrageous attempt made to reverse the re-
suIt of the last election by chicanery ana
fraud, and to rebuke. as it deserves TO De re-
buked. the shameless political alliance that
is now Haunted in the face of tie honest peo-
nie of thar State under the name of ''Fu-
SION" The facts in the case are of so recent
occurrence. and were so indisprtable III their
nature. that no rehearsal of them is neces-
sary. II was made perfectly plain that
Job was put up, with the connisance OF hish
State officials. deliberately to steal the State
government Ii involved all the crlnU
AGAINST the elective franchise which the rap
id evolution of political rascality has devel-
oped in this country, from fraud to force
The conspiraiors lacked nothing except the
courage to accomplish the overthrow OF pop
ular rights in this steady going down east
community Their plot was the mean
est form of Mexicanizatio.. applied to
elections-the spirit of revolution without It's
bravery, the lust for office without its mai
daring. They pursued their purpose up to
the very point of throwing the State into an
archy, kept up the farce of pretended gov
eminent until they had succeeded in making
themselves as ridiculous rs they were proven
to be guilty. and then sneaked home in the
.'lon't-w ant er- fight" fashion characteristic
of their kidney. And now they have the eff
froutery to renew their unprincipled union.
and to ask the voters of the State to hand
over to their custody the stolen goods that
were rescued from their possession. 1t Is
the most case-harlened exhibition of ''cheek'
ever witnessed in American politics. Tweed's
return to run for Governor of New York,
after his escape from JAIL would have been a
piece of unblushing modesty compared with
this for he only robbed a city Of its money
while the Maine Fusionists attempted to rob
State of its rights We maintain, there
fore, that the condemnation of fraad and
conspiracy is the first duty of the Maine
voters. The republicans could scarcely
avoid making capital out of the affair
or rather of appropriating the capital al
ready made for them by the opposi-
ton. A rousing majority in September will
undoubtedly accrue to their advantage in
the November election. No matter. The
coming election is the opportunity, and the
only one, which the citizens of Maine will
have to place on record their opinion of such
transactions as disgraced their State last
wear If it should turn out that Il high
handed attempt at revolution. conceived in
fraud and tempered only by cowartlice-
characterized by n fragrant disregard alike of
judicial decisions and popular rights--is a
thing to be forgotten because it failed, we
shall hope to hear no more down-east homi-
lies on public virtue. nor any further express
sions OF simulated horror over the election
outrages at the South. If Maine. with its
100 years of freedom, schools and churches,
can so easily condone the proven rascalities
of its high officials, her people should view
with a lenient eye the petty crookedness of
the benighted crossroads in Alabama and the
dark ways of the Southern returning boards
in 1876. The pine tree State, if she neglects
her plain duty this year, will become a verita-
bic lighthouse among the glass edifices from
which the adage warns lis it is unsafe to throw
stones