Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-02

N'''''
| approved,
Papers from the lloQse disposed Of in
concurrence.
From the House: Resolve IN favor of
the adoption of an address to The Gov
ernor of the removal of Lewis w Moul-
ton, sheriff of Cumberland county.
In the Senate this resolve was adopt
ed and sent down for concurrence. II
came back from the House amended by
the adoption of House Amendment y,
In the Senate House Amendment \ was
Indefinitely postponed in non-eoncur-
renee.
The order came from the House. that
branch insisting upon lis former action
and asking for Il committee Of confer
ence.
Mr. uERSEY of Aroostook: Mr..
President. | have no objection. in one
sense, to the appointment of commit
tee of conference. 1t has been dope Il
great many times, during the present
session. ! do not know but that it is
the only thing we can do in the course
of procedure. But il seems To me. Mr..
President, that we ought at this time To
and know where We are.
few days ago the Governor of this
state submitted to the Legislature Ger
tain charges or evidence in his posses
sion against one of the sherifTs of this
State. the sheriff of Cumberland coun-
ty. He set forth fully in his message
to this Senate and to this Legislature
his reasons for doing so, clearly, hon
estlY, squarely. He did it because he
believed it to be his duty as a Governor
of great State. when the people ap-
pealed to him that the law was being
violated and the Chief Executive of the
State had the responsibility under the
Constitution To see that the laws were
enforced. He set forth. as YOU senators
recall. in his message to US at the or
ganization of this Legislature, his at
ttude in regard to the prohibitory law
and to the nullincation OF it in the State.
He gave due and sufficient warning to
law-breakers in the State of Maine and
to public officials in the State of Maine
who had the duty and the responsibility
of the enforcement of the law. as to
his, the Governors attitude, should they
persist in violating the law.
Three months, Mr. President. have
gone by. passed into hstory,-three
months In which officers who had the
enforcement of the law in their hands
could have adapted themselves to the
Governors message And after three
montAs the Governor claims that there
is evidence thrust upon him by the peo
pie of the State, which he cannot put
aside. (which he cannot ignore, which
he must do something with, and he sub
mits-it to the Legislature to investigate
this evidence. to investigate these
charges agains these officials.
He says that he has one case, he
thinks, complete. which is the ease
against the sheriff of Cumberland He
says he has other evidence which he is
likely to submit further on-open and
squapc about it,
The Senate did what under the Con-
stitution ii must do, at that time, and
l want to read the Constitution to YOU
Doubtless many of you are familiar
with it. as to our duty.
section s. Every person holding any
civil office under this State, may be re-
moved by Impeachment. for INSIDE
meanor in Office We are not proceed
ing under impeachment proceedings but
we are proceeding under this section.
And every person holding any Office,
may be removed by the Governor, with
the advice of the Council, on the adj
dress of both branches OF the Legisa
ture. But before such address shall
pass either House the causes of removal
shall be stated and entered on the jour
= i,, i,.l ip,in tod
and Il copy thereof served on the person
in office. that he may be admitted to a
hearing in his defence"
Following the constitution, this Sem
ate in solemn session, after hearing the
address of the Governor, drew up a res
olution which was the embodiment of the
charges submitted by the Governor, and
the only charges on which he could be
tried and will be tried, and sent that res |
olution, with committee appointed, to |
the House for concurrence And it SEEM |
ed to us that the duty of the House was
plain to adopt that resolution which |
had originated in the Senate and become |
a part of the records in the Senate, en- |
dorse the order for the committee, APP
point the House members of the COM |
mttee; and then under the constitution. |
a copy of these charges, copy of that
resolution. should be served on the sher-
in of Cumberland county, and he be di-
rected to appear at the bar of the Senate |
and the House in joint session and an
swer to the charges that had been made.
And that procedure was the same that
Continued on Page Four.)
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