Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-05-15
A Legal Crank.

a Legal CHon8.
1t is not our practice to pay any atten-
ton TO an anon0mons correspondent who
gets hearing In another newspaper.
while he hides himself from the public
under fictitious signature. But writer
who seems to be one of those legal cranks
who are always seeing what nobody else
sees, over the aboriginal name Of Norum-
bega. in the Portland Press, as thoroughly
misquotes and misinterprets what this
paper has said as he radically misrepre-
sents and misinterprets the constitution
and the laws of Maine as to the right and
power of the people to elevate TO the
Governorship a gentleman who has been
Treasurer. Nothing more conciusively
proves the utter absurdity of Norumbega's
extraordinary theory than his long,
tortuous, crotchety communication which
persistently argues that the people of
Maine for nearly seventy years were in
sublime ignorance on subject as 10 which
he is so wise. In the entire period of years
since Maine became a State, she has
had several thousands Of legislators
many able Governors and learned
Judges, yet none of them until nov
ever heard of this remarkable theory of
Norumbega, as to the inability of citizen
to terminate his duties in one office and
assume the responsibilities of another. In
the Constitution and in the Revised
Statutes there is not line, Il word. or an
implication sustaining the peculiar con-
tention of Norumbega. A, early "a in De-
cember next Governor Marble and Coun-
ell, according to the requirements Of the
law, will appoint Committee of three to
examine and settle the accounts of the
present Treasurer, and after many days
of careful and patient service they will
make sworn report of their doings to
the Governor and Council, which shall be
entered on the records of the Governor
and Council and filed in the Office of the
Secretary of State. Practically that is the
final and only settlc;r: ~. of the Treasures
accounts. Suppose the same gentleman
in 1889 shall become Governor. Does he
appoint any persons to audit his accounts
as the former Treasurer during 1889: All
he will have to with those accounts will
be simply to be the formal agent by which
these already adjusted accounts shall be
placed in the lands of the Legislature of
1899.
But among the curiosities which have
been spun out of Norumbega's eccentric
brain, is the remarkable statement that
when Governor Arson p. Morrill, APP
pointed temporary Commissioner, "those
,rere revolutionary times" Arson Z.
Morrill, was one of the best business men,
and one of the ablest Governors Maine
ever had, and his Council was and is con-
coded to have been never surpassed in
ability, financial capacity and character
among whom were Abner Coburn, Marshall
| Cram, Charles Danforth, for the past
twenty years, one Of the Supreme Judges
of the State. and the remaining four OF
their associates were among the leading
cltlZcus VI MAINE. III VIII DE dulllllttu
that Lot NJ. Morrill, knew something about
law and safe tinanciering. While he was
Governor the Deputy Treasurer acted as
Commissioner of the Treasury for severa
weeks. The two Governors Morrill,, theil
Councils, and the Legislatures who acted
with them, may not have been SO deeply
versed in law as Norumbega, but they
managed to get on.
| Practically so far as the publicis concern
ed the question resolves itself into this
Are Governor Marble and his Council tC
be trusted to appoint the Committee. as
the law provides, and to see to it that the
funds of the State and all official papers
relating thereto are safely passed over to
the Legislature of 1889 and the new Treas
urcr elect. At most and in any possible
view of it, were Mr.. Burleigh to be elected
and to assume the Governorship, and were
it deemed expedient and necessary fol
him to resign, the Treasurership it would be
a matter of form, covering only a
few hours and causing no complication
nor delay, while the Treasury and all its
papers would be perfectly secured in the
way and manner the law and established
usage clearly define. A leading New
England newspaper edited with marked
ability, which cares nothing about any OF
the gubernatorial candidates. well remarks
that Norumbega's twaddle about the legal
inability Of Mr.. Burleigh to accept the
Governorship, is the laughing stock of
sensible men.