The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-08-14
Delivered at the Republican Mass Meet
ing in Ellsworth.

Fellow Citizens Of Hancock County:
The events of the past year within the Dor
ders of our State have marked with deep sig
niicance the future of our political existence,
and imposed duty upon every voter, which
must be discharged in the campaign now in
augurated in the State of Maine.
Last Winter for the first time in the history
of our State the party in power endeavored to
suppress the voice of the people as expressed
by the ballot-that sacred pledge of power en-
trusted to the citizens under our republican
form of government-and to deprive the peo-
pie of their legally chosen representatives in the
several departments of the State govern
ment.
That attempt to subvert the will of the peo-
pie was pregnant with danger and well-nigh
brought to our doors the discordant elements
of war; and is too deeply impressed upon the
tablets of memory to be soon forgotten
The election of 1878 made it possible for the
foundation of conspiracy to thwart the will
of the people as expressed at the polls
In 1876 the Democratic party in this State
stood upon Democratic principles and Demo-
cratic precedent on all National and State
questions, and formed a phalanx of sixty
thousand voters l then deemed it an honor
to belong to the Democratic party of Maine.
In 1878 the elections in this State were con-
tested by the Greenback party which had as
the corner stone of its fou ndation the irredeem-
able issue of paper money, stone that had
been rejected by the builders Of the Democrat
ic party.
The Greenback party recruited from the
Foo &c no,~
radical men of the Republican party, and
brought to the front men of desperate political
fortunes who above all earthly desires longed
for political and official power.
In 1878 the Democratic party in the State of
Maine departed from the doctrines of it's
founders and the principles that had been
enunciated by those men who had supported
its honor and fame when in the zenith of its
glory-and gave support to the Greenback par
ty and voted for its nominees; and then the
disgraceful spectacle of men who claimed to
be Democrats voting for the election of the ad-
vocates for an irredeemable paper currency,
was presented to the people of this State
The result of the election in 1878 imposed
upon the Legislature of 1879 the selection of
Governor.
Neither of the three political parties had A.
majority in the House OF Representatives
In the Senate the Republican party were in
majority.
The representatives of the Greenback party
and the representatives of the Democratic par
ty in the legislature of 1879 entered into a
trade for the apportionment of offices and be-
came known as FuSioniStS.
By the Constitution of our State the selec-
ton of two candidates from which governor
was to be elected by the Senate devolved upon
the House of Representatives. The Green
back candidate for Governor, and the Demo-
cratic candidate for Governor were presented
to the Senate and Republican majority elected
Democratic Governor, and the Greenback
and Democratic representatives by combining
in joint convention, elected the Executive
Council whose subsequent acts brought dis
grace upon the fair name of our beloved State.
In the election of 1879 three candidates were
in the political field for gubernatorial honors
and the election as in 1878 resulted in no di-
rect choice by the people. But it was conceded
by all parties when the vote was first an
nounced that both the House and Senate were
Republican and it was assumed that the Re-
publican party would have the control of the
State government during the political year of
1880.
But soon rumors were abroad of defects that
existed in the returns from towns that had
given Republican malorities and it was thought
that the Republican party might fail of ma
jority in the Senate. And then it was asserted
that by reason of fatal defects in the returns
from towns that had given Republican maiori-
ties the Fusionists would have majority in
the House of Representatives. And the peo-
pie were willing to accept the reversal of their
will as expressed at the polls il the Governor
and Council in tabulating the returns followed
the strict letter of the law.
But when it became apparent that the re-
turns were being duplicated and corrected by
the Fusionists, the people become alarmed.
And as from time to time the reasons for re-
jecting returns were made public to the people
began to fear that the Governor and Council
were acting under misapprehension of the
duty imposed upon them by the constitution
and laws of the State.
And when petition was addressed to Gov
ernor Garcelon requesting that the opinion of
the Justices of the Supreme judicial Court be
asked in relation to the duty imposed by the
constitution and laws upon the Governor and
Council, it was signed by men of all parties.
The questions were framed and duly pre-