Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-05-26
A Legal Crank.

Ii is not our prie riee to pay any atten-
ton to an anonymous 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 Norumbega
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
Goyernorship gentleman who has been
Treasurer. Nothing more conclusively
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 a subject as TO which
he is so wise. In the entire period of years
since Maine became a State, she has
many able Governors and learned
Judges, yet none of them until now
ever heard of this remarkable theory of
Norumbega, as to the inability of citizen
assume the responsibilities of another In
the Constitution and in the Revised
Statutes there is not line, a word, or an
implication sustaining the peculiar con-
tention of Norumbega. As early as in
December next Governor Marble and
Council, 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 settlement of the
Treasurer's accounts. Suppose the same
gentleman in 1889 shall become Governor.
Does he appoint any person to audit his
accounts as the former Treasurer during
1889? All he will have to do with these ac-
counts will be simply to be the formal
agent by which these already adjusted ac-
counts shall be placed in the hands of the
Legislature of 1889.
But among the curiosities which have
Of
brain, is the remarkable statement that
when Governor Arson p. Morrill, appoint
ed temporary Commissioner, ''those
,cere revolutionary times" AnsonP. Nor
rill was one of the best business men. and
one of the ablest Governors Maine ever
had, and his Council was and is conceded
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
citizens of Maine. Ii will be admitted
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 several
weeks. The two Governors Morrill,.
their Councils. and the Legislatures who
acted with them, may not have been 50
they managed to get on.
Practically so far as the public is con-
cerned the question resolves itself into
this-Are Governor Marble and his
Council to be trusted to appoint the Com
mittee, as the law provides, and to see to il
that the funds of the State and all official
papers relating thereto are safely passed
over to the Legislature of 1889 and the
new Treasurer elect. At most and in any
possible view of it, were Mr.. Burleigh to
be elected and to assume the Governor
ship, and were it deemed eXpedient and
necessary for him to resign the Treasurer
ship, it would be IA matter of form, cover.
ing only few hours and causing no
complication nor delay, while the Treasury
and all its paper would be perfectly
secured in the way and manner the law
and established usage clearly define. \
leading New England newspaper edited
with marked ability, which cares nothing
about any of the gubernatorial candidates,
well remarks that Norumbegas twaddle
about the legal inability of Mr. Bureigh
to accept the Governorship. is the laugh
ing stock of sensible men.