The Portland daily press., 1888-06-13
EDWIN C. sURLEicH.

Burleigh to say Il resign" but, in order for
his liability as State Treas rer tc cease, in
order for his responsibility which he. owes
to the people of the State In the capacity OF
Treasurer to cease, some person must be
chosen as commissioner of the Trea-
sury who is satisfactory to the
present Governor and Council, in
whom they have sufficient confidence to APP
point to that place, and after full inventory
and accounts taken, and actual transfer such
commissioner must enter upon the discharge
of the responsibilities deyolying upon him.
Now. we cannot wholly anticipate the future
and we need to act wisely with reference to
all the possibilities and chances in the case.
Are we sure that before the time for the new
nominee to take his place, such commits
sioner will have been found, and all these
steps will have been taken, and all these
methods perfected by which the treasury has
passed over into the hands of the new COM
missioner?
But / have not yet stated what seems to
me the serious and essential objection to
making the Treasurer of State for the pres
emit year his own successor, in the Office of
Governor for the year next ensuing. By the
law Of this State, the State Treasurer for
last year and this year accounts to the in
coming administration. 1t is true that now,
since we have biennial elections certain pre-
liminary accounts are rendered by the
Treasurer to the Governor and Council, but
they are all to be transmitted to the legisla-
it, and the legislature is the final auditor of
the accounts of the Treasurer, and deter
mines whether they shall DE allowed or dis
allowed, Therefore, up to the time of his
resignation, If he resigns, he accounts to the
incoming administration. Ought he to be
the head OF that administration himself I?
Should his accounts, as Treasurer, be passed
upon finally by a legislative body over which
he, as governor, has the veto power? l beg
you, gentlemen, to bear in mind that am
| n N To- orr de
am not attacking Mr.. Burleigh in this matter
but am discussing the question whether it
is right for the State Treasurer In Office this
year to be the Governor the next year. Now
submit that to the calm judgment of the
convention.
But, suppose the thing goes further Sup
pose he does not exercise the veto power,
aud difference arises next winter between
the Legislature and the former treasurer as
to the state OF his accounts. Suppose the
Legislature, through their committee, come
to the conclusion that he is indebted TO the
State of Maine in different amount from
that which his accounts show. However
honest may be his mistake, and however
nonest may De tne difference between them,
suppose the Legislature causes his pond to
be:put In suit. Are we to have the spectacle
of suit pending in court in the name of the
State of Maine, plaintiff, and with the Gov
ernor in office as party defendant? And do
you not risk that very thing in this case, or
treasurer, whose accounts are unfinished,
unsettled and unadjnsted, the supreme exec
utive of the State? | state it as a general
principle that 1t Is not right that a man
whose accounts as treasurer of the State are
unfinished, and the allowance of them still
pending as an unfinished matter before the
Legislature, should be made the supreme
executive OF that State. Applause
submit further, Mr.. President, because
am not going to dwell upon this matter,
that the Republican party to which for a
quarter OF century the fortunes of this re-
public have been committed, which has adj
ministered the affairs Of the State of Maine
for whole generation-that the Republican
party ought not to make such a mistake
that II ought not to start so false preced
emit, or to set so bad an example.
As have said the stability of tine treasury
is absolutely Withdrawn SO far as possible
from all exciting and disturbing causes from
all controversy around which public excite.
ment centers, as a public interest 10 be
guarded and cherished and preserved by all
good citizens. The broad base Of our State
| treasury should not be set in the politica
arena. 1t should stand aside like a strona
| pillar, towering al0ft above all the dust OF
political contr syersy.
Now, Mr.. President and gentlemen of tht
convention, standing in this place, in the
| consideration of a question like that now
submitted to the Judgment of this conyen
| ton, my mind recurs to period which is al
ready receding into the somewhat distant
| past, when vast audiences gathered in thi.
halI, nushed by the sense Of immediate and
imminent public danger, when all that an
American holds dear was loose from its an
| chorage, floating adrift on the foam 81
| perilous seas. when, from the Atlantic tx
| to the Mississippi, the Northern forces, the
| armies OF the ReDublic, face to face with the
| most giant treason that ever appeared in
| arms, were holding their lines with diff.
| Guilty, or, with faces still to the front. were
failing back upon the endangered capital
10 the young men, many of whose faces we
remember well, though long unseen, who il
those days pressed forward to fill the deadly
| gaps In the Keeling and broken lines at the
front, words Of promise were spoken, words
| Of promise which 1t has been a part of the
history Of the Republican party, and so Ions
as 1t shall be true to itself, it will be part Of
member and never to forget. Applause.
| Months, weeks and days passed by. and the
| Southern sun looked down upon many o.
| those young faces white in death. The wal
oyeT s 3ss OF then returned to take qp will
to speak for the soldiers of Maine; / have nc
commission to speak In their behalf / do
not claim that man should be elected TO an
ONCE Tor which he is not qualified because hi
was soldier. | do not claim that to the
be given, in public affairs than that tC
which they are personally entitled
in view Of the services which they
nave rendered to the country
In the hour of its need and danger. But what
DO claim, and what insist upon, so far al
the judgment of this convention will permit
me to do so, is that to the survivors OF thai
war, to the extent of their equal capacit,
with others 70 render public service, belong
the honor. Loud applause. And this /:
sound Republican doctrine. [Cheers.l / re-
| spentfplly submit that it is Republican doe.
trine for direct and special application to the
FACTS OF the question now under considera.
ton. Ii there Is any gentleman in this con-
yentlon who Will rise here and claim that the
soldier whose name is to be presented to this
| convention Tor Governor is not, in every re.
spect, the peer of his opposing candidates
| then, so far as that man is concerned. this
rule OF Republican practice does not applv
But, If there is no man in this convention
who Will deny that. in all other respects, the
soldier candidate is the peer of the civilians
then say the rule does apply and Should
| IApplause.]
The man whose name 1 would present To
TINS convention was one of the million and
more northern men whose breasts were the
bulwarks OF the national life during the long
period when the balance trembled between
life and death. 1t Is true he was only one al
thesmyriad hosts, but that is not the point
The point Is that he was one of them He
was one OF those who stood by in those times
at the news from the far Southwest of that
dark river running red with the blood OF
Northern men. He was one of those who on
the soil OF Virginia, year after year, by the
Dioody arDltrament almost continuous, bat
tied and disputed the question whether the
capital OF the Union or the capital of the
reasonable confederacy should fall; LAP
plause. soldier, fearless and true and
faithful to the end, who won from the
ranks the honors of valiant and faithful
service. The war was over and he
came home. The time for college
for him had passed by. He had gone from
the farm to the battlefield, but he had been
trained in the school which makes good citi-
zens and faithful public officers. The les
sons which we recall dimly and family from
our books, the lessons of patriotism and self
sacrifice, he had learned upon the battlefield
from the lips of men who were dying that
their country might live. lApplauseI Like
the other soldiers of our army, the affairs of
war over, he devoted himself to civil life and
the pursuits of business. will not trace
his civil career. for you know it well. Ad-
United to the bar, successful in his; profess
sion, large and important business interests
entrusted to his care, the State sought him
out and entrusted to his keeping the response
Dllltles OF that high Office which has been
occupied by. so many eminent lawyers of
maine. In those days my relations with the
Attorney General were more close and
familiar than they have been of late years.
believe 1t is only just to say that, in all
the INDUSTRIOUS line, no career was ever more
conspicuous for ability and success, none
more crowded with useful public service. or
Win great achievements for the State in