Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-08-29
ON TO VICTORY.
Portland City Hall Filled to Its
Utmost Capacity.
Telling Speech by E1-Secretary
Blaine.

present; many went away unable to get IN
Promptly at s O'Clock WIN. NJ. Marks, chair
man of the city committee, called the meet
ing to order. Hon. Geo. W. Woodman pre-
sided. Gen. W. II. Gibson was the first
speaker. He reviewed the record of the past
90 years of the party. He spoke for three
quarters of an hoar. receiving generous ap-
plause.
Ats O'Clock Hon. James G. Blaine was in
troduced amid the loudest applause. Hats
were thrown in the air, handkerchiefs waved,
and every demonstration of regard Mr.
Blaine said The eloquent gentleman who has
just token his seat has spoken to You of those
great questions which are of common inter
est to the people of Ohio and to the people OF
Maine, and so rapid has been the unification
of the people of the United States that it is
impossible in any election in Maine to cast
a vote which is not of interest in OHIO, and
which does not in fact affect the interests OF
the frontiersman who is hewing down the
forests on far off Puget Sound, OF the rancho
man who is watching his herd in the valley
of the Rio Grande. We are one people, and
the election you are about to decide is one
which affects the whole people Of US, and they
who go about telling you, or attempting to tell
you that issue which republicans are anxious
to avert, mistake the fact, for there certainly
is nothing before the people of Maine as I'M
portant as is the choice of Representatives
in the national Congress and of the Legisla-
ture, that shall choose the Senate of the
United States, that shall, in other words, re-
elect VIM. p. Frye. (Applause.) But
Gov. Plaisted is canvassing the State today
and will speak to you shortly in this city,
telling you that there are very important
State issues, which should first and fore
most be decided by the people of Maine.
For one, am quite ready to meet the Cover
nor on that issue, and if there were not ma
tional questions engaging the attention Of
the people of Maine, there is enough in the
attitude of Gov. Plaisted, in his discharge of
the law, in his trampling under foot the con-
the constitution and order of government, to
call out the earnest attention and quick vote
of every citizen Of the State. The constitu-
ton of Maine has been held in other States,
it for their own and the whole drift of it as
q model. The constitution of Maine has
been held by those who have given attention
to the organizing of laws, to be one of the
hi. l.
any one of the SO States. In that constitu-
ton the trainers of it thought fit to place a
provision which in 40 instances since the
government was organized has been called
into profitable use. That provision is in
these words, Supreme Court, Justices of
the Supreme Judicial Court, they shall be
obliged to give their opinions upon impor-
tant questions of law and upon solemn
occasions when required by the Governor,
Council, Senate or House of Representa-
tives." l read that over and had occasion to
turn to Webster's Unabridged dictionary to
see what light definition of the leading
words would give. The word ''oblige" is a
very strong word The first definition given
OF it by Webster is to constrain by physical
moral or legal force; so that the Judges of
the Supreme Court, when called upon, are
constrained by moral force to drop every
thing else and give their opinion upon the
question submitted. They are required, and
Webster says that require means to claim by
right and authority, so that this great depart
ment of the government claims by right and
authority to constrain the Judges to drop
every other issue that NAV be upon the
dockets of their courts, and answer at once
upon what may be submitted to them. Now,
as have said. there have been 40 instances
in the first 10 years of this government when
we had VIM. King, Albion Paris and Enoch
Lincoln for Governors. They had more than
one important question every year, and
great many points in the constitution were
settled in their practical applications by the
opinions that were thus invoked and thus
given. For the first time in the history of
the State we find Governor who thus
speaks of this great power. Governor
Plaisted says: The provision of our con-
stitution which permits of the executive
or the Legislature to call upon the court on
any occasion, solemn or otherwise, for this
opinion seems to me as wrong in principle
as it is dangerous in practice That is his
opinion upon the constitution 90 years old
and sanctified under list of Governors than
whom no other State can present none more
honorable and more illustrious. Under this
provision the Governor says the questions
are referred to the court, not for their de-
cision, but only for their opinion, which the
executive or Legislature may take for what
they are worth, follow them or disregard
them. When did it happen that Governor
of this State called upon the Supreme Court
for its opinion and then disregarded it? II
happened in the case of Alonzo Garcelon.
who, admonished by the Supreme Court tina,
the State steal was an organized crime.
threw asice opinion and persisted in crime.
But by every Governor that called upon the
Supreme Court from the organization of the
government TO this house, its opinion was
taken without any cavil or quibble. what
ever LET ma call vo,,r ot,ace,o.