 Bruce was followed by Lawrence N. Maxwell , counsel for Beckham . Maxwell reiterated that the General Assembly had acted within its enumerated powers under the state constitution in deciding the outcome of the disputed election . He claimed that the decision of the state court of appeals made it clear that Taylor had not been legally elected governor , and therefore never possessed the property he was now claiming had been taken from him without due process . Maxwell further asserted that this disposed of any federal questions with regard to the case , and that the Supreme Court could claim no jurisdiction . The decision of the state court of appeals should be allowed to stand , he concluded . Lewis McQuown further argued on behalf of Beckham that , even if Taylor 's claim to the governorship were legitimate , the investigation and decision by the General Assembly 's contest committee represented sufficient due process . He acknowledged that the Goebel Election Law 's provision that the legislature be the arbiter of any contested gubernatorial election differed little if at all from provisions in as many as twenty other states . If the Goebel Election Law was constitutional , as it had before been declared , then the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction regarding how it had been administered . 
