River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-01-22

| During the past month the atten
ton Of the entire country has beer
directed to the effort of a Democratic
Governor and Council to thwart tn,
will of the people of Maine, and a
times the situation there has beef
such as to seriously threaten the peace
and good order of that commonwealth
but by fortunate combination of cir
cumstancess and q creditable forbear
anoe on the part of the people blood
shed has been avoided and peaceful
solution of the unfortunate complica
ton there seems probable.
Before retiring from the Office
which he has disgraced, Ex-Governor
Garcelon appointed Hon. j. L. Cham
berlain Major General of the State
militia, and just previous to vacatins
the gubernatorial chair he issued al
order directing General Chamberlain
to protect the property and institutions
of the State until his arcelon s
successor should be duly qualified.
Chamberlain has proven himself just
the man for the emergency which en-
sued the issuance of Garcelon's order,
and holds the fort against all unlaw-
| full intruders.
On "Wednesday, the 7th inst, both
| branches of the State legislature, as
certified by the Governor. regardless
of facts, met and organized, though
the House did not have a quorum.
The Senate thus unlawfully constitut-
ed elected James ID. Lamson rs it's
President, apd Garcelon's term as
Governor having expired Lamson re-
signed the Presidency of the Senate
and ut once set himself up as the
Chief Executive of the State, but the
Supreme Court had already given an
unanimous opinion to the effect that
less than quorum of the body par
ticipating in the election of Lamson
as its President legally occupied seats
therein, Chamberlain very properly
refused to recognize hanson as Gar
celon's duly qualified successor.
On the 18th inst, as a means of Sc
curing an opinion OF the Supreme
Court upon the situation, the Repub-
Leans proceeded to the capitol and or
ganiZed both branches of the legisla-
ture in regular form, on the basis of
those members who from the returns
appeared to have been elected, each
house containing more than the con-
stitutional quorum required. Having
thus organized, memorial to the SUI
preme Court was adopted in which
memorial were set forth the facts in
relation to the election of the mem
bers, and the circumstances under
which the legislature was organized,
asking the Court to recognized such
Legislature as the only legally consti-
tuted legislature in the State. This
memorial was sustained by the Supreme
Court aud thus the highest judicial
tribunal in the State has sustained the
Republicans in every question that
has been submitted to it for decision
by both Garcelon and the Republican
legislature.
The Fusionist legislature, which the
Supreme Court has pronounced a
fraud, on the 10Th inst, elected Jo-
seph L. Smith Governor, but Gen.
Chamberlain insists that he is under
orders to protect the property and in
stitutions of the State until Garcelon S
successor shall have been duly quail
fed and will not recognize as Govern
or one whom the Supreme Court says
is not duly qualified.
The position OF the Republicans is
impregnable, because it is sustained
by equity, justice, the Supreme Court,
Gen. Chamberlain and the people.
The Democratic attempt to usurp the
government of the Pine Tree State
ure and the infamous attempt to de-
fraud the people of their expressed
choice for officers will not soon be
forgotten by an outraged public.
Since writing the above we learn
that the Republican legislature, which
the Supreme Court declared to be the
only legally constituted one, has elect
ed ID. f. Davis Governor, and Gen.
Chamberlain has recognized his au-
| thority as such.