Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1838-03-24

not within reach of the committee, leave
to prove its contents.
beg leave to call the particular atten-
ton Of the committee to these credentials,
as well as TO the Official act Of the Secreta-
nv OF State, inasmuch as they are the ex-
preston and assertion, by the people of
Mississippi, through the channels, and in
the manner prescribed by her laws, OF the
extent and character Of the election to
which they refer. And, also, inasmuch as
neither Of these acts of the constituted au-
thities of the State, proving distinctly the
character and extent Of the July election,
were before the committee, or known by
the House to exist when the claim Of
Messrs. Claibo ne and Gholson came UNI
der their cognizance at the special ses-
sion
IA. Messrs Claiborne and Gholson took
their seats at the special session, without
producing any credentials ofelection; and,
on the 18th September, Mr.. Gholson intro
duced the following resolution, which was
adopted by the House;
"ReSo2Ued, That the Committee Of Elec.
tons be instructed to report upon the GER
tifcate ofelection of Messrs. Claiborne and
GhoIson, the members elect from Missis-
sippi, whether they are members of the
25th Congress or not; and that said com
mittee take into their consideration tho
proclamation Of his excellency Charles
Lynch, Governor of said State, and the
writ of election issued in accordance with
said proclamation, on the 18th day of June,
1887, and, also, the act Of the Legislature
Of the State of Mississippi, entitled Gan act
to regulate elections approved March 2,
1888" Upon this reference neither the
official act Of the Secretary of State, In
making publication of the result OF the
election, nor any credentials from the Gov
ernor of the State, nor Of any certificate
whatever of their election, was produced
before the committee.
Is. The only evidence OF their election,
produced by Messrs. Claiborne and Ghol-
son before the committee, whose examine
ton of their credentials they have volunta-
rily solicited, consisted ola detailed state
ment Of the vote Of the several counties,
returned into the office of Secretary OF
State, and by him certified TO be correct
This certificate, not of election, but OF the
I. vote returned, contained no Limitation OF
+ the term of service; while the credentials
required by law, and which were issued
r nv the Governor, within the control OF the
& geuticuen, put NOT produced ooforo- tho
l. committee, were limited, and only assert
ed the gentlemen elected until the gener-
e al election in November.
In proof of the character OF the creden-
tials produced at the special session being
! as above set forth, appeal to the person
al knowledge OF the members OF the COM
! mittee, and request that the committee spe-
CITY, in their report ofthe facts now before
, them, such facts and evidence as were be-
fore them on the former occasion. deem
it important that the House should be IN
formed ofthe character and extent OF the
evidence upon which the report OF the COM
mittee and the action oil the House were
at that time predicated.
, Is. Upon the evidence produced before
the committee, as above stated, the COM
mittee reported the following resolution,
which was, after debate thereon, adopted
by the House:
, aReso1ped. That Samuel j. Gholson and
: John F. H. Claiborne are duly elected
a members of the 25th Congress, and as
q such are entitled to their seats"
n II. During the debate upon the above
!. resolution, parol proofs, or statements, al
q have been informed and believe, were
i made to the House in relation to said cleo
!. ton, strongly calculated to influence I'M
indictment and decision of the House. l
a such statements were made, they are 0
course within the knowledge of the com
i mittee. Whether parol evidence was CIV
!. en- either before the committee Oh IN
a House. as we'll as the character OF such ev
: idence. | consider important facts; and
the committee possess any information 0
,f this point, respectfully request that
. nav he communicated through their n
in port.
e. 18. | assert positively and unequlyoScsai
:, lv that the Governor Of the State OF MI
8; sissippi did not intend, in the writ issu,
ed by him, 10 direct an election to MI u
or whole unexpired term Of the 25th 20
nh qress. Neither did he intend to lnterie
nv with or annul the next regular NoyemD
- election for Representatives to sad 70
re- oress. as provided for by law; but ne ON !,
nm intended to direct an election 10 III, :; :,
hat term until the regular November e , ",
NV Annie proofof this appears upon the ia u
- &c the writ itself, as well as upon y
tie credentials Issued by him amer lnG eie
his lion; upon both of which inc eloo',v r :,
err expressly limited to that Por''o" VI V
not term above specified. -,
on 10. assert further, that me people
" - State or Mississippi did not intend
Ss vote nor did they believe they had vote
o ~ A. he July election, for Representatives
On on Gil The whole term of the 25th Congre
III. then unexpired; but they intended TO 70