Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-12-02
Who Should BE- our Next Govsruor7

Mr. EDrrOR.-The above question 10 oc-
cupying the minds of the voters of Maine
to considerable extent at the present time.
and ~ the first Wednesday of next January
draw near il will be still more in the
thoughts OF all thinking men. What the
Republican party should want done, and
should endeavor to have done. is jus, VIA,
| Is righf in the premises and NO MORE. The
portland Press" and other Republican
papers in the State, and out Of the State,
have taken very decided grounds in favor of
the Fusion candidate. Gen. Plaistcd, in rels.
ton to this complex and doubtful question.
am Obliged to take exception, to one Of
the grand reasons given by the Press. for its
position on this question IN recen, edi,o.
rial. The following is the reason referred
to: 'The proposition to apply the amend.
ment to the election of 1880 was a Republi-
can measure, passed because we though, r.
scere sure of plurality as between Demo-
Gratis and Greenbackers, etc" The i,alicis-
ing is mine. To nv mind, the above reason
gwen Tor the action of the Republicans. in
securing the submission of this amendment,
to the people. is unworthy Of the Rspuhli-
can party. and of the Republican. who
constituted the legislature of 1850. .u,-
posed. and think the grca, majority of the
Republican party is with me in the suppo,i.
ton, that the grea, object in passing. and
securing the adoption of the amendneu,
referred TO, was tina, this question of rho
should be our Governor. for the coming
year. and all other years, should be settled
by the people a, the polls, thus removing
this question. from the possibility of its
being made foot ball, between the House
and the Senate. and a source Of corrup,
bargaining. and as a result, a miaor,h,
candidate elevated to the high Office Of
Governor of our State, and perhaps the
forrest on the lis, was the case in 1879
should suppose tina, the people Of Maine
might have got enough Of that elias. of
oo'ernors last year. The Republicans Of
the Legislature Of 1850. were in nv opinion
perfectly honest, and honorable. in the posi-
ton they took on this question last winter.
and they caused the submission Of this
amendment To the people because the,
thought II was for the bcs, interest Of all.
that II should be made par, of the cons,i-
tuition OF the State. thus giving the power
to the people of settling this question Of
| rho should be Governor. But there i,
another question. that is equally well
grounded in the minds of Republicans. and
all other honorable men Of whatever party.
and tina, is this That there shall be no
q"e'f'o" as TO fAe legality Of The hfe Of our
G"rerHor 10 he high osGc>.
1t. question of the very frh impor-
lance. and should he settled. by authority
that is unques,ioned. do no, pretend 10
he constitutional lawyer; or LAWYER of
any kind. but ! can bring fair share of
ooD'mo" sense, to bear upon a question of
TINS Kind, and ! mus, say it was very doubt
fai 70 me. whether the amendment referred
TO could apply to the election Of las, Sep
'ember, al the time Of its passage BY the
Legislature and II Gov. Davis had received
more votes than any other candidate, bu,
even one less than a clear majority over all.
! should have said the same as now say
tina; the legality Of hi. title TO the Office
should DC settled beyond question by com
Pcten, authority.
II We haven't any other authority comp..
tent 10 settle the question. the legislature Of
1881 ~lll have 20 do IL | think the Re-
Publieans. Of the incoming legislature. are
AT liberty TO prooeed to the election Of Dan
iel +. Davis Governor for the next two
years, and tina; in so doing. they will no,
trsnsgress any Law written or Hn~ri,ten On
the morning Of the 18th day Of las, Sep,em-
Der, when the polls opened, some cons,iiu-
tional Law Was IN force. and every one mus,
acknowledge tina, i, was the Law requiring
the election Of Governor BY majority vote.
Hhen va, there a change made in tina, la~
The very earlies; possible moment If could
have taken place. va. when the poll. closed
on Monda, night, and a majority Of the
legal voters had voted TO adopt the amend
men, under consideration, though even then
IT was al unaseeytaiaei fact Now rhdt
power could make that amendment rr,roac,
so as TO govern and control the voting Of
that f.K1 |.
could be done. The Republicans. OF the
legislature Of 1880, did, wha, they did, in
the premises with the bes, Of intentions
but circumstances, beyond their control.
nullihed their good tentions, As to the cleo
ton of last September, and so they failed to
accomplish the desired end as to tina, cleo
ton; bu, j, stands good for all coming cleo
tons. and tina, i. all right;
stand by all the decisions Of our able
Judges las, winter. and Believe they took
the only true ground for the maintenance
of our form Of government.
If any votes have been wrongly returned
for Harrison VI. Plaisted, Tor any other of
the different changes on tina, name) when
they were cast for Harris N. Plaisted, let
every one Of them be counted for General
Plaisted; but don't let us have any chang
ing Of P's into BIS or HIS into As, or any
| of that kind Of cussedness-and if it is
thought that the only proper thing to do,
under the circumstances, is the election Of
4, IN
elect him in the usual manner, as in times
past, when the people have failed to elect.
Let US do the square thing; but 1 do not
believe We are under any obligations, moral
ly or otherwise, to stretch any point or
power for the purpose Of elevating Gen.
Plais,ed to the Governorship Of Maine.