The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-09-23
Senator Blaine on the "Fraud" Cry.

AN ABLE AND CONCLUSIVE REPLY TO CHAIRMAN
BARNUM's RANT-DEMocRATIC METHODS NOT IN
USE IN MAINE-THE VOTE DEEMED CLOSE STILL.
BOSTON, Sept. Ex-senator Blaine, who is in this
city, sent the following telegram to-day:
TO the Hon. MARSHALL Je,oell, Chairman Republican
National Committee.
left Maine on Friday last. Intelligence reaches
me here to-day indicating that the topographic re-
port OF votes published by the Associated Press
Is in some cases modified by the clerks returns as
they reach the Office the Secretary of State where
they are open to the inspection of the public These
notifications are of such a character as to render
the contest between Davis and Plaisted extremely
close possibly requiring the official returns to de-
terlnne which is elected The official returns can
not be counted or opened until the meeting of
the Legislature In January
The cry of fraud in the count as put forth by Mr.,
Chairman Barnum is sufficiently answered by the
fact tina. both parties in Maine have recourse to
precisely the same authority for their figures first
the kilograms of the Associated Press and second,
the clerks returns from the several towns
The agent of the Associated Press at Portland, Me-,
Mr.. stephen Berry, is implicitly trusted b, all par
ties and is incapable of wilful misstatement or eva
sion. His experience in summarizing election re-
turns Is as long and varied that Of any man in
the country. Up to this hour there is not particle
OF dispute between the parties in Maine touching
the returns from single town
The only possible opportunity for frauds in cleo
t1on returns under laws is in the French panta-
lions of Aroostook, where the assessors sign re-
turn expressed in language with which they
entirely unacqua1nted. The Democratic English
speaking agent, who makes out the returns, has
abundant opportunity for mtSstating the facts I do
not assert that the returns from those plantations
are fraudulent for do not know 1t; but do assert
and do know that frauds have been committed
there In past years by Democratic agents, and re-
peat that nowhere else in Maine is fraud practi-
cable.
The fraud oflast year not in the returns at ALL
but consisted wholly in Governor Garcelon and his
Council rejecting returns that honestly and
regularly made. Mr.. Chairman Barnum Is also in
palpable error when he assumes that all election
returns should be at Augusta the day after the cleo
ton He forgets that Maine is larger In territory
than the other five New England States together,
and that the southwesternmost town in Maine is
nearer to any point in the State Of Deaware-near-
err indeed to the city of Baltmore-than it is the
plantations on the Upper St. John by any practical
BILE route. In this statement speak Of actual dis
tance In point of time the comparison would be
still more striking and significant; fora man can
go from Augusta to Chicago as quickly as he 60
from Augusta to Fort Kent.
The talk Of Mr. Barnum about the Fusionists Of
Maine being counted OUT is mere rant There Is
not Democrat or Greenbacker in Maine who has
the slightest fear OF such result The late Govern
or Clifford, of Massachusetts, used to boast that the
Wing party was the only then In existence that
would count itself out Of power, and surrender to
Its opponents on the adverse majority of vote
allud1ng to the of Marcus Morton as Governor.
The Republicans Of Maine, when beaten in 1875
could have retained power on one or two technical
points In the count Those who planned the Garce-
lon count-out of year later expected the Republ-
cans to do it, and suggested fear of 1T; but there
was not single member Of the party that ever har
bored such a thought. II Gen. Pla1sted shall have
a single vote more than Gov. Davis, the Executive
chair of Maine for the next years Is well
sured to him though his majority were ten thous
and. JAMES G.. BLAINE