Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-08-29
wait upon the Council. In the interest
Of peace, and to avoid such scandal,
Major House retired from the position.
THE NATTER OF APPOINTMENTS.

| IL haS OSSu piuSidiuieu lIoIu quo Shu
of the State to the other that the Council
has INSTRUCTED public business by refus-
ing 10 confirm the Governors nominations
for important Offices Indeed, the stress
which the Fusion organs have placed up
on this matter would give one the i'm
preston that the rejection Of nominations
was the rule rather than the exception.
To Aug. LIST Governor Plaisted has made
9S3 nominations. OF these the Council
has rejected 60. The 60 nominations re-
jec;ed represent So different persons, of
whom nine were Republicans who had
been appointed TO take the places of other
Republicans who had been appointed to
take the places of other Republicans whose
terms had not expired, in accordance with
what appears to have been purpose to
cause mischief" word His Excellency
has publicly used on more than one Occa-
sion. The only important Offices that are
vacant to-day are those of one Justice of
the Supreme Court, two Municipal Judges,
one Trusteeship and two Sherifs. Thee
vacancies cause no interruption of public
business. The matter-of-fact citizen will
conclude that a great deal OF Indignation
and false statement has been wasted up
on this topic. True, the Governor claims
there Is a vacancy in the Office of Fish
Commissioner. In this he is in error
The law provides for the appointment of
one or two Commissioners. The Gov
ernor desires to put in one of his party
friends, and insists upon it by nominating
him repeatedly. The Council says one
Commissioner can perform he duties, and
declines to confirm the Governors parti-
san nomination. The game and fishery
interests Of the State have not suffered
from the action of the Council in this
particular, and will not suffer. /
TIE REMOVAL OF OFFICERS.
One Of the chief causes of complaint
against the Council is that it has refused
20 concede TO the Governor the power to
remove officers already in commission
without its " advice and consent" With
out giving a cause, without asking "the
advice" of the Council, and without even
seeking It's consent" Governor Plaisted
mas attempted TO remove twentv-eight Of |
icers, some of whom are the most i'm
in the State, subject to Executive
appointment. The terms of most of these |
officers are a period of years unless sooner
removed, or during the pleasure of the
Executive, not to exceed given term Of
years. In no case did the governor as
assign a cause for removal Indeed, Done |
could be invented, because the incumbents
in every case were men Of character and
experience. The removals were attempted |
10 make room for political friends. Gov
,rnor Plais,ed based his right to remove
3fficers without the consent of the Coun-
I'll on the ground that he is the Execu-
live referrel TO in the statutes, which pro.
vide that certain officers shall hold their
offices during the pleasure of the Execu-
e. etiv'tc. The Constitution does not re-
fer TO the removal Of officers; but it does
declare that 1.-THE governor shall nomin-
ate, and. with the advice and consent of
Of the council appoint" certain officers.
Ii also declares that with the advice |
and consent of the council the governor |
nav remit" fines and sentences. In ev-
,ry case where Executive action is con-
.emplated by the Constitution, the coop |
Grafton and concurrence Of the Council Is
required to give it the force of an Execu-
tive act. The Constitution is silent re-
specting removals, because it assumes
that when a new man is nominated to
take the place of another whose term has
not expired, the removal is sanctioned by
the Council if the nomination is confirm
ed, and refused if it is rejected. The lad
vice and consent" of the Council in re-
gard to the nomination of successor to
man in office is implied in reference to
the removal BY its action upon such
The assumption Of Gov
ernor Plaisted, that he can remove any
officer subject to Executive appointment
and leave the place vacant Is novel one,
and which is at the same time at war with
the theory of governments, constitutions
and laws. There could be no govern
ment without offices, and constitutions
and laws create offices, give them powers
and define their duties. The Plaisted
doctrine that the governor can make va
can't any number of Offices and leave them
vacant, nullifes constitutions and laws
which create such offices, and is therefore
designed to subvert govern ment. That
doctrine leads to anarchy.
After sending the Council two nomin-
atoms for Reporter of Decisions, to take