Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-02-28
THE GOVERN AND COUNCIL

HOW RECENT EVENTS sTRIKE MAINE MAN
ABROAD.
BosToS, January IL, 1882.
Mr.. EditOr:-As native OF Maine, in
terested In all that pertains to her, have
watched the last years imbroglio in its
Executive department with good deal OF
anxiety. predicted to some OF your
Maine people here, what would come OF it
when Gen. Plsisted was declared Governor
by Republican Legislature, and given
Republican Council. know the General
knew him oil through the war; have
known him ever since; he plays games.
He believes in playing games; he wins, if
at all, by indrection; the straight, direct
road TO such result has no charms for
him. The tortuous, twisting one Is sure to
show his footmarks. The first year OF his
official life has been spent in unmanly at.
tempts to embarrass his Council by Thin
ble-riggiug nominations, and then to place
them in false position before the public.
There Is not fair-minded man In Maine,
or out Of 1t, who would stake his reputa-
tion upon the declaration that 1t was even
a decent thing for Fusion Governor to
do, to ask Republican Council to aid
him In putting Republicans out of office,
whose terms had not expired, and putting
political opponents in their places. And
yet whole year has been spent by this
man In trying TO do just that thing. Those
Of Us who are out Of the State, amid all
the clatter he has raised, so dlscreditable
to the fair fame OF the State, have never
heard OF him except In some effort in that
direction. The Council have resisted all
that very properly, confirming his nomin-
atoms to fll vacancies, when the public
interests required.
Their entire course, and have watched
1t closely, appears TO have been governed
by principle, and, so far as | know and
believe, has received the hearty approval
OF all honorable men OF whatever political
party.
There came q time, however, when l
feared that their action, although fully
justified to all familiar with the whole
facts, might be misconstrued to their dis
advantage, and that was when they re-
jected his recent nominations ofFuslonists
for elective offices In Republican Counties.
1t was fair and right to demand that the
will ofthe people should be respected In
those nominations. There is not another
Governor OF State in this Union to-day,
II similarly situated, but would instantly
have done that, both as a matter Of princi-
pie and Of policy. Governor Plaisted did
not do 1t, but made his nominations for
strongly Republican Counties, from the
ranks OF his own political friends, and OF
men who would never have been elected
by the people OF the Counties upon which
he attempted to foist them. hoped that,
notwithstanding the injuscice, they would
be instantly confirmed by the Council,
trusting the people to recognize and resent
the shameful partisanshlp Of the Govern
or. was sorry they were not at once
confirmed until | saw he repeated his blum
der by a denomination OF the same men, or
others of the same type OF politics. The
Council evidently knew their man or they
would not have given him the rare oppor-
tunity he had to affect fairness and show
OF respect for the peoples will, by putting
in names OF nominal Republicans for Re-
publican Counties. The vote of rejection
was the dose that brought out his petit
Jogging measles from the blood to the
skin. He repeated his list Of Fusion
nominations, and the Council confirmed
them and he stands unfrocked before the
people OF ten Republican Counties as
spotted partisan. He was caught In his
own trap.
He digged a pit,
He digged IL deep,
He digged II for his biother;
But by his Fin,
He tuhbled In
The p I he digged for tother.
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