The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-08-09
fLewiston Journal.l
The COuntino-Out ISSue

Not only are there no Democrats or Green
hackers who will refuse to support their party
recount OF the alleged attempted larceny by Gov.
Garcelon and Council, but we know there are some
Republicans who will not support their party this
year, on account of the revolutionary proceedings
of their leaders last winter and their shameless
prostitution of the members of the highest judicial
tribunal of the State to their party purposes The
Philadelphia interviewer wholly mistakes the point
1t is not lack of exalted ideas of political honesty
on the part of Democrats and Greenbackers that
causes them to stand by their parties, but because
they don't believe there was any miscount- unless
the strict application of Republican law and Repub-
lcan precedent to the actual returns is entitled
the appellation of 'miscount and attempted lar
eHy."-Portland Argus.
Don't believe there was any miscount!
The Argus, in common with all other papers
in the State, published soon after the election,
list of persons elected to the legislature
showing the choice of 10 Republicans and II
Fusionists to the Senate, and so Republicans
and 81 Fusionsts to the House. 1t was con-
ceded that this was the resnlt of the vote of
the people, and that this result appeared by
the town records. Yet when the governor
and council completed their count" they de-
clared that only II Republicans to IS Fusion
lists were elected to the Senate, and 60 Repub-
licans to 70 Fusionists with IL seats va anti to
the House.
The Argus affirms that this surprising change
of the result by the governor and council was
not "miscount" or larceny" but the "strict
application of Republican law and precedent
We ask the Argus how it could be possible
for returns from over 400 towns to be so mar
velously accurate at every Fusion vital point,
and so strangely defective at so many Repub-
lican vital points, as to count-out thirty-Six
elected Republican senators and representa-
tives, and not a single elected Fusionist! The
simple statement of this fact is a complete
demonstration that no construction of law no
rule and no precedent could have been impair
TALLY applied to the returns. 1t shows beyond
doubt-what the evidence taken by the inves-
tigating committee proves-not only the gross
est unfairneSs in the application of rules, bat
also positive frauds in doctoring the returns.
For example, it is shown by abundant evil
denee that somebody altered the Gouldsboro
return while it was in the custody of the State
officers, so as to count out a Republican and
count in Fusion representative.
1t is shown that Fusionists in Washington
and other counties were informed OF errors in
their own returns, and allowed to correct
them; while Republicans were denied the uni
formly conceded right to inspect single leg
islative return and denied the right to have
them corrected as provided by the laws of the
State.
1t is shown that at least five Republican
Representatives and three Republican Sena-
tors, were counted out, and as many Fusionists
counted in, on the plea that ear parte affidavits
showed that the records were not made up in
open town meeting, when no return was ever
or can be rejected for that cause, and scores of
Fusionists would have been liable to rejection
on the same ground if the Council had public
ly indicated that they intended to apply such
rule to the returns.
1t is shown that the skowaegan and other