The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-01-19
DYING !!
THE FUSION LEGISLATURE
DRAWING ITS LAST
BREATH.
A Gloomy Process ion of Mourn
erS.
Special Despatch to the Press

Especial Despatch to the Press
AUGUSTA Jan. 1S.-On the assembling OF
the fusion legislature on Saturday morning at
o'clock, the State house contained a smaller
crowd of people than has been seen for some
time past. Republicans were conspicuous by
their absence. "Haue you read the opinion OF
the court?" was question on every ones lips.
The morning papers were eagerly sought for.
The fusiouists failing to find the opinion of
the court published in the Standard, that pa
per disposing of it summariy by characteriz-
ing it as "drivel'' and a 'second stump
speech they were obliged to resort to the Re-
publican papers to learn what the answer OF
the court was and to find it in ertenso.
After the fusion House came to order and
their journal was read, they took recess of
half an hour Small groups gathered at sew
eral points in the hall engaged in discussing
the situation, and from the remarks dropped it
was apparent that a large number of me II bers
believed that stop should be put to the reck-
less designs of their leaders, and that nothing
more should be done to bring on civil strife.
In short breakdown movement was to be in
augurated.
When the House resumed its session Mr..
Knowles of Bradford was the first to take the
floor and define his position. He said that
while he was a Greenbacker. and thought the
opinion of the court partisan one, still ne
should abide by it because it was the only
thing that could prevent the horrors OF q civil
war, which he did not want to see brought to
our homes
Mr. Cushman of Sherman thought he saw a
clear and undoubted remedy in the constitu-
ton of the United States, aud the old man who
pretends that he had been offered bride to
vacate his seat read that.Droviso guaranteeing
Republican form of government, protection
| from invasion, etc., and wound up by suggest
| ing remedy by an appeal to Congress.
| Mr.. Hill of Corinth said that he had ex-
| pressed himself at all times in favor OF obey
| ing the laws of the State and the opinions OF
the Supreme Court. He inveighed against
the clergy. The money power of the State is
against us, he said, and the judges are
against us, but we have got to obey the court
after all. He noticed that those who were
| here yesterday and were going to spill the last
drop of their blood were not in their seats.
| This reference to Pasted, the doughty war
rior from Lincoln, ELECTED applause, and this
was followed by another round OF applause
| when speaking for himself he said that he was
not willing to spill the first drop OF blood He
| did not want to see bloodShed
At this stage of the proceedings MIR. ingalls,
| or Wiscassett, and q lawyer presented an Or
der providing for the appointment OF COM
! mittee of five "to consider the question OF the
| constitutional organization of this House and
the present condition of affairs, and report at
| the earliest practicable time" Mr.. ingalls,
| told his fusion friends that the condition of
affairs was critical and in a crisis like this he
| believed there should be consultation. He had
read the opinion OF the court hastily. but 1t
| seemed to him that it shonld not be disregard
| ed. 1t was no use to ask who is responsible for
| the present condition of things. 1t is no use
to charge the blame on this one or that one.
| What we now want is peace. The question is
| how can it be secured?
Mr.. Knowles of Bradford got up again and
| stated that be believed the House should sub
| nit to the courts decision. He deprecated
| civil war. If we had revolution it would be
| brought to every mans home. He wanted
| every man to act on his conscience.
| Mr.. Benner of Waldoboro endorsed every
sentiment that had been uttered in favor of
| peace.
Then Mr.. Bradbury of Norway got up, and
after declaring that the times were perilous,
said those present must act as wise men, and
the part of wise men is to submit to the inevi-
| tible. If the Supreme Court had been used as
| an instrument to strike the laws from under
our feet. then it is a crime, he said, for which
those present were not responsible. Ii the SUI
preme Court declares the laws unconstitution-
al which brought them together 1t could not
be prevented. Against that court we have no
appeal; we can only protest. Our remedy is in
an appeal to the ballot box next September:
| He proposed to counsel nothing in the shape OF
| war: but we should be towards if we did not
| stand up manfully for the rights of the men
| who sent us hero. If we must go back to the
people who sent us here let us go back manful-
ly.
| then Robinson of Thomaston got up and said
| that he endorsed the views which had been ex-
| pressed.
Perry of Camden was the last speaker, and
| he favored the appointment OF committee,
stating that there were times when we must
! have sober thoughts and no haSty action. lie
| believed that the opinion of the court was not
| the opinion of the people. If we are to be de-
feated, he said, it will not be by the popular
| vote. If we are defeated it will be by the hon
est dollar in the hands of corrupt and dishonest
men. The opinion of a partizan court may
hold sway for q time, but down deep in the
hearts of the people is the remedy that will
| prevail.
The order was passed, and ingalls, of Wiscas
set, Robinson of Thomaston, Wilson OF Orono
| Whitman of Harrison, and Hill of Exeter
| were appointed on the committee. In the
Senate a committee for the same purpose was
| appointed, consisting of Messrs. Patten Of Pen
obscot, Thompson of Knox, Parlin of Somer
set, Strickland of Aroostook and Rankins oi
| Oxford.
After the order was passed in the House pro
viding for this peace committee Stiles of West
| brook, who was counted in a few days ago
Lewis of Springhill Staples of Parsonsfield
| and Hussey of Brooks were allowed by genera
! consent to join the procession OF mourners ano
| chant their funeral dirges.
| Dr. Lewis of Springfield could not refrain
from giving one parting whack to the Republi-
| cans, when in paroxysm OF fusion 1ndlgna-
| ton he exclaimed, "When death and hell shall
give up their dead the Republican party will
stand at the head of the list as the. greatest
criminals in fraud and corruption
The only business transacted by the fusion
| Legislature was to qualify four members Of
| their Executive Council. They then adjourn
ed over until tomorrow at o'clock.
AUGUSTA, Jan. 1S.-The committee appoint
ed by the fusion legislature to consider wheth-
er that body is legal organization, had nc
meeting, most of the committee having gone
home to spend the Sabbath. prominent
member of the committee says that while they
might disagree with the court in regard tc
finding on legal points, that is all it would
amount to. The court would decide all the
acts of the fusion legislature illegal and its de-
cision would be final on all points; the legisla-
ture would have no standing according to the
decision of the court. A prominent lawyer
on the committee says he is in favor of max.
| ing verbal report and will not place himself
| upon record against the court.