The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-08-16
New York. Times.l
A Maine "Reminiscences.


The Supreme Court of the State of Maine
has just decided what is known as the Cum
berland County case" the details of which are
instructive. They illustrate very forcibiy the
Democratic methods pursued in Maine and
elsewhere. At the September election in 1879
William l.. Prince was the Republican candi-
date for Commissioner for The County Of Cum
berland; and William b, Skillin was the Dem
ocratic candidate for that office. In making
up the returns, Gov. Garcelon and his Demo-
cratic associates threw out the entire vote Of
the city of Portland, the return being rejected
as illegal because two votes were returned as
scattering" when the returns should have
given the names of all the candidates voted
for. This rejection of 6,3l3 votes cast in the
city of Portland defeated the Republican can
didate on the face of the returns But it so
happened that there were cast in the whole
county ,16S votes for "Sklllings," who was
not a candidate. Obviously, these votes were
meant for Skillin, but if the rule which had
already been applied to Republican candidates
were appealed to in this case the votes cast for
"Skillings' did not belong to Skillin. and he
was defeated The Democratic canvassers
were equal to the occasion. Going over the re-
turns, they erased the terminal 'gs" from the
name of the Democratic candidate in some in
stances, and in others they drew a pencil line
through the letters to indicate that they did
not belong there. Then they gave the certif-
cate to Skillin, who entered upon the duties Of
his office
When Garcelon and the rest of the Demo-
cratic-Fusion managers were contriving the
hocus-pocus by which they expected to over
turn popular majority in Maine, they claimed
with great show of virtue that they were
conforming to the strict letter of the law. In
one case there was doubt whether the second
or middle" name of a Republican candidate
began with an II or an A. The returns had
been tampered with and the candidates name
appeared with the H in some cases, and with
the A in others, some person having joined
the upper part of the letter so that it appeared
like an A. There was no doubt as to the in
tention of the voters, none as to the alteration
of the returns. But Democratic iunta
counted the vote as If it were intended for two
distinct persons, and the Democratic candidate
was thus counted in. Yet the same men who
refused to consider that there had been an
error in the returns, if not positive tamper-
ing Herewith, took precisely different course
the needed corrections, gave him a certificate
OF election. And this would have been of no
avail if the vote of large city had not been
thrown out as illegal on technicality which
was far less fatal objection than that which
had been removed in the csse of Skillin. The
hypocrisy of the Democratic managers, in
their pretense that they were strictly carrying
out the law, regardless of party considerations,
is apparent. Skillin entered upon the duties
of his office, and Prince brought legal proceed
ings to oust him. The Supreme Court has
just decided in favor of Prince The decision
is on the broad ground that an election is not
to be set aside and declared void merely be-
cause certain Illegal votes were received which
do not change the result Of the election. 1t is
not pretended in this case that there illegal
votes cast, nor that there was fraud, intimida,-
tion or irregularity in the conduct of the cleo
tlon. But the clerk returned two votes as
scattering" instead Of specifying the names
of the persons for whom these votes were cast,
in poll of 6,313 votes. This error was imma-
terial. 1t could not in any way affect the gen.
eral result The return clearly showed the
will of the voters of the county, and their
will as expressed by the ballot is what is to be
ascertained and declared
In this case it will be observed, the failure
of the Democratic Governor and Council to
apply to their candidate, Skillin, the same
rule which they had enforced when Republi-
can candidates could be counted out cuts no
figure in the decision of the Supreme Court.
But it is a matter OF record, and it forms o
dark blot in the history of the Maine Democ-
racy and Fusionists 1t was a deliberate and
willful conspiracy in which Garcelon and his
associates were engaged Innumerable in
stances conclusively proving the criminal in
tent OF these men might be cited. 1t is too
late to make any argument as to the wicked
ness of this conspiracy. The court of last re-
sort, in every case, has decided against the
legality of the election certificates issued by
Garcelon, when such certificates were granted
ON the amended returns" Yet prominent
Democrat, being asked if the published details
of the Garcelon scheme would not affect the
election this year, replied in the negative, ad-
ding that "the people of Maine did not care
anything about that business one way or anoth-
err This is an amazing statement. Is it possi-
BILE that the voters of Maine after looking upon
one Of the most dastardly political crimes ever
committed, are now indifferent as to what be-
comes of the criminals? The men who con-
ceived and attempted to execute this daring
theft are now leading in the Democratic and
Fusion ranks. 1t is incredible that party
that deliberately sought to overturn the en-
phatically expressed will of the people should
be again intrusted with power. The crimes of
Garcelon and his gang were monstrous. They
were the crimes of the party behind these men,
the party which is now straining every nerve
to elect Plaisted 1t is we'll that the Infamous
conspiracy of the Garcelon gang is brought
again to mems minds. 1t was piece of DEM
ocratic work worthy of the party, and very
generally Endorsed by the party. 1t is not
possible that voters have ceased to take any
interest in political crime so black as this