The Republican journal., 1884-11-20
The Maine Election of 1880.

When the Legislature of 1881 met at Augusta,
it was understood that General Plaisted, the
Fusion candidate for governor of Maine, had
received plurality of the votes at the Septem-
ber election of 1880 There was question:
however. whether the constitutional amend
ment making plurality decisive, adopted on
the same day, would apply to that or future el-
ections. There was also possibility that de-
fective returns might eface the small margin of
about $50 II Plasted's favor. Both houses of
the Legislature were Republican and Governor
Davis would certainly have been reelected if
the choice had come to them. A good deal of
sophistrv had been wasted in the effort to prove
that the constitutional amendment had not
been adopted until the polls We're closed when
the election of the governor was complete, and
consequently that the Old majority rule must be
held to apply to this case But it was found
when the Legislature assembled. that all but IL
mere handful of Republicans were disposed to
accept the amendment in good faith according to
the spirit and intent with which in had been of
fered to the people and ratified by them. There
renamed then only the matter of counting the
votes, and for this purpose strong committee
was appointed. Mr. Berry, Of kennebec was
chairman on the part of the Senate and eX- Gov
ernor Anson z. Morr on the part Of the
House. Mr. Eerri, of Portland was on the
sub committee appointed to make prelimin-
ary can, ass of the returns. The sub-cummit-
tee reported the following footings.
Whole number of votes. ..............l47s
Daniel +. DAVIS. 13,JI
Harris NJ. Piaisted NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 734l3
Hiram Paisled.. Observation-Disclosures. 27o
Harrison Plaisted. ............ ....... 81
Joshua Nye............. 300
sca1iarin Mliiam r. JOY ...'--...-.-... ~
scattering. .-.....-....- .-.--..........- %
The Bangor Commercial said last evening
that the committee and the legislature could
not help deciding in favor of General Plaisted'
This Is a mistake. The committee could not
see, at first. how it was possible to decide in
MS favor. How We're returns for Hiram PIais-
ted. or for Harrison PIais ed, to be counted
for Harris NJ. Pasted. But it is to the credit
OF the Republican members of the committee,
and of their Republican advisers, that most of
them We're sincerely desrouS of counting these
votes for General Plaisled, if the voters intend-
ed them for him, aS seemed probable. But at
first. this seemed TO be legal mpossibllity.
The return for Harrison Piui,ted came from
Ellsworth, and was duly signed and authent-
Gated. Nothing could be done with that. But
somebody noticed at last, that the clerks name
was missing from the Nas>alboro return, re-
porting 80 votes for Hiram Plaisied. This
discovery made it possible for the committee to
perform the act of justice which they We're
anxious to do. A copy of the Na>salboro town
record of the election was substituted for the
incomplete return, and there it appeared that
the votes were really cast for Harris NJ. Pals
ted, and they We're thtreupon counted for
him, giving him plurality of 1863 and the
election
Nothing in the history of the Republican
party is more credtable than this magnan-
NOUS waiver of the two-foId opportunity Of
tered TO their representatives at Augusta to
secure the fruits of an electen which lhtv had
not won. AT the next election they defeated
General pI1iStpU nv "A hlJr,iIjtX nf and
majority, if that had been needed, of 5000
votes.
1t is in this spirit that the Republicans of
Maine desire to be represented in the canvass
which has begun in New York to-day. A.
members of the national Republican party,
they do not intend to be detrauded; but they
do not wish to snatch Il victory which they
have fairly lost. If the votes, honestly count
ed. do not give them the election, they do not
wish to secure ii by qulbbles and lawyer,
tricks. lhey prefer an honorable defeat to "A
dl>honorable StHeuia"r"m of success. The los s.
Of a single election is not Irrepuiitbe The loss
of honor would be an irretlityabie calamt i.
Portland Advertiser, Nov. II.