Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-05-26
Another Word On the Gubernatorial
Candidacy.

another Word On the GubernatoIial
Candidacy.
In the earnest canvass for the Reputli-
can gubernatorial nomination in thi. State.
made by the friends of the several candi-
dates, we have endeavored TO say only
what is absolutely truthful and in good
temper, constantly governed by a due re-
gard to the harmony of the party. 1t is
deeply to be regretted that some of the
supporters of the other candidates have
seen tit to attack the candidacy of Mr..
Burleigh with the same bitter asperity
with which Democratic partisans often
assail Republican candidates. Among the
most Objectionable kinds of assault. and the
son,is the asserted assumption that il is not
proper for gentleman who now holds
the office of Treasurer to terminate that
office and be promoted by the people to
the office of Governor. In our article of
May l5, we said, what is known by every
intelligent citizen of the State, chat in the
entire period of nearly seventy years since
Maine became an independent common
wealth, "she has had several thousands of
legislators, many able Governors and
learned Judges, yet none of them until
now ever heard of this remarkable theory
of the inability of citizen TO terminate
one office and assume the responsibility
of another. In the Constitution and in
the Revised Statutes, there is not IA line,
nor word, nor an implication sustaining
this peculiar, this utterly absurd con
tention. Our attention has been called to
the following statement of j. W. Fair
banks, published in the Pennington
Chronicle, and republished in the Port
land Press:
'Mr. Burleigh is now Treasurer of the
State, and his term of office does not expire
until his accounts are audited by committee
which is to be chosen when the Legislature
meets in January, 1889. The time required
for settlement is about two weeks, and the
Treasurer's bond holds good until a new
Treasurer is elected and qualified, and his
bond accepted"
Mr.. Fairbanks is evidently unaware of
the present law and usage touching the
examination and settlement of the
Treasurer's accounts. As we said in
ii former article on this point, as early
as in December next Governor Marble
and Council, according to the requirements
OF the law, will appoint a 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 a sworn statement of their do
ings 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
in 1889. Does he have the appointment of
anybody to audit or in any way to pass up
an his accounts while he was Treasurer:
Not at all. He will be simply the formal
agent to place the papers of the already
adjusted accounts in the hands of the
Legislature of 1889. Therefore. so far rs
the public is concerned, the question re-
solves itself into this, and nothing more
are Governor Marble and his Council a
body of seven men chosen by the Legis-
lature, to be trusted to appoint the Com
Alttee, as the law expressly provides, am
to see to it that the funds of the State ana
all official papers relating thereto are
safely passed over to the Legislature of
1888 and the new Treasurer
elect Should it be found cxpedicnt or
necessary for Mr.. Burleigh to resign the
Treasurership, it would be matter of
form, covering only a few hours, causing
no complication or delay whatever, the
law and past usage being perfectly clear
and free from all possible difficulty and
Inconvenience.
Instead of it being uniting or unseenly
for one who has been Treasurer to be pro-
NOTED to the Governorship, there is no
other official position in the State well and
faithfully filed, whose experience
anu tlFu iiidliCitl Integrity
better qualify him to assume
the duties of State Executive. His known
careful attention to details, his iudcfatga-
Bile application to whatever business is
committed to his care, his strict financial
and personal integrity, thoroughly tested
and known in this vicinity, are among the
chief reasons why the Republicans of
Augusta and of kennebec county so gen.
orally favor his promotion to the Cover
norship. Certainly we have never been
accused of not knowing our duties as cti-
zens and as Republicans tolerably we'll
And we have no hesitation in
saying, that all inuendoes or implications
come from whatever source they may,
that Mr.. Burleigh neglects the duties of
his present office, and is not scrupulously
careful as to its proprieties and the inter
ests committed to his official charge, are
utterly without foundation, and are
specially in conflict with the repeated
statements of the supporters of other
candidates, that his special fitness for
the Treasurcrship, renders it inexpedient
to take him from that Office and to pro-
mote him to the Governorship for good
behavior.