Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1839-01-04
VERMONT PmENIx.
Friday Morning, January 4, 1899.

of the Pennsylvania Legislature, are at length
brought to a close by most extraordinary
movement on the part Of the Senate. Last
week we recorded the vote OF that body, oy
which they solemnly declared, by large ma
iority, that the loco foco body pretending to
be the House of Representatives, had no ioun-
dation for their chim. Since then, the same
Senate, influenced by mob, threatening rev.
oluton, has, by majority of one decided TO
acknowledge the same House. Loco foco VI
olence has therefore triumphed, and we be-
hold the humiliating spectacle, OF a legislative
body in this republic, overawed and controlled
. BY mob of reckless and unprincipled men,
among whom were the U. S. Marshall for that
district, and clerk in the Philadelphia post
Office, retaners of the national administration.
As much has been written on this subject,
and as the loco foco papers Of course justify
these proceedings, we will give brief history
of the whole affair.
At the recent election Tor Member OF Con-
gress, and Senators and Representatives to
the State Legislature, from Philadelphia coun-
ty, Ingersol, the loco foco candidate for Con-
gress, finding that Naylor (Whig) was elected,
managed to procure the rejection of the returns
from a portion of the county, for alledged in
Formally, in consequence of which, he lin
gersoll) had nominal majority and received
a certificate of election. 1t so happened how
ever, that by rejecting these votes, the whole
Wing ticket for the Legislature had majority
of the votes counted. On the day Of the meet
ing of the Legislature, the Wing members
from Philadelphia county presented them
selves, and according 10 the return from the
Secretary Of Slate, were entitled, by all the
rules of parliamentary proceedings, to take
their seats and TO act. The Loco Foco cand-
dates however, from the same county, also
appeared and claimed their seats. When the
election of Speaker came on, each party reject
ing the votes of the members from Philadel phia
county Of opposite politics to their own, made
out majority for their own candidate. The
Wings chose Cunningham, and the Locos,
Hopkins. A separation followed, and SO
Wings counting the from Phia. met in one
place, and Sc Loco Focos counting those from
Phila. in another. Subsequently three mem
bers of the Wing house deserted to the enemy,
which gave the Loco Focos quorum Of ac-
knowledged members.
!. But the most outrageous part of the whole
affair, is the fact, that at the instgaton Of In
gersoll, and other leading men of that party, a
plan was adopted, and unfortunately but too
successfully carried into effect, to overawe
and control the Legislature by the presence Of
loco foco mob Of DULLES and cut throats from
Philadelphia, assembled at the seat of govern
ment and holding meetings at which the
most violent language was used, mingled with
threats against individual Wings, and actually
crowdng the Senate chamber and interrupting
the proceedings of that body, and all for the
purpose Of procuring hesadmisson of the loco
foco claimants from Phila. to seats in the
House, by the fear of revolution and blood
shed. Such in fact was the state of things,
that Mr.. Penrose, Speaker of the Senate, was
obliged from fear of assassination, for some
time TO absent himself from his place.
Now whatever may have been the merits of
the case in regard to the contested seats, one
thing is clear, that there is and can be no
ground for justification of the violent and rev.
.olutionary proceedings of the loco foco mob
We maintain that the Wing members from
Phila. having been returned as the members
elect, dgreeabiy to the Constitution, by the
Secretary of State, were entitled TO take their
seats, and to act as is always customary in
Legislative bodies, until committee is appoint
ed to investigate the subject and the house
shall decide thereupon. II was but lately that
in the Legislature of one of the States, Ohio
we think, Senator took his seat, which was
contested and the Senate not being able or
willing to decide upon the case, he held it till
near the close of the session. when it was de-
cded against him. So also in the case OF
members Of Congress. The returned member
takes his seat, and holds il till the house de-
eide that he is not entitled TO it, All will re-
collect several recent cases in which the seats
Of Representatives in Congress were contested
when the returned members sat and acted
during good part of the session, and finally
the house being unable or unwilling to decide
the case, referred the whole subject back tc
the people and the members vacated tbei
seats.
So also in this case, the only proper cours,
obviously was to allow the Wing members
from Phila. TO take their seats. until an inyes
tigation could be had, when if not entitled I,
them, they would have been ousted, and thei
opponents would have taken their places, o
the whole subject might have been referre,
back to the people to decide by a new election
This latter course was proposed by the Wings
fat bu IN