Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-01-31
1.-THE Height of Justice. the Height
of Rogiery."


tied ''Offce.." Speaking Of the decline Of
integrity in bis time, he says; Another great |
spring from which injuries arise is some quirk /
or cavil and oversub,ic and malicious inter-
probation Of the laws, from whence the saying
the height Of Jasties is the height Of
Roguery' IS nov become daily and COM
mon prorerb among Us"
Til. i. precisely what Governor Garcelon
and his Council attempted and would have
accomplished had they not been checked in
their mad career by the unanimous decision
u the Supreme Judicial Court. Those very
provisions Of our constitution and laws. in
tended guards against fraud and injustice,
were made, under the paFtizan manipulation
Of the Governor and Couneil, the instrument
taIisies by which 10 attain in politics the
height Of roguerY.'
The grave charge brought against Govern
OF GarceIpn and his Council from which they
cannot escape, Is, that, instead Of acting in
the high character Of tie sworn trustee,
Of the the rights Of the people, all
our pres iOas Governors and Council,
have done, administering their trust for the
benefit Of the people, they have administered
il for their own interest and that Of ,Aeir
political friends They should have sought
advice and counsel OF the Attorney General
and the Supreme Court, their legally eonsti-
tuted advisers. They engaged, however thc
services Of one Of the able.t and most ultra
partizan democratic lawyers in the State.
What Governor and Council of Maine ever
before pr0stituted their high office to base
parti1an purposes: When persons are Gle
waited To high offices and have taken upon
themselves solemn oath TO discharge faith
fully their duties they should cease to be
partizans to carry out the wishes of their po
ilicsl friends and should Ike Judges admin
lister justice for the people from whom they
have received their sacred trust What
would be thought of a Judge who would use
the technicalities of the Laws to aid his friends
or punish his enemies:
The rule of conduct laid down by Cicero.
the best political moralst of antiquity, in the
work from which we quoted above, Is this 2:
Never do anything for the sake of 4 friend
that Is an injury to the public, or n breach OF
ones oath or other solemn engagement; for
whoever does this, cannot be good nun.
should such one be judge in hi, friend
ease. he must not be biased in HE favor.
but must wholly lay aside thu
person of II friend as soon as he takes ON
him that OF = Judge Perhaps he may DO 50
much for friendships sake rs to wish hi,
friend may have the justcr cause, and allow
him rs long time to speak for himself a thc
laws wil1 permit; but when he Is to give hi,
decision on oath he will remember that he
cats God to ieitaeSs, that is, | conceive. his
own soul aud conscience. the diyinest thing
that God has granted TO man for if men
were obliged to do everything their friends
should ask of them. such agreements ou-h;
To be counted not friendships, but dtayeJo"s
coHspyGcreS"
SO when a Governor and Council, so far
forget their sacred oath of office as (, use
every means in their power to thwhrt thc will
of the people by bubbles and techncAlitics.
thatthcir political associates may nil Offices q,
which the people have not elected them.
they have. even when measured bv the
standard heather political morality, proved
reeroant 70 their high trusts. aud should r.
cclve the executions of the good men az all
political parties. The fact that the action OF
the Governor and Council was sustained hy
some scvcnty-t four members of the tu>ioa.-t
house, only adds TO the sadness of the spec
tacle. Many of these men who went with
the multitude to do this evil, did it not of
their own choice or judgment. but under tn.
influence and dictatiop of the very wors,
elements Of the democratic party. like Ehcu
I. Pilishury. John c. Talbot, William II Nj
Lellau, William Dickey and others None ~
the best men OF the democratic party
like T.. Wilder Farley. Bion Bradbury
William l.. Putnam and Judge Artc-
mas Libby. were present upon the first
Wednesday of January, to sustain or defend
this infamous fraud.
Farley advised those counted in bv the
Governor and Council when not elected b,
the people, to refuse to touch the unclean
thing and send back their certificates. John
Quincy Adams, late democratic candidate for
Governor of Massachusetts saws THE Gov
ernor was bound to execute the SPIRIT rather
than the letter Of the laws. Ii | had been a
candidate and received a certificate of election
to the legislature. when was certain NV oppo-
mont obtained more votes than myself would
sooner cut NV hand oil than take the profrerel
seat should feel that was taking what
did not belong To me-
Such is the opinion not only of Farley and
John Quincy Adams. but of all the best dem
pcrats in New England. Manv of the demo
Gratis and greenbackers in all our towns ar,
beginning to speak out boldly their sentiments
i'll regard tn this gigantic fraud; and. as the
heat Of partizan contest cOOls off. there will
be but one opinion of it and that will be one
of stern condemnation. The position taken
By our Court against the acknowledgements Of
towns and states is no new doctrine 10 the
country or to the democractic party In Jan
- II
sound democrat, rs chairman of the Commit
tee on Elections of the House of Representa-
tives of Congress, made report in case
Brockenbrough vs.. Csrbel of Florida in fav-
or of counting votes which were not returned
to the Secretary of State within thirty DAYS
after election, as required by the laws
of that state, and the reason given for
their report was that the law was simply
directory. and that strict construction az
the laws would enable corrupt officer To
defca, the voice of the people by refusing II
make his return or by accidental loss of re-
turn" The will at the people. the committee
said. illegally expressed at the polls has been
the rule of the committee and such the settled
rule of the House in great number ct eases. &c
Mr.. Hamlin, thirty-f,ve years ago. As an
honest democrat. was affected hv the Thought
of disfranchisiug the people by bubbles and
Iechnicaliiles as he and all other true n,en
are row affected. In the debate in Courrc,.
he uttered these eloquent and thrilling words
which he may have forgotten. but which are