The Portland daily press., 1895-05-28
many sympathizers, and as they sat IN
group round him, they made good deal
of stir 1Nhnn fho,r asst, ..l...l

many sympathizers, and as they sat n lai q
group round him, they made good deal
of stir when they appiauded
| Having brought these matters to
your attentlon, my fellow citizens salu
MI Corbett, the conclusion must pe
that this charter has never been accepted
and thai all the acts done under 1t are
void and of no binding force whatever.
| cloud applause.
IAN eminent lawyer has said that this
matter cannot be settled without ref
erence to the courts and that is where 1T
| belongs.
$50 confident am l that I am right
that standing here on this floor tonight
openly denounce this charter as un-
| constitutional and it's acceptance illegal,
| (applause), and / challenge discussion
through the public press
'That this ring influence in the past
has always done as it has mind too, |
admit a,1 Perhaps it may, now. Applause. J
/. This open disregard of the rights of
the people of this village has no parallel
in any other municipality. Let there
be no appropriation made to night (And
none legally can be. You may
BULLDOZE IT THROUGH,
but it will not bear the light of legal
investigation.) Let no appropriation be
made and these bondholders must take
the initiative If a man says you owe
him $40, you make him prove it. The
people can then act together in defence of
their God given rights, and this matter
may be settled in the courts where it be-
longs. " Applause.
Barrett Potter, ESQ.,, next took the
floor, and his reply to Mr.. Corbett was
both entertaining and instructive. He
said he could not think this crazy and
insulting proposition would be serious
ly considered. 1t was in part to repu-
diate debt already contracted The
honest people of Brunswick believed in
paying what they owed. (Applause.
No lawyer in Maine had given an opin-
ion supporting the propositions just laid
down as law (Applause). George Cor
bett mentions no nalne because he can
mention none
do not believe that extended argum ent
is needed to answer this nonsense, but it
may be well enough to say little some
thing so that no one shall think there is
anything in it. AS to the check list
How could a check list be made for a
corportion that hadn't been formed? The
meeting had to see for itself that only
those entitled to participate in the
told George S. Corbett that check list
must be used when a check list could
not be had I do not propose to follow
Mr.. Corbett through what he calls his
constitutional agreement. Neither the
national or state constitutions denies
the right of aliens to vote in such mu-
nicinal affairs as are comprehended in
this charter. AS matter of fact no
aliens voted at the meeting for the ac-
ceptance of the charter but assuming that
they had they would have had the right.
the obvious intent of the legislature as
the charter showed, being that the alien
residents should be entitled to vote in
all proceedings under it, both before and
after its acceptance
Mr.. Potter then
BACKED UP THESE STATEMENTS
with some authority. The whole matter
had been submitted last year to Judge
Walton, and he had given an opinion,
unofficial of course, that the charter and
the proceedings under it were perfectly
legal. This opinion he had since reiter-
ated. An official Opinion had been
secured from Judge Haskell, for he had
approved it in writing the bylaws
adopted at this first meeting which Mr.
Corbett claims was Illegal When the
bonds of the corporation were taken by
the Portland Trust Company, Hon.
Charles +. Libby had also passed
upon the question and found
everything legal Mr. Potter
was also Informed that Judge
Walton's opinion was the same as that
held by the supreme court in the con-
struction of law, although they had never
had occasion to embody it in an opinion.
Mr.. Potter's Eremarks were loudly ap-
plauded, and in concluding he told a
story of that Congressional door keeper
whom we will call X. Y, q. He thought
he was bigger man than Old Grant
but he found that what Old Grant said
was likely to go. We have our X. Y. H.,
| who may think he knows more law than
the Supreme court, but he may find that
what the court says goes. Loud laughter
greeted this sally.
81 care nothing about his
INSULTING AND PERSONAL RE-
MARKS"
exclaimed Mr.. Corbett. "I would not if
1 could take him from the grandeur of
his greatness nor the seventh heaven of
his self esteem. But the statement that
Judge Walton has given an opinion I pro-
nounce false and revolving to truth, and
challenge him to produce that opinion
in writing"
Prof. Robinsons amendment to raise
$50, 900 was adopted 131 to 81, and the re-
suit was greeted with cheers. 1t was
then voted to issue thirty one thousand
dollar bonds, bearing four per cent in
terest, payable semi-annually.