Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-17

publican or q Progressive. / stand to
exercise my right as an American cit
zen, elected to represent certain
constituency in this body | viii no.
attempt to play upon your emotiona
with stories, but I will endeavor TO say
what ! have TO say in a fair and i'm
partial manner
This is an important question. wheth-
or or not three or four men within this
body have a perfect right to sit and
act with us; and | for one, regardless
of politics, want to lay aside our po-
liticai faiths and act upon this ques-
ton as American citizens should act.
as enc should do by his neighbour, the
fair, square and just thing. | am will
ing to rest my case upon the Consttu-
ton. and If You will bear with me a
moment you will find there we have
certain free and inalienahle rights; one
of them is TIE freedom of speech, and
another is that when anyone is accused
of crime he shall not be convicted
without a fair and impartial trial; in
that case If he has only his clothes
upon his back our Constitution pro
vides that he shall be furnished with
means To procure witnesses and cotn-
sci.
New, gentlemen, let us rest upon
This Constitution. There seems 10 be
miS-conception about the word
pest officers" placed there 50 or 30
years ago. Men who are lawyers
know that We must interpret words
and phrases as they were accepted at
the time they were used, and as my
II. NJ . /,
stated Yesterday that a member@of
that constitutional convention which
met and framed this Constitution was
also 4 member Of the next Legislature
and was postmaster, | submit to you.
gentlemen, that he must have known
at that time better than we know here
today what the Interpretation of the
word post Officer meant. It makes
no difference to me whether my friend
from RaHgeley 6Mr. Mathiesau) votes
against me in a Senatorial contest or
not; ] aen't care; / want to see fair
play.
Let us look at this question fairly
and squarely; and when the Consti-
tuition Of our sister state in 1S29 says
postmaster excepted, = framed three
y Seli = leitAit WHY 1911 II SbDh ldltfl 10
believe that they simply transferred
the obsolete term of post officer" into
the more modern term of postmaster
II makes no difference to mo whether
this information is brought by a cor
pnration lawyer or by the smallest
lawyer in the State of Maine, if il is
correct. And SO. gentlemen, in the
settlement Of this question let rs lay
aside party affiliations and be honest
men. Let us put this up to our su-
preme court, and if We have not con-
hdenee in the supreme court of the
State of Maine, let us every one accept
Theodore Roosevelt's proposition for
the recall Of judges.
Two years hence When this august
body assemblies. if l do mistake my
il will be necessary To in
terpret this Constitution judciallv. be-
cause | think have reason to believe
that there will be a great mass of
Pestmasfers and post officers in Maine
who will be affiliated with the Demo-
cratic party Let lis safeguard thcir
interest then, and these gentlemen
nov. | will not vote To unseat my
Brother Farrar, Democratic. Republi-
can or Progressive, | care not which.
upon the Interpretation of only one or
two members of this House We are
III peculiar position; we are Judge
and jury This matter was brought in
here upon us quickly and | am not
going To say whether it was for poll
tical purposes or not: hut we have an
opportunity now IL do the fair. square
4 hAn l. 4 NJ
| want 10 do, regardless Of any party
If we are not broad-mind-
ed enough 10 come down here and
serve our constituents without first
when a measure of anything
like this is presented is this a Demo-
cratic measure. 4 Republican measure
or Progressive measure" then, gen
tlemen, we are not fiji to fill the seats
which we now occupy (Applause.)
Mr.. DUNTON of Belfast: Mr.
Speaker and gentlemen of the House,
II was far from my intention when |
came to this House this morning to
address You upon this question. but it
has taken a turn which makes me
think it is my duty to speak my mind
in relation to the phase of it last dis
cussed.
There seems TO be a feeling and an
opinion on the part Of those who have
last spoken that. Notwithstanding this
House is the judge ef the qualifica-
tons of its members and in that re-
speet the highest authority TO which
constitutional questions can be sub
mitted, nevertheless. recognizing tha.
there is Il difference of opinion and an
honest difference of opinion. if we may
believe some of the Republican mem
bers who have last spoken. and ae-
cept that as the opinion of the other
Republican members here, and the
others who have not expressed their
opinion, that the Democratic members
and the Progressive member who voted