The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-02-20
More Evidence.
THE DETAILS OF THE CONSPIRACY
COMING TO LIGHT.
A Fusion Lawyer Preparing Afddavits
and Amended Returns in November.

| Fusion Lawyer Preparing Afddavits
and Amended Returns in November.
1t was the seventeenth day of November,
1879, that Gov. Garcelon and Council assem-
bled at Augusta to begin the official canvass OF
the votes for Governor senators, representa-
tives and county officers. On the same day a
large body of Republicans gathered also,
drawn there by the reports which had been
circulated from one end of the state to the
other that enough Republican senators and
representatives elect were to be counted out to
give the Fusionsts control of the Senate and
House. Headed by Gov. Dingley, commit
tee of Republicans asked to be allowed to in
spect the official returns, that they might
correct any errors that existed in them. To
their request Gov. Garcelon replied that the
returns were not yet officially open, but that
ample opportunity should be given to amend
such returns as were amendable. Councillor
Foster, who was presiding over the board, was
not SO conciiatory, but denounced the request
as an infamous outrage. The other councillors
took the same view Of it as Foster, and very
soon succeeded in bringing the Governor round
to their views, for, a few days after, he an
nounced that as the board thought no returns
were amendable it would be of no use to show
them, and so the Republicans were refused an
opportunity to do SO.
At that time every one of those councillors
and the Governor as we'll protested that the,
meditated nothing but fair count under the
coEstitu ion and the laws. They protested
and have to this day that no one but the cleo.
ton committee had seen the returns or knew
their contents. The charge of conspiracy to
defeat the result of the election was denounced
by every Fusion paper in the state as an out
rageous calumny, and several Democratic
statesmen, among them number who live in
this city, became almost maudlin in expression
of sympathy for the foully maligned Governor
and Council. Garcelon's backbone was some
thing which almost every Democrat in Maine
went into ecstaces over, and the old man who
appears by subsequent developments to have
been simply Il weak tool in the hands of his
associates was placed in the same niche with
Andrew jackson.
After the count was completed, the Council
lors' faces wore surprised look. They pro-
fessed to be almost astounded by the number
of blunders in the Republican returns, and
the fact that whenever a Democratic blunder
occurred it always happened where it had no
effect on the result, astounded thu , still more.
Fogg was 80 astounded by this latter fact that
he sought the explanation of it in an over
ruling Providence Our own Chase was sur
prised too But they all agreed that theirs
was the first honest count in the history of the
state. Fogg said SO publicly on the City Hall
stage in Portland, and the rest of them ex-
pressed the same sentiment at other times
and places.
Now, however, come two letters which the
consprators left be hind them in their hasty
fight from the State House. These letters
are from b. Emery Pratt, fusion lawyer of
Pennington, and show that some time before
the returns were Officially opened" secret
affidavits were being procured to count out
Republicans on, and, worse than that,
amended returns were being obtained to count
in Democrats on. These letters are both ad-
dressed to Gov. Garcelon and Council. Now
Gov. Garcelon has positively stated that the
week prior to NOV. II, when the returns were
opened, he was moving and knew nothing
which could justify Republican suspicion that
the Council or anybody else was. plotting an
overthrow Of the result of the election. He
even expressed surprise at the excitement
among Republicans, and if the Argus can be
Believed attributed it to their guilty con-
sciences. Yet at that very time letter was
lying in the Council chamber telling him that
affidavits gotten up in secret and without noti-
fication to Republicans would soon reach him
on which he could count out two Republican
towns. A few days after, while he was still
positive that he had nothing in view but fair
and righteous count, he was notified that an
amended return was being pssecnred on which
he could count in Democratic town. There
are only two explanations which can be given
for this conduct Either Gov. Garcelon inten-
tionally deceived or he was deceived himself.
The public has been inclined to the opinion
that he was the dupe of his council, or some
members of it. Unless, however, he rises up
Immediately and denies that he knew of the
existence of the following letters, he cannot
expect to be regarded so charitably in the fu-
ture. By silence he will convince the public
that he was all active and intelligent participa-
tor in the fraud.
PENNINGTON, Me-, Nov. Is, 1879.
Hon. Alonzo Gdrcelon and the Executive Cou,a-
Gil:
Enclosed please find affilavits of clerks of
the towns Of Raugley and Jay, showing that
their records were nol made up in open town
meeting, as required by law.
l have consulted e. F. Pillsbury and he IS
of the same opinion "that the clerk must make
his record in open town meeting or it is fatal"
l shall forward other testimony as soon as I
can get it from Rangely aud Dallas P!anta-
lions: please to hold back on the Franklin
county returns until get in the remainder OF
our testimony, if possible,
Your obedient servant.
(Signed,) B. EMERY PRATT.
New SHARON, Nov. II. 1879.
have been to Dallas Plantation, Franklin
county, and arranged Tor those returns to be
amended and they will be forwarded as soon
as received by me. 1 also expect an affidavit
from the clerk of Greenvale Plantation sam
as from Rangely-also others, Don't declare
the county any other than fusion for want of