Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-01-16
Maine Natter.

Wallace L. Nhiic, Esq., vino has 'rrn
charged with attempting to bribe two Fu-
sionist members of the Legislature, pub
fishes card in which he says: Il never
offered, paid or gave Thomas Il. Swan or
Moses Hartman one dollar of money direct
ly or indirectly for the purpose of influencing
their action or votes, or forany other purpose
whatever | make this general and un-
qualified denial, and shall demand the fullest
investigation at the proper time"
Mr. Boutelle, editor of the Bangor llhig
saws in a letter to the Associated Press
Mr. White, the person accused of paying
the bribc, is Il young man, under 5O years oil
age, IL lawyer. Il rcSdentin Winthrop OF ire
proachablc character and stainless reputation.
The character Of his accuSers will be exhibit
ed To the satisfaction of the public, when Il
formal investigation is made. They stand
to-day as sef-confessed criminals, punishable
with heavy penalties under the statutes of
Maine. But the chief criminals lie behind
them. The motive of the Democratic con-
spirators in putting up the job is very ap
parent. They had already lost three of
their members against whom they had in
were in Il positive panic lest other members
should turn back from the crime of stealing
:, State Government, for which purpose they
had been fraudulently counted in. To coun-
tcract this stron. tendency among their fol-
lowers who had some deccncv AMI some
conscience left this game of bribery was put
up in order to warn every Democrat who
dared To he honest that he would be branded
a bribc-takcr. and destroyed in reputation If
possible. When the whole of this conspiracy,
in which the bribery case is mere incident,
shall h,. brought to light and exposed. as it
soon will be. the country will stand aslrSl NJ
the audacity and inlamy with which the
Democrats and GrccnhackcrS of Maine have
sought Ia deprive whole people "i the right
of self government.
An Augusta despatch thus sums up the Sit
uaiinn ON Monday morning:
With the opening of the week the Hcpuh
licnnS are in Il position where they command
TN, situation The lInuSt. has organized
without Il quorum. and this fact is clearly
and indSpuiahlv established hy the official
rrcor, of that branch They establish the
fact that the Legislature is an Illegal one, and
place the Fus"nist~ in L position whrr' they
can elect no legal Governor n" LEGAL State
officers can asses; no legal tax. make nn
legal appropriations, nor do any legal lcSlS-
lation. Gen. Chamberlain is virtually act
ing Governor with limited powers until a
LEGAL Governor is chosen. He has dismissed
from the State lIouSc the large number of
unauthorized persons actin" rs 4 guard en-
pluvc,! hv the FusinuiSIs. AMI substituted a
detail from the police force of this city.
They have taken away from the possession
of the FuSiunstS the GUNS AMI ammunition
which were brought here from the Bangor
arsenal tn he used in sustaining government
inliigtIratrd hy fraud aud uSllrpltlnn.
Treasurer White has declined the response
hiliiy of pawn. a dollar out ot the Treasury
for fear that hr will involve himself and
those un his official bond. Whites bond is
for SljO.OOo.
All this has been acrompShcdin in the most
p,rIcc;lhlr manner in accordance with the
linz of policy that the Republicans have
adopted. They will hold thrirpoSiion until
the twelve vacant seats to- which they are
entitled in the llousr art filled.