Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-03-25

Wnen eoneldef the futehef loc9 that 10
those honest convictions I and every othe
member Of those "a has been abused. in
sultsd and vih0ei. II this bill had been IL
the interest Of reform, to prevent bribery
and intimidation l submit that il would havs
been presented and argued on the floor oi
this House without violating the broad psin,
eiples that they say that the bill 10 intended
to guard against. When il has been an
nounced that member has been aeainsi
this bill, il has been the signal for TRADE
OF abuse upon him. and upon some Of thess
i questions l wish to speak and about come
OF these papers l wish to say . word
myself, in common with "a other
men, whom am glad to call my
associates, acting upon our couvic
tons and under the responsibility
Of our oaths voted against this bill. There
10 paper in Portland-the Eastern Argus
which has borne The envious title Of
Lying Argus" for 1--WE and twenty years
or more, paper that in times past has A.
tempted to fill this House with members in
the seatsto which they were not elected, a
paper which through all ito years Of publi-
| cation has been the champion Of wrong and
wickedness. that paper 10 its attempt to
pass this Republican measure, % it is
called. takes the opportunity to abuse men,
| bers.who have served upon this floor, and
goes to the extent Of going back to the
boyhood Of the member who now addresses
you, circulating = story that should have
| no tendency to influence your opinion. II
goes beyond that. Ii viliAes the members
at every possible point. and then We are
asked to pass this bill in the interest Of re-
form and - Republican measure. Worst
Of all, gentlemen Of the House. this State
paper. the KENNEBnc JOURNAL, the paper
that We have been asked to support, the
paper that lives upon the patronage and
upon taxes that are levied upon the State
Of Maine. has pursued in this matter, A. il
seems to me, course that has been unbe-
coming and undignifsd. Alter the second
vote was taken it published in its columns =
little item taken from the Press, q paper
published in some other State, l think,
wherein the statement IL made. cold and
cruel, tha. the "A men who voted against
this ballot bill belong to those elements Of
the party which disgrace and discredit II,
placing upon us gentlemen OF this House,
who have the courage of our convictions
and l thank Tod that}I have mine-so
far as it could the stamp Of infamy, Of
wickcdness and of wrong. This item pub
lished in the kENNEBEc JOURNAL without
comment, by implication l maintain, has
the approval Of that journal. This item
was calculated to influence the vote Of this
House, but will il influence honest, reason
able men that they are called names that
they never thought to bear, that they are
subjected TO abuse that they do not now and
never observed? In spite Of all the attempts
at retaliation. in spite Of all arguments
ray this kEsNEHEc JOURNAL is A. much
responsible for that statement affecting the
honesty and the purity and the character of
the members Of this House 40 though 1t
originally appeared therein. But thi. not
all of the many things tha. hsve been done
to influence us here upon this floor. There
has been brought 60 bear = pressure
such rs have never seen before. That
pressure has not come alone from persons
not in office. 1t 10 not alone friendly ad-
vice, which we are all bound to receive. 1t
hiss come from persons in high office. II
hiss come in a way, submit, gentlemen of
this House, that it not only ought not infla
ence US, but it ought to cause us to be careful
instead that we do not err. II comes, As l
submit, gentlemen, aud As believe can
prove. from source and in way that l
am bound to weigh it well before l allow 1t
to irtiuence me and change my vote. We
find in the Kenne5ec JOURNAL this remark
able statement: I'VE think that the
editor Of the Bangor Wing is mistaken in
believing that Gov. Burleigh told him he
should undertake to Influence no member
of the Legislature upon the Australian
ballot question" Now ! wish 10 say with
csndor to the members upon the floor Of
this House that while there 10 and can be
no member upon this floor who has more
respect for the office OF the Chief Msgis-
trase Of this State than l myself, still !
must say in justice to myself that have
the right and all you members have the
right to insist upon discharsing our duties
according to our oaths and our sense Of
responsibility, without any interference on
the part Of Chief Magistrate Of the State or
of any other state.
hold, gentlemen of the House, taking
that for a confession that the Governor Of
this State has been attempting to in 4 uence
members of this House and to affect
their action upon this question and
coupling it with the further evi
dence that is produced ~and with the
knowledge that more than one member on
the floor of this House has say that de-
precate 1t. l am isorry that the chief mag
istrate of this State thought 1t to be his
duty beyond his proclamation to influence
legislation upon this subject. That he has
made such promise there is no doubt.
That he has stated to the chairman Of the
committee on State printing and binding
when he would seek to expedite
the signing Of q printing contract that
he would interfere with no man upon the
floor his Excelency himself would not
deny, because he knows it to be true. Thxt
he has stated to the cbsirmau Of the judici-
ary committee that he would not attempt to
itfilenca legislation he will not deny,
because it is uue. That he has stated to the
editor Of the Bangor Whig the same thing
he himself would not deny because he knows
that 1t is true. Now / submit to the mem.
bsrs Of tlis House that this interference
with the province and the duties of the
members here 10 unwarfanted and that far
from haviog the effect thR. it is intended to
have it will make US long hesitate before
we change our votes. We are members of
an Independent, in 4 sense coordinate
branch OF this government. We have 10
perform independent functions, Independent
duties devolve upon Us, Independent re-
spoDsibilities hang over us and that being
SO, we are responsible to our oa'hs and our
consciences and net to the oath and the
conscience Of the Chief Magistrate Of
'h,s State, or any other person
| submit fn'the' than that that there is just
as much impropristy in another branch Of
the government attempting to influence our
action here as there would be in attempting
to Influence the action Of the Supreme
Court OF this State. A remarkable argu-
ment that has been urged and 10 in the air,
is that we should not vote against thi,
measure because it is making great head.
way and great progress here on the floor.
They ssy it has passed in the SENATE
Therefore we should all fall in line and
v0te for Whit our conscisnces condemn,
vote for what our judgment tells us 10 no,
necessary. The kErSEREc JOURNAL say.
in qlotI1g from another paper--alwAy.
qnoang-tbat already % states have adopted
IRE Australian system. Suppose AZ states
sd0psed the Australian system, is that AT
argument unsnsvefable Why We should
use it here' believe /. is and
has been shown that il there i,
any system under which bribery
snd fraud can thrive and flourish it is this
II is said that there is q sentiment for it
and that Republicans ought to pass il. Ny
answer il that Republicans do not ask it.
cannot believe when 1 see . solid opposition
compromising the whole State Of Maine ad-
vocating this thst /. is Republican meas
u,e. We do claim that the mass Of Repub-
licans, the Republicans who vote then
tickets and who do not ssssssinate caodi-
dates ave opposed to this bill, After week,
OF cor fret agsinst the vote of Republican
msjorisy OF this House, there has beer
forced upon us from the other branch