Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1880-01-22
Names Former Controversy.

D..
published in the Lewiston (Me }
journal, in April, 1877, that this
is not the first time that there has
been bitter controversy in Maine,
regarding the Legislature and state
offices, between rival parties. In
1929 the parties then organized,
were the Democratic, Republicans,
Jacksonltes; and the National Re
publicans, or Adams men. Tie
popular vote was so very close that
each party claimed the vicIo,y up
to the time of the official count.
The power of examiplng the vote
and allowing or reiec ing official
returns, was vested in the Legisla-
ture, ,and this was as closely balaDc
ed as were the peoples votes for
Governor. The Senate was a tie.
and the House had one mnjotity.
which depended upon the vote of a
man who was elected by one vote,
cast either before or after the polls
| were closed. In the House the
Democrats succeeded, as soon as
they came together, in electing Il
Speaker pro tenn. 1t was three
days b fore the House sitting he
returns enough TO vote for Speaker,
and then Hon. Daniel Goodenow,
Republican, Was elected by one
majority, by decision which un-
seated Democrat elected by one
vote after the polls were closed.
Meantime, the Senate was "not" a
Senate as it was cot organized.
For eight consecutive days, six
ballots were taken each day for
president, with the result of seven
to seven and two scattering. At
last the tie was broken by Re-
publican strategem. Among the
Democl attic Senators was an old
Methodist minister named Hall,
from Waldo county, whose weak
ness was seen to be his vanity. Tue
Republicans proposed to him that
if on the fiftieih ballot he would
vote blank, they would cast their
votes for him. On that ball, he
was e!ec ed by one majority, and,
under the decision of the Supreme
Court. he was now acting Governo,
as well as president of the Senate
The next sep was to count the votes
for Senators, and it was found tha,
there were four vacancies to be fill
/ ed by joint convention. When she
time came, the Democrats, seeing
the Republicans would have a ma
! jority OF one, refused to 60 into con
venton. But the Republicans, az
present, proceeded to fill the yacan
cies, and thus a majority was Sc
cured. The Republicans, now hav-
ing twelve out Of Eineteen Seua-
tors, proceeIed d to appoint "A COM
mittee, Il ma ajorisy Of which fava,4d
Huntou, their candidate for G. "
ernor, to join with like commit
tee of the House, and declare who
was elected The report of the
committee was that Hanton had a
majority OF thirty. But the Demo
Gratis did net agree to this New
ertheless Hnnton was sworn in
and Elder Hall resumed his in the
presidential chair of the Senate
Le would hear no M ation, however
| from that time forward from either
OF the four new Senators, nor allow
one of them to vote. The question
of the validity # their election by
II convention IN which a quorum 81
the Senate did not par lcipate was
proposed TO the Supreme Court
which decided that the election
WAS mot valid, and the four mem.
bers were kicked out of their seats
and sent home; and the counties
of York and Washington, whence
they came, bab no Senators thai
year: AS it was absolute y neces-
sary that the wheels OF government
>hocld be set in motion before the
Legislature adjourned, and as there
had been no popular couflIct abou;
the executive council, the Demo
Gratis agreed 20 go into a conven
ton of the two houses, and seven
Republicans were elected by ma.
! iority of one. Their duties were
to advise with the Governor, but
the Democrats always Insisted that
uunton was counted in unfairly
ard they could not legally advise
with him, as Governor Of the State
Indeed, IL majority of the Senate
never agreed that Huntnn was the
Governor; and, to heal the fata
wound inflicted upon the executive
department, by the Republicans, +;
"healipg act,' so-called, was pro-
/ posed by the Democrats, setting
forth that, "Whereas, gross frauds
had been perpetrated, ETC., there
fore. to make unconstitutional do
ipgs valid, the Legislature woulc
legalize the act" This, the Repub
licans regarded as an insult, and i
was not allowed to pass. The Dem
ocrats throughout the State regard
ed Hunton as bastard Governor
and resolved to have their revepg,
T next year, and they had it, At th'
next election, Huston was defeat
. cd on6 tho candidate onposo6 :,