The Portland daily press., 1882-08-08
Governor Plaisted's Cheap" and
Incendiary Talk.
Editor Kennebec Journal:

Editor Kennebec Journal:
"We all know how cheap our opinions are
when we are not responsible for them" This
is the language of Gov Plaisted touching the
opinions aud decisions Of our Supreme Judicial
Court rendered under the most solemn forms
of law known to our constitution-the language
of one department of our government towards
another and coordinate departmental declar-
ation which, if applied to the decisions of our
court by private citizen, would place his
name in the b,ackguard's list. But it was not
an opinion, but decision OF our court,a to the
true intent and meaning OF the law, that
the Governor calls "cheap." The court is the
tribunal constituted by our State constitution
to decide what the law is, and, when its deci-
sion is rendered, it is the duty of all good men
to be governed by it, to conform their acts to
it. The wise forecast and sagacity of the franz
ers of our general law is shown in this provi-
sion. They saw that there might be conflicts
of opinions that might endanger the rights of
the people and the peace of the State, and SO
provided a remedy against personal conflicts
and appeal to force; not for single moment
thinking that any man or any body OF men,
acting underline solemnity of oath, would for
a moment refuse to conform their acts to the
law as given by the court. But the Governor
in his first address announces this most danger
GUS doctrine, that any set or body OF men may
by fraud perjury and usurpation, trample upon
the law, usurp the rights OF the people, and
there is no redress but by force and bloodshed;
that there is no safety in our commonwealth
for property rights orsthe rights OF individuals
virtually saying to the lawless and vicious,
that the court and its DEGREES are cheap and
not to be needed. But why did the Governor
thus 60 out of his way to assault and insult
coordinate branch of the government? Clearly
to defend great wrong that had boon attempt
ed against the rights and liberties Of the people,
which attempted wrong the DEGREES OF the court
crushed Let us consider, what must II neces-
sary, be the influence of such a course on the
part of our Chief Executive on the moral, SO.
Cial and material interests of our people and
State.
Certainly the most serious, if the Governor,
standing in his great office, in the presence OF
the peoples representatives, and under the
and DEGREES of the Supreme Judicial Court,
that they are "cheap'' and of no more conse-
quence than the opinions OF any other seven
men. OF course the vicious and the lawless
will say the same, and the respect for law
and authority will be thing unknown among
us.
What our State needs, in order that its large
natural resources and vast water power may be
utilizing, is capital. But capital is very shy
and coy, and retreats at the very naming OF
civil strife and conflict. 1t demands order and
stability. as does every other interest OF free
people. And submit that when the Governor
of large commonwealth, in his official oath,
in the presence of the peoples representatives,
declares that the rights of the people may be
usurped by forgery and perjury, and that the
laws, constitution and courts are so cheap,
they can offer no remedy; no protection, and
that there is no redress but in civil war and
blood, that he strikes q staggering blow at ev-
cry means and material interests OF the peo-
pie.
The general outlook for business throughout
the country is said to be most hattering. Ii
Maine does Lot feel the influence to the same
extent as our sister States, may we not attri-
butte the cause to the fact that the government
of our State has partly fallen into the hands OF
party whose chief purpose seems to be to de-
nounce capital and capitalists, the courts and
the laws, and to create distrust amongst our
people?
The Governors letter to his friend "Sam,."
in which he plants himself at the cross roads
and declares that he does not expect the bust
ness centres to elect him, but the cross roads,
is full of harm and mischief to every interest,"
of our people, and to none more than that OF
the laborer and producer. 1t is an attempt to
create class distinctions among our people and
to array class against class, when every inter
est demands that they be friends. The bust
ness centres of our State are the helper OF both
laborer and producer, and he who would deride
or weaken the bond is the enemy of both. Our
business centres are becoming hives of indus
try, affording good markets for the producer
and labor for the laborer.
We want no cross roads Governor, putting
himself between class and class to derlde our
people, but one who forgetting himself, will
work for the unity Of all, and of all interests,
Iin the ones common purpose OF advancing the
interests of all. / think no former Chief Ex-
ecutive of our State has attempted to create
class distinctions amongst our people. None OF
the executives of our sister commemorative
have made themselves thus offensive. The ex-
ecutive who thus voluntarily puts himself in
hostility to the peoples interests, cannot COM
plain if he be sharply criticised. Whoever
votes for such a candidate votes to put in
jeopardy every interest of our State. s.