Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-08-09
Governor Plaisted's Letter Of Ac-
ceptance.

ceptanCes
Governor Plaisted has at length formal
" accepted the democratic nomination - a
candidate for Governor. 1t appears that
he has reluctantly concluded TO accept
this nomination. else why has he been so
many weeks considering the matter, and
why does he announce. in such coy and
blushing manner that the nomination has
come to him unsolicited, and that he is
not democrat, and therefore not entitled
70 It? Lives there an intelligent voter in
Maine who does not know that the Cover
nor's put-op reluctance is q great hum
bug?
Having announced that he would con-
sent to accept the nomination. though not
democrat, the Governor proceeds to dis
cuss his conflict with the Council. and to
obfuscate the issues with that body in a
very deplorable manner. In more than q
column and half Of the Argus type the
Governor expatiates upon this matter,
though the whole thing is in a mt she'll.
The truth would require only a small
space for presentation, but the distortion
and observation Of the truth to suit the
Governors purpose requires much room
and labor.
Under the constitution the Governor
may nominate. but he cannot
appoint without the advice and
consent Of the Council. The Governor
nominated, the Council rejected. The
Council had right to reject, and it was
their duty to do so ifthey believed that the
proper thing for them TO do.
But the Governor charges the Council
with an attempt To take away from him
the power Of nomination. As an exam
pie Of such attempt he copies paragraph
from the Council record, in regard to the
rejection of Daniel w. True of Portland
~ trustee Of the Reform school, and a
recommendation by the standing commit
tee on Reform School that the Governor
be "re,peetf1iiy ADVISED" to reappoint
Albion Little to said office. Now if the
sharpest-eyed man in the State of Maine. the
keenest lawyer. the most astute constitu-
tional expounder. can discover in the
course of the Council in this matter
any Infringement upon the prerogativc of
tbs Governor we have not yet seen him.
The Council ADVISE this the constitution
requires them to do. They not only ad
wise, but they "respeegutiy" advise. They
are careful to keep within the letter of the
constitution, and in advising to use re
spectful language. There is no command,
no intimation ofcommand to the Governor
to nominate Mr. Little. only respectful
sdvice TO ia so. And this the Governor
construes an attempt to subvert the
constitution and take away from him the
power to nominate! The same Governor
thought 1t all right for Governor Gsrcelon
to count out thirty men from seats
in the Legislature TO which they had been
legally elected by the votes, of the sover-
sign people. and count in in their stead
by the blacklist fraud thiry-seven men
who were never elected, thus subverting
the will of the people. usurping the State
government, defying the Supreme Court
and the constitution. and rendering the
name of our State kissing and by-word
throughout the whole nation,
This case and the other cases of the re-
Graal of ha 20 -
tons made by the Governor to fill the va
eancy caused by the expiration of Judge
Libbey's term upon the Bench ARE harped |
upon by the democratic candidate rs the |
chief article in the indictment which he |
draws in his letter against the republi-
can party. In attempting to sustain him
self he compares his position IN the con-
fict with the Council to the position of
President Garfield in the struggle over
the appointment of Collector Robertson.
This is fraud which he undertakes to i'm |
pose upon the people. President Gar |
field never claimed that the Senate was
bound to confirm his nominations, he on
ly maintained that it was bound to act upon
them-either accept or reject them. This
was all he asked in the case of Robertson.
While he maintained his own power and
right to nominate under the constitution.
he nowhere and at no time asserted d.
rectly or by implication that the Senate
had no power to advise him as to nomin-
atoms. mo power to reject them when made.
and never made himself an object Of rid
icule by asserting and whining that his
prerogative was trampled upon and the
peace Of the State endangered because
the Senate refused to consent to all his
nominations and respectfully advised
him to make better ones.
The Governor devotes a portion Of his
letter to denunciation of the spoils system
and monopolies. As the representative
of party that is the author Of the
''spoils system" and the most corrupt in
the use aud distribution OF official patron
age, which though it has changed its talk
has not changed its methods whenever il
has the power in regard to political assess
ments, this denunciation of the "spoils
system" by Governor Plsisted ia piece