Daily Kennebec journal., 1880-03-23

fske n seat to which he Was Hot
elected. but 10 which another man
vas elected There is a wrong act to begin
With. He declared that he made direct
and persistent effort 10 mislead and deceive
his own kindred. There is another wrong
act. He entered upon this course OF action.
deception and cheating when be knew, sue
cessful. il would blast the reputation ana sne
prospects of that man for all time And what
Vas the motive: That he might hold the seat
TO which he had received certificate, and
nothing else. The immediate end. the pu.-
pose. the motive was that he might hold tnat
70 which he had no right. which he had re-
ceiyed and which he knew didn't belong to
him. Nov. in the beginning. in the con-
tinuance and in the end. that course OF con-
duct il all wrong and vicious. There Is not
4 raw of truth, or q redeeming quality IN IT,
And now ! affirm that any man who viii starr
rnon a course of action like that. stamps hiIi-
self forever as a man not to be believed IN
the transaction or anything connected with
il. / cannot take the testimony of man
who will speak lie. act a lie and boast OF IT,
and then declare that in certain particulars
he has high and lofty motives. 1t Is all
wrong and rotten from centre to cireumieF-
enee And when YOU attempt TO select any
rays of truth from it you attempt to do an im-
human heart. even, which will cause repel-
ling of such 4 transaction as base. Ihere
is some thing in those who can reason, who
have logic in their hearts and in their heads,
which will cause them to repel the testimony
of such men. There is nothing in il that can
stare the moral inspection Of man. There Is
nothing in it that will stand in justice, or
equity. OF that will stand At all, when tested
by the rules of evidence. l feel bound to
treat as entirely worthless the testimony OF
men who enter upon such scheme as that
/ regret to be Obliged to say it of any man
But cannot in an investigation like this. ac-
cept the testimony of any man who enters
upon a course of conduct like that As OF any
value whatever.
have only referred to motives, showing
that the republicans had no motive to enter
upon a course of conduct which is here al
legged against an agent of the party. as they
term him, and that the testimony which has
been given here. which have not attempted
to analyze, is entirely Of a nature to be re-
jected and not taken into account in making
up the decision.
Mr.. Speaker, l have nothing further to add
but this: have concluded to make no refer
ence whatever to the young man that has
been accused. Because l see very plainly
that If I should say what believe, and what
should be justified in saying of my fellow
citizen and what can conscientiously say.
the opposition might attribute it to partiality
on my part. l only say that his testimony
Mr.. SrRour-Say what you think. Ap-
plause.
Mir. CRANE will saw this that his testi-
mouy stands unimpeached. 1t was given in
a straightforw ard manner; and instead Of
there being three to contradict it, they are, so
far as evidence is concerned, three minus
quantities. APPLAUSE think that his un-
impeached testimony will stand in this House.
| think that testimony will stand in his own
community, will be- received by those who
know him. and will outweigh the testimony
of those self convicted men.
One word further. have, during the en-
tire session, declined to enter into any polit-
ical debate, and have listened in silence
while members have denounced the republi-
can party, as the embodiment of corruption.
attacked the character Of the most eminent
and honest leaders, hurled their epithets at
our judges, and declared the clergy of the
State indiv vidually and cole ectively to be the
enemies of civil liberty and order When
such assertions have been made ard rciter-
ated it has seemed to me that no reply was
needed, and have made none. Let me now
say, once for all, that it has ever been a part
of my creed. not only to maintain and advo-
cate those fundamental principles of civil
government, which will bear the closest
moral inspection, but to vote for such men
for Office, and such men only, whose charac-
ters though often assailed, it may be, have
never been shown to be unworthy of conf
dence, and l have ever stood ready. and now
stand ready, to set the seal of condemnation
upon any man, or any party, whose acts are
shown to he wrong or base. l regret, as
much as the gentleman from Wiscasset does,
that unjustitiable methods. questionable
means should be resorted to by any party to
accomplish their ends; and will join with
him in setting the seal of reprobation, not
only upon fraud in general. but upon the
great fraud and conspiracy, of which he has
been convinced, by which wicked men sought
TO overthrow and revolutionize the govern
ment Of Maine.
l will do nothing as member of a parrv
which would not do as an individual. Twill
endorse no act of party which / could not
endorse in an individual. As l respect and
endorse integrity and honor in indy iduais,
so do l in political parties. If had no
other rule to guide my political action than
that selfishness which looks only at success,
l should advocate the great principles of hon.
esty, justice and liberty, and vote for men of
lrreprOacha0le character. Tor l believe that
the party that is to hold the supremacy in
this country, in the years to come. will be
that party. whatever its name may be, that is
loyal to truth. to humanity, to God; that
dares to condemn all wrong and uphold the
right.
Mr.. SrRoUr of Portland:
M. Speaker-If any thing was needed to
satisfy the members of this House in relation
to the true character of the scenes that have
been transpiring during the past few months.
it is the spectacle which has been presented
to rs TODAY. To see a man, who is, at least,
resting under a suspicion, nay, an accusation
Of having himself been guilty Of a crime,
which ought to render him infamous forever.
indulging in partisan stump speech before
the members who are to pass upon his case,
is one of those saddening things that is some
times disclosed by human weakness and folly,
but which, for the sake of com.
mon decency we may hope. will be
of rare occurrence in the future. II
is to be presumed that we came here resting
as we do under the obligations
of our oath Of Office, to decently and properly
discharge the duties which devolve upon us.
And among other questions which we are
called upon to decide is this of the guilt or
innocence Of the party who has been present.
ed before the House for investigation. In or
binary cases-l may say so far as nv expert
ence goes in every case-meu apuearing as