The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-12-18
DOings in Congress.

The FedersIists have at last been defeated in
their infamous attempt to force upon the House
five members from New Jersey, under cover Of
certificates OF election from the Governor Of
that State, bearing It's broad seal" but which |
was not broad enough 10 cover up the fraud hat
it was used TO perpetrat-. After wasting nine
days in frutless effort to carry their points the
question was brought to the vote on Wednes- |
day, and il was decided by majority Of FIVE
that the spurious members from New Jersey
should not roie. That this is righteous decis-
ion no man who has examined the question.
and is not completely blinded by prejudice can
deny. 1t was admitted Oh the floor Of the
House by the undisputed Wing member from
New Jersey, and there is abundant proof of The
fact. that the five Democratic claimants Of seats
received a majority OF all The rofes polted. Now.
the Constitution expressly provides. that each
House shall be he Judge IF The elections, retrrns.
and qualifications Of its o0n members" and no
law can be cited that gives The Clerks. Govern
or, or any officers in New Jersey the power to
purge the polls, in Congressional elections after
the vote. have been placed in the ballot box.-
! That power belongs to and can be exercised by
/ Congress alone aud if such laws exist in any
state they are clearly unconstitutional. The
statement Of this fact is Of itself sufficient to
show that the mere certificates Of a Governor,
which are con,radicted by the known express
sion Of the will of the people, should be set a
side, Notwithstanding they bear seal that is
ever go broad.
There is another question in the case. raised
, by some OF the FederaIis,s, which we will exam
: oe aud explain. They contrpd that tn" re-
turns from the towns that were lelt ont OF The
count in the New Jersey congressional election,
, were not sent TO the proper officers within the
prescribed time. and therefore were omitted -
: Now it was in these very towns, they say, that
illegal votes were received by the democratic
. election officers Admitting tha, it was so. AID
is it any ways probable that, after receiving such
} votes for the purpose OF carrying an election,
the officers Of these two towns. and these only
in the whole state, would by their negligence
lose all the advantage they might gain by the
proceeding! The suppositon is absurd, and
more than that, the whole pretence i. false
The returns from the towns omitted in the
CONT were duly made to the Wing county
clerks agrceably to law, but they set themselves
up as judges OF the election without any color
of law, and made to the Governor an imperfect
return of the election, by le,vins out the entire
votes of these two towns. Furthermore. the
law of New Jersey empowers the Governor, af
ter be, and the Privy Council, A" shall hare cast
up The WHOLE number # rotes given in the sever
al counties, to determine the persons elected
aud to grant them a certificate Of the election
Did the Governor comply with this law, and
cast up The uhoie number of votes 1t is ad-
mited that he did not; and what affords a
strong contrast with his conduct is the fact,
e that when Mr.. Dickerson, one ol the democrat
I ic claimants for seat in Congress, was Govern
or of that state, he sent to procure the returns
A from one or more towns which had not been
e rendered when by doing so he placed in Office
l. political opponent, We are not certain that
law Of New Jersey expressly required him tc
do this, but he at any rate considered it his du
N ty; and hsw much more hoaorably he acted
re lie; all honest men decide.
y, huotNef important RESOLUTION WAS uHered ~
ne Mr.. Rhet aud adopted on Wednesday, b,
Gu which the course pursued BY the Clerk in max
en- ing out his roll of members was fully sustained
aud on Thursday morning he was allowed to d,
xo as he would have done on the first day Of tn,
IT. session, il he had not been interrupted by III,
re- federal Wings. Upon them the odium of pre
m venting the organization Of the House for $,
la. long time. and delaying the public business
In should rest; and upon them it will rest, not
he wi;hsiandipg all the efforts made by their vena
ice presses to peuer the facts. and blind the peo
NJ, pie to their misdeeds. An abs,rac, Of the rro
Of ceedings in the House will he found in anotbe
ort column. We regret that our limits will nc
I Of permit us TO give sketch Of the debates. an
old barely to record the votes given the diierer
sc. questions which have arisen; but enough
given to show that the Democrats have carrie
[iss all for which they eon,ended. They have
cen this case afforded another illustration Of III
rat truth OF the maxim, that honesty is the be-
nee policy, and have taught their opponents. tha
he asking nothing but what was right they wou
Nh submit to no,hing that VAS wrong.
osl Il. s. We have no accounts from Wssl
,ed ingion later than Thursday evening. Mcudsy
tn. New York mail. due yesterday. was no, rscei
zen ed. and the Boston mail &C yesterday. by whs
"a we sometimes get the latest news. had not a
rived When v. went 20 press.