New-York tribune., 1880-01-10

man OF either party KNOWS tnaJ MI. bi"'i0
speaks the truth when he says the charge Is
=" a lie out Of whole cloth" Even leaving al
considerations OF morality and good character
ont of the question, the stories are Intrinsi-
cally improbable. Only a fool would DO
what the Fusionists say was done, and Mr.
Dlaine-ignoring for the moment the absurd
ity of such a charge against a man OF his char
actcr-is not fool.
Full as the law books are Of queer and
foolish htigations. it would be necessary to
turn over a good many leaves before finding
the equal in absuIdity of the suit which oc-
cup;ed a part of Judge Van HOesen's time
yesterday. The plaintiff had purchased from
a florist what were supposed to be petunla
seeds of certain variety. After rearing the
plants the discovery was made that they were
not pctunia plants, whereupon the iIascible
plaintiff brings a suit, declaring that he has
been damaged to the extent of $1,000. The
jury gave him $25. The plaintiff should sit
down now and reflect that he might have had
II much better time planting pctunia seeds
than in running a law suit, and would have
made a much more dignifed appearance.
more hopeful for the Republicans. General
Chamberlain, who commands the militia, has
issued general order announcing that he Will
take charge of public property until Gov
enor is elected, and becomes, with
universal consent acting Governor.
The Republican members of the House
repeated yesterday their request to be qualified,
but it WAS denied by the President Of the
Senate, and the Republicans did not appear IN
the House. The Fusionists kept the body
in session most of the day, evidently anX-
ions for the appearance OF the Repubh-
cans. The latest dispatches show increased
confidence on the part of the latter, and
increased nervousness on the part OF the
former. One offer of compromise has already
been made by the FusiOnists and practically
rejected. Their anxiety grows out OF their
fear that they cannot hold their forces to the
infamous work which they have begun.
The deterrent influence of the manulac-
tured stories of bribery would seem to
be weakening already. An intimation is
gwen that some of the less iudciOus
Republicans are proposing a fOrcible seizure
OF the State Government but there Is no pos
Sibility that such a course will be adopted.
The dcfrauded citizens of Maine have shown
such sef-restraint and moderation hitherto in
very trying circumstances that their course
must be and will be peaceful, lawful and Dig
ritied 10 the end.
Superintendent Walling gives his views upon
the Excise question in rather a volcanic fash
ion. but they are not less interesting on that
account Without admitting that the police
are so nearly bamoless in this matter as the
Superintendent would have us believe, it is
but just to direct attention to his statements
respecting the course of the Excise Commits
sioners. He declares that the Commissioners
don't want" the unlicensed hQuor-dealers
arrested, and has so stated in transmitting to
him lists Of such offenders. He says that the
very first list sent to him was accompanied
with that statement, and SO. too, was one re-
Gently received. The showing made Of the diff
culties which stand in the way OF action by the
police is curious TO say the least. The police
men cannot buy liquor, in order to prove viola
ton Of the law. because there is no fund out Of
which the cost can be paid. 1t is not enough
to see the liquor sold; they must actually taste
ii. By one order the policemen are forbidden
to enter q saloon while III citizens dress by
another they are forbidden to enter while i'll
uniform. The Superintendent charges the re-
sponsibhty for the continuance of the 963
unlicensed dealers in business upon the Excise
Commissioners, whose inspectors 90 about in
citizens dress and can obtain evidence; and
adds that whenever the Commissioners have
sent him a list of offenders against the Excise
law, they have always been arrested. These
statements seem to be worthy OF the atten-
ton of the Excise Board.