Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-08
Civil War Once Threatened the Commonwealth
OF Maine in the Hectic Days OF the count OUT

believed they remained within call.
At this time there was a report of
plot to kidnap General Chamberlain.
On Jan. IS Mr.. Lamson informed
the Supreme Court he was acting as
Governor. On the 18th he directed
Sheriff Libby of this county to dis
miss his deputies guarding the pub
lie buildings. The sheriff refused to
accept the order. On the 10Th the
Fusion legislature chose Smith for
Governor. Then the Court replied to
the questions of the Republican leg
islature by q decision in it's favor
and Jan. 18th that Legislature chose
Davis for Governor and General
Chamberlain recognized him as such.
The deputy secretary Of state under
Garcelon refused to give up the State
seal. The Observation-Disclosures Chron-
icie declared the State House should
be taken if it cost a thousand men.
Reports came in of men being drilled
in several places in the State. Jan.
% the Capital Guards were called
out. joined later by the Gardiner
Light Infantry, and the following day
the Auburn Light Infantry and the
Androscoggin Light Artillery came
over. On the 9th the Court reply
ing to questions amplifed it's previ-
GUS opinion that the Republican Or
saniZation of the Legislature was
legal The next day the Fusion
Legislature adjourned until Aug. /.
All the militia went home Jan. 80
and the committee of investigation
began it's work. Most people breath
u
phurously, but the crisis was passed
and Names generations to come
have cause to be glad that it was so.
All this is but an outline of one of
the Severest tests ever encountered
by the civil government of northern
Stale. Those who wish to become
we'll acquainted with Names history
should read the records for them
selves.
Throughout that troubled time ex-
citing incidents were plentiful. Gen.
erai Chamberlain relates an exciting
moment, when a member Of his staff
at the Capitol rushed in saying there
was mob out in the rotunda wait
ing to kill him. He went out and
faced them, as might be expected of
one whose conspicuous gallantry
never failed on many fields in the
Rebellion. Men, you wish to kill
me. l hear, and then he told them
why he was there and what it was
his purpose to do, concluding: II am
here for that, and I shall do it. If
anybody wants to kill me for it, here
I am. Let him KILL" throwing open
his coat and facing them, when a
grisled veteran of the war rushed to
his side from out the crowd, which
melted away.
The Kennebec Journal of Jan. 2, |
1S80--and by the way the files Of the
Journal of that date contribute a
fund of information respecting con-
dtionS then eXisting-had an edi- |
torial, Arms at the CapitoW. 1t says: !
"r'or the first time in the history OF
our State the State House is convert /
ed into an arsenal. and armed men ,
guard its portals, always before open
to receive citizens who visited it for
business or for pleasure. Yesterday
our carrier boy, bearing his custom
airy papers to the State House, was
halted by a sentinel with a musket,
and refused admittance even to dis
tribute copies of the kennebec
Journal which he carried" Surely
here was text for sermon on how !
one wrong begets another which the
writer did not neglect.
In a speech at Ellsworth Hon. Eu- |
gene Hale spoke of the State House !!
barricaded by the Montgomery |
his speech being reported in !
the Journal The editor of that |
paper on the following day asked: /
"Have We a Governor" concluding |
we hadn't. He also writes: 1.-THE !
great need of the Pillsbury- Garcelon |
just now is to see an !
armed man intent on breaking into i
the State House" Jan. 5th the |
Journal prints the opinion Of the !
Court in answer to Governor Garce- |
Ions questions and commends it, and |
says the Governor made wise and |
timely concession to the popular de- |
mand" when he submitted the ques-
lions. The following day it describ-
cd The Jam Breaking. declaring |
that fraud cannot succeed. Next day |
it speaks of 1.-The Mock legislature.
Then it exhorts the Republicans to
STAND Fast, Stand Firm, next day
to have patience, and the following
day in commencing General Cham
berlain the Journal declares: Truth
and fairness are coming to the
front" Needless to say sarcastic
comments are found in the Journals
daily report of the proceedings Of the
mock legislature. On January 10
tho editor had an opportunity to say:
Daniel f. Davis is Governor by the
grace Of God and the stalwart efforts
put forth to defeat the wicked con-
spiracy intended to overthrow him
ana the liberties of the people"
In this same editorial it pays tri-
butte to the services rendered through
out this great emergency by James
G. Blaine. Lot NJ. Morrill,, Orville D.
Baker. Eugene Hale, Joshua l..
Chamberlain. Charles Z. Nash. Sher-
if William Fl. Libby. Charles II.
White, Augustus city marshal, and
to all throughout the State who had
helped ito crush to naught the Great
Fraud" Later it commends 1.-The
noble, unselfish effort which J. r.
Bodwell of Hallowell made in behalf
of the Right" The New York Times
said: Maine seems to be a civilized
country, where bandits and swash-
bucklers have no place"
And that is a good name which
Maine will continue to cherish. One
dislikes to think of what might have
been had not Maine then shown that
her civilization is something to be
cherished and defended.