The Portland daily press., 1880-12-03
(Saoo Republican,
Who Shall Be Governor?

The Republican answers, the candidate who
received the most votes. The question has
been discussed to some extent by the Republi-
can press Of the State among which but little
diversity Of opinion has been expressed. A
very few unimportant exceptions have been
noted, but the best sentiment of the party
strongly preponderates in favor of seating the
man who got the most votes regardless Of the
manner in which few ignorant or careless
town officers may have reported the result of
the election in their precincts.
We take it there is but one serious question
involved in the matter, and that is as to the
operation of the const itutional amendment on
the State election. That is to say, the ,es-
ton as to whether plurality or majority is
necessary to elect is not ent rely free from
doubt, although we believe the opinions OF
best lawyers favor the plurality idea, which,
to the common and legally uninstructed think
or would seem to be the correct one. If, how
ever, there are serious misgivings as to which
rule of Interpretation of the amendment is the
right one, then the question should be SUBJ
mitted to the Supreme Court for its opinion,
and when obtained, adopted.
But stress is laid on imperfect returns by
the few who would keep Mr.. Plaisted out of
the gubernatorial chair. They would have
the election turn on technicalities, and, what
ever the vote may have been, seat Davis by
virtue of a strict construction of the statutes
in suoh cases made and provided Justice and
equity are thrust one side and it is even pro-
posed to disregard the expressed will OF the
people, and thus re-enact the Garcelon-Pills-
bury outrage of last year.
This wont do. The Republican holds that
no man or body of men has any right to throw
out ballot honestly cast and received by the
judges of election, and that a contrary rule
would be subversive OF popular rights aud dam
gerous to the liberties of the people. 1t would
be equally inimical to Republican institu-
tioDs, and therefore We claim that no canvass
ing board can legally reject the vote of pre-
cinct on the ground of imperfect returns, nor a
judicial tribunal construe law OR adjudicate on
questions OF suffrage in a manner that should
deprive citizen of the full force of his ballot
after it has been cast and received into the
bcx. I'm this country the people Are sovereign,
and their will must be respected If expressed
in manner that can be understood. Nor Can
any forms OF law or Judicial decisions based on
sti let technicaities interfere with the exercise
of their sovereign right.
If, then, it is ascertained that Mr. Davis re-
ceived the most votes at the September cleo
tioD, lot it be so declared, and the office OF
Governor given to him. If, on the other hand,
1t appears by the count that Mr.. Plaisted ran
ahead OF his opponent, even though there
may be mistakes in the name and errors in the
returns-if it is shown beyond reasonable
doubt that o plurality OF votes were cast for
him, though few of the ballots bore wrong
initials, and some town clerks blundered III
certifying, let Mr.. Plasted be declared the le-
gally elected Governor of Maine.