Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-08

! and Council had no right to go be-
mind the votes cast and count out
Republicans on charges of intimida-
ton and bribery, but it was thought
by many they We're resolved to ar
rive at a like result in another way,
namely by way of instances where
the town officers had failed to comply
with the requirements respecting the
recording and reporting of the votes 3;
and so hoped to seat a Fusion Legis-
! Iature that would elect Smith Gov
ernor. The Republicans assumed
! that the great question at issue was
opportunity for another stolen Leg
islature" to elect United States
Senator to succeed Senator Hamlin;
| that the right to choose Presidential
| electors would be taken from the
people and vested in the Legislature.
That such conditions and opinions
should breed and disseminate rumors,
intensity partiZan zeal offer oppor-
tunlty for demagoguery and deviltry
and infame the public mind almost
| to the point of civil war is nowise
difficult to understand. That with a
less restrained people civil war would
have resulted, despite all the efforts
to prevent. is logical conclusion.
Various attempts by Republicans
to examine the returns were ineffec-
tive. even that to secure a manda :
mus. December II the Governor and
| Council announced the result of their
examination OF the returns. The re-
ports OF the election officers had Civ
en- the Republicans a majority in the
senate Of seven, in the House of 20.
/ The Governor and Council found a
! Fusion majority Of II with II vacan-
| cies.
Meetings Of protest throughout the
State followed. In Augusta, Rev. H.
w. Tilden, pastor of the Baptist
church lectured on the subject, de-
claring that mob violence would set
tie nothing whatever, but open, sys-
tematic war would il it must be
had The Democrats were equally
determined in support of the fusion,
declaring they were following Re-
publican precedents. The bitterness
i increased.
Apprehension and fighting talk
kept the pace. On Christmas morn
ing the Governor requested a ship
ment of arms and ammunition from
| the arsenal in Bangor, which was
stopped, the people threatening trou
BILE and the mayor of that city not
guaranteeing the safety Of the prop
erty. Later, Dec. 80. arms and am
munition were taken from there to
Augusta. The Governor was urged
by his friends to call out the militia,
but wisely refrained from doing So
but unwlsely, as a substitute meas
ure, called about him force of 100.
armed and equipped and sworn TO
IN
berlain urged the Governor to accept
the advice Of Hon. Lot. NJ. Morrill, to
submit the legality of the pending
claims to the Supreme Court. Just
prior to going out of office the Coy
ernor summoned General Chamber
lain to the capital ito protect the
public property and institutions of
the State until my successor is duly
qualified.
Here was a very disturbing state
Of affairs: the State government go
ing out of office, no Legislature to
choose q successor, but instead two
rival bodies, each making claim On
power to exercise the functions of a
Legislature. The General found the
State House barricaded and dismiss
ed the force assembled there. He
called on Charles f. Nash, then
mayor of Augusta-'a level-headed
and Independent man"-to exercise
civil authority, which he did, with
headquarters at the Capitol.
1t is said that many of the far
sighted in both parties gave synpa-
thy and moral support to General
Chamberlain. On the other hand at
tempts We're made by the extremists
to undermine his authority. his
course pleasing neither of the rad
ical belligerents. Adventures, some
frCm other states, were assembling
In Augusta SO as to be in for the
"scrimmage". What was believed
plot to assassinate Mr.. Blaine was
discovered, and an assault on the
Fusionists by fighters representing
the Republicans was predicted.
Smith announced his election as
Governor and revoked the trust plac-
ell in General Chamberlain's hands.
but General Chamberlain refused to
recognize such assumption of author
ity Finally the Supreme Court act
ed, proclaiming as guiding princi-
pic that the will OF the people should
not be defeated by techicalities or
the errors of the officers, that various
constitutional and legal provisions
regarding the making up of returns
were directory only and that com
pliance with them was not necessary
to the validity of the returns. A way
for sanity to prevail was so afforded.
When the Fusionists attempted to
organize the House Eugene Hale,
later elected u. S. Senator. attended.
He made a motion to admit members
from cities excluded from represen-
tation by the action of the Governor
and Council. The presiding officer
ruled the motion out of order after a
long brilliant speech by Mr.. Hale,
ana refused to put it to a vote. The
Republicans refraincd from further
action. Governor GarcelOn proceed
ed to qualify the members Of the Flu
sion Legislature and said he put into
their hands the opinion of the Court.
General Chamberlain refused to
recognize as acting Governor, Mr..
Lamson whom the Fusionists had
chosen president Of the Senate,
neither would he recognize Mr..
Locke, whom the Republican senate
had chosen for president. At this
time, according to the record, Joseph
r. Bodwell, afterward Governor, APP
peared at the Capitol with some fifty
of his granite workers armed with
pistols. 1t is said he was finally in