Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-08-29

Bangor. But petitions were of n
avail. Had they been signed by ma
jority of the voters in the State the,
would not have swerved His Excellen
cy from his determination II strik
down Judge Libbey. The council, t.
which the petitions were addressed, as
we'll as to the governor, needed them
and can justify their course in reject
ing the nomination made to take tn
place Of Judge Libbey on that ground
if need be.
THRILLING AND FACTIoUs.
Much has been said about the disre-
spect which the council has manifested
toward the governor, but it has never
occurred to those making such COM
plants that from the first the conduct oil
His Excellency toward the Council has
been factious, discourteous and arbitrary
in the extreme. He has sent nomina.
tons once rejected back three, four, and
even five times. This has occurred in
half dozen instances, and the names
have been sent back after rejection with
out consultation or explanation. II
such action is not discourteous, it betrays
petty spitefulness unbecoming gov
ernor Of Maine. Such action furnishes a
contrast with that Of Governor Crosby,
who, when his list Of nominations was re-
jected, did not again submit the same
names. Again, Governor Plaisted has
made nominations with the evident pur-
pose Of embarrassing the council or Of
compelling it to do under the stress OF
circumstances what it would not do if
left TO act with freedom. Take the
nomination for the trusteeship Of the
Reform School. When the term of AL
bion Little, one Of the most efficient, un-
firing and useful trustees the institution
ever had, was about to expire, the gov
ernor nominated d. w. True, esq, of
Portlend, in his stead. Against Mr..
True as man nothing could be urged,
but he had been nominated because he
had made himself CONSPICUOUS in the
Garcelon conspiracy by taking seat in
the Senate TO which he had not been
elected, and persistantly retaining it.
His confirmation by Republican coun-
Gil would be regarded as condoning that
offence. After Mr.. True had been re-
jected several times, and when Governor
Plaisted was well aware that the council
would not confirm Mr. True for the rea-
son above given, he sent in the name Of
Mr.. True as successor Of Mr. Little and
nominated Mr.. Little to fill a vacancy
which he proposed to make by the
removal of DR.. f. A. Thompson, anoth-
Trustee Of long and valuable experience.
When the latter nomination, involving a
removal, was presented to the councillor
who is chairman of the Reform School
committee expressed doubt if Mr.. Lit
would accept an appointment which
would displace colleague, and moved
that the nomination lie on the table un-
til the next meeting. The governor
refused to put the motion, although there
are numerous precedents in the council
record for laying the nomination on the
table. Indeed Governor Plaisted had
previously entertainedsuch a motion.
The councillor insisted, whereupon the
governor declared the Council ad-
journed without day and left the
council chamber. After the governor
had retired, the chairman Of the council,
in accordance with the standing rules,
took the chair and put the motion, after
which the council adjourned to Aug. Is,
THE POWER OF THE COUNCIL.
The supporters Of Governor Plaisted
hold that because the constitution de-
clares that "the governor, shall have full
power at his discretion to assemble the
council" that body cannot legally
assemble or do any business unless sum-
moned by that official. This assumption
of His Excellency practically puts it in the
hands of the governor to nullify that part
Of the constitution which creates the
Executive Council by refusing to call it
together during the year. The doctrine
ignores the provisions Of the constitution
as we'll as all precedents. All disburse-
ments for current State expenditures
must be made at stated periods. How
could this be done without a meeting Of
the council when the constitution explic-
lilly declares that "no money shall be
drawn from the treasury except by war
rant of the governor and council:' Sup
pose cranky governor should refuse to
call a meeting of the council for months,
and that body, accepting the theory that
it cannot meet without the summons of
the governor, did not assemble, how
could the interest on the public debt bepaid