The Portland daily press., 1881-01-07
FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY z.
BY TELEGRAPH.
AUGUSTA.
THE SENATORSHIP VIRTUAL
LY SETTLED.
Mr.. Frye's Name Withdrawn.
UNANIMOUS NOMINATION OF MIR.
HALE ASSURED.
Special Despatch to the Press. j

NSfNSAAi btopatcu W luc IIess.l
AUGUSTA, Jan. 6.-The Senatorial contest is
virtually over, and Mr.. Hale will be the COM
ing man. This afternoon the Oxford county
delegation held a meeting. and the result was
that three pronounced for Hale and the re-
manning four continued their adhesion to Mr..
Frye. The delegation dispatched messenger
to Mr.. Hale with directions to inform that gen.
tleman how they stood. This action of the
Oxford delegation was unpleasant news at Mr.
Fryes headquarters, as that county had been
counted solid for him. The loss of the Bath
Representative yesterday, whose support had
been counted upon for Mr.. Frye, was decidedly
unwelcome news to his friends. but the loss of
the two Oxford Senators and one Representa-
tive (TwitchelD from that county this after
noon was positive disaster. 1t was break
in the column that would not easily be coun-
teracted or neutralized. Whether to continue
the contest any longer against what now seemed
to be impending defeat, or withdraw their can.
didate from the field and make the support of
Mr.. Hale unit among the Republican men,
bers OF the Legislature was question that at
once enlisted the attention of the sturdy and
trusty friends of Mr.. Frye who had charge of
men consisting Of Gov. Dingley, Hon. j. H.
Dr1mmond, j. w. Wakefield and score of
others met in one of the private parlors of the
Hotel North and the matter was fully consid
cred. As the result of their deliberations it
was wisely determined to withdraw Mr.. FRYE
from any further opposition to Mr.. Hale, be-
lieving it to be folly to continue the contest
any lsnger. A messenger from the Frye head
quarters conveyed the news to Mr.. Hale, which
confirmed what PRESS reporter had at an
earlier period intimated to Mr.. Hale might
happen before he retired for the night
The withdrawal of Mr.. Frye caused general
feeling of satisfaction, and was the topic of
conversation up to a late hour. Mr. Frye was
telegraphed by his friends of the course they
had taken. The caucus for the election of
Senator takes place tomorrow night when Mr..
Hale will be unanimously chosen the honored
successor to Mr.. Hamlin.
The principal business of the Legislature
to-day was the election of State officers
aud Executive councillors. Both branches
took recess of three.quarters of an
hour on account of a misunderstanding
relating to the time to which the House ad-
lourned yesterday, it being supposed that the
House would not come together until this
afternoon. A communication was received
from Gov. Davis giving list of the reprieves,
remissions of penalties, commutations and
pardons granted by him for the year 1880, by
which it appears that seventeen convicts were
released. In the Senate there was an attempt
to create special standing committee for the
State Agricultural College The matter was
tabled.
The subcommittee on tho gubernatorial
returns have been in session this afternoon
and evening, and will report to the committee
tomorrow. They have been engaged in look
ing at the legal aspects of the matter The
return" from Blaine is paper
not made out in accordance witt
the law, and is also signed by person
calling himself deputy town clerk, which
office is unknown to the law. The return
shows that over 60 of the 81 votes thrown were
cast for Daniel f. Davis. Throwing out the
returns from Ellsworth, Morrill, and Vassal-
boro, and Davis has in the tabulations a plu-
rality of 134, and which elects him Governor.
ii the amendment applies to the September
election. Include these places and allow the
returns to be corrected by the record, then
Piaisted will have plurality of 269, and be
Governor. In the returns from Vassalboro it
has been discovered that the clerk besides
making the blunder of returning 27O votes for
Hiram M. Plaisted has also failed to sign his
own name as clerk. 1t is stated that some of
Gen. Plaisted's friends will undertake to have
the returns corrected by certified copies of the
records. 1t is thought that the report of the
committee will not be made to the legislature
before Saturday. The indications seem to be
growing stronger that the Supreme Court will
be invoked.
ITO the Associated Pressl
The sub committee on gubernatorial votes
are ready to report to the full committee to-
morrow. They find the following result on a
straight vote without any irregularity:
laris - 70 II