Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-01-01
Garcelon Proud Of the Dirty
Job Has Slept Where Bull
let's WhistIed Through
The Trees.
People of Maine will whistle
Something Vow TO Keep
Him Awake.


demonstrations held to denounce the
attempts of the "Council" to turn a
large Republican majority into con-
siderable "Fusion" msjority, but
there were few Fusion demonstra-
tons also. One of these was at Lew
iston, at the home of Garcelon, the
Governor who is leading IN the per-
petration of the outrage. That meet
ing is reported as follows
LEWISTON, Me-, Dec. 27.-The Fusionists
had large meeting in the City Hall te-nigh,
to ratify the action of the Governor and
Council Three thousand people were pres
ent end were very enthusiastic. While B.
Torrey was speaking Governor Garcelon en-.
tered the hall and was received with cheers
Gov. Garcelon said Il most heartily thank
long life Of seventy years has been spent IN
this community, and if there has been any
act of mine any way treason able or in viola
tior of law and order, am unconscious of it.
don't come here to apologize for what has
been done in the way of counting the retur ms
made by the municipal officers. The records
speak for themselves. Almost immediately
after the election il was limited that there
would be unfairness used in counting the
votes, and that an attempt would be made 10
steal the State election returns which were
placed in the hands of the Committee on
Elections in October last until November II.
No person save the Committee had access 20
them prior to November 18th. had hardly
seen newspaper for a fortnight, and was
busy removing my residence and Office. That
day / went 20 Augusta and went directly to
my chamber in the Capitol. In FIVE minutes
was waited upon by a committee Of Repub-
licans who demanded the election returns. -
The conference which followed has been re-
ported and reported correctly. The very fact
of these Republicans presenting themselves
served to make me more cautious in counting
the returns in lawful and constitutional
manner. II there has been any act in my
life which am proud of it is of the perform
ance OF my duty in tabulating and counting
those returns. We have simply followed the
constitution and laws as interpreted BIZ the
Supreme Court time and time again The
constitution prescribes certai things for cit
les and towns TO do at elections. If the re
quirements of the constitution are not COM
Piled with, there is no legal election. These
provisions we're made for the purpose of Sc
curing an honest election. IL turns out some
times that there are iuformalities in the re
turns. The Legislature undertook to provide
by law for correcting this. That correction
must be made by the record Ii there Is no
record, what can the returns be corrected by?
If the record is like the returns where caa
the correction come in? Nov, when this
avalanche of Republican statesmen came in
on me at Augusta. .t popped into my head
that their very object was TO see the returns,
and then 60 home and see that their records
were made all right. In the case OF Portland
the returns were illegal and the records were
sent for. Lo! the record was found to be
just like the returns The Republicans say
the intention of the voters must be regarded
and not the constitution and law The Sc
lecimen of the town of Danforth had the pre-
sumption to 60 to the clerk and demand that
he change and correct the records. have a
letter from Mr.. Berry, Town Clerk. saying he
was threatened with fue and imprisonment
unless he complied That ia what comes OF
this amending the records. Amend your rec.
ords after election and where i the result OF
any election? The fluctuations were made
upon the basis of the constitution as explained
by the court as far as possible, and ii there
is any one act Of my life 10 which am con-
scious of performing my duty without fear OF
favor, it is in performing this duty imposed
upon me. The circumstances that have sur.
rounded me have been unfavorable. / have
in reality had to face a frowning world on
account of foul lies of the associated press
and the vituperation and SANDER hesped upon
me for over a quarter of a century. Governor
Garcelon alluded to the unfavorable comment
upon the action of VIM Pitt Fessenden from
q Lewiston pulpit at the time Of the impeach
ment trial of President Johnson, and said the
very clergyman who hurled anathemas at him
was Obliged to publicly confess three years
after that fessenden was one of the mos-
honest men ever known. Every method that
could be devised has been brought to bear or
me 10 induce me to chang my line of conduct
not only by the usual forms of sour faces
and villi6cation, but also by threats Of assas
sination / received letter last night warn
ing me to be careful on my trip to Augusta
TO watch the very food that put into my
mouth This is only one OF many similar let.
tiers from various parts Of the State. | have
faced more terrible guns than these paper bul
lets. 1 have slept where bullets whistled
through the trees and l am not TO be fright.
ened by these despicable threats If am &c
be assassinated for obeying the laws of the
State, my life could be offered on no better
altar. IL would cause more respect for the
constitution than ever before"
This scurvy old bypocrite makes
out pretty case, after all. II there
were not facts and circumstances to
upset his smooth story illogical men
will readily become tame under it.
A day or two before delivering this
speech he had published letter in
reply to one written by Hon. Lot. NJ
Morrill,, who asked him to submit the
questions at issue to opinions by the
Supreme Court of the State. 10 thi,
letter he said, "the excitement in the
public mind is wholly without ex.
cuse." That is to say, turning nearly
forty men out of the legislature whom
he and everybody admitted received
majorities of the votes of the people,
and putting 10 their places Ten whom
he and everybody admitted did not
receive majorities, is no excuse for
excitement in the public mind Then
he ssys"the tact that so large a mum.
Der Of Republican members elect fail
to receive certificates is due to the
fact that so many municipal officers
have failed to comply with the con.
stttutional requirements These
words are an admission that they
ousted "members elect" and gave
certificates to members not elected.
AT the time of the publication of this
letter there was also published re.
port by committee of the council
that counted the elected men out
and counted in the men not elected
This report recites some of the minu
tia Of the State election Law. II il
the law that at the close OF the cleo
| ton the town officers shall 10 open
meeting count and declare the votes
cast for each person and make lists.
etc. The list shall be recorded and
copy sealed in open meeting. Thi:
copy goes to the Governor and Coun
oil, aud from these, they are to de.
termine who is elected Some of the