Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-12-12

IN he Al.
"''n'sfaoh and 2d'y, because. ifthis were not So
'hey nave no alternative. not having strength
enough TO elect a man from their own ranks and
deem'og II both patriotic aud prudent therefore to
vote Tor Il CONSERVATIVE, who, dsagreenr with them
1t Is tue, upon some things ye, concu,s with Them
upon the all absorbing question Of tho Sub.r,ea.
snfy. Tile lmpncticables, lasl winter. saw. or s(.
ieeied TO see, IN course Of this Kind an ute, A.
oandohment OF principle: but | think that the
cn"'se Is mo'e justly applicable to themselves, Who
oy contributing indirectly to the election Of a
'hofongh going friend of the Administration give
Just as etlielenI support thereby 10 that Alminis-
iiation, whose measures and men they d,nonnc.
as though thcy voted directly for the Admnistion
candidate. | can see no difference between him
who shall vote iot }. Mcdowell, and HIM who shall
vote Tor any other man, with full knowledge that his
vote will lead 10 Nh. McDoweli's election The
Loeos' however, seem TO be in fine spirit, and the
event, for aush know, may show thai they have
seen Tar enough behind the curtain TO Justify ther
confidence. Nous reryons. Week after next will
probably determine.
From W ashngton, presume. your dates are a. late
as niue. AT the close of the second day, | learn
that the organization Of the House of Representa-
t'ves had not been effected, though really The case
seems 10 be so PLAN an TO render il difficult
Tor all honest man, disposed to do right. to mistake
! his palh. Conceding, which Ear from doing, that
The five Van Buren, claimants received a majority of
votes, II must be al apparent that that is The
rery question 10 be rie by whom! By the Clerk
Whence does he derive any such authority 7 lie
has il and so conscious is he of he fact that he
/ hasf of, spI bo.iJ lilo Il a. 4.
cson to be made BIZ The House itself after ITS or
ganizaiion. The five Wing members present lhcir
credentials, which one denies or doubts are in
suct conformity with all the forms Of law. Beyond
that The Clek has righl to look, no matter what
may be the nature OF the "other evidence" showing
the Dvadny Of ,heir title. which he claims to have
in his possession. That evidence, indced. whatever
II be, cannot even be presented, until The five CON
testing members make "A formal demand for the res
tuition Of, as they alege, then violated rghs-and
this demand cannot be made until the House, the
only tribunal TO which ii can be preferred, aud by
which alone il be decided, shall have been fully
organized. Until this is done, the certificates OF those
who claim TO be members moi only prima Jacie
evidence, but they are the only evidence OF the vail
dity ofthat claim. If any other rule an this prevail
adveniurer TO eject legally elected member of the
House, at the commencement of every session Of
Congress, from his seat Suppose, 10, example.
Capt Wicher, had been in Washington city on the
first day Of the session, and had presented himself to
the Clerk Of tie House, with certificate, signed
10y the Clerks Of the several counties comprising our
Congressional district, affirming that the Sherhs
the legal returning officers, had improperly given he
certificate 10 Capt. Coles, he, Capt. Wilcher having
IN idct received majority Of the votes of the
people; would the Clerk Of the House have dec m
ed himself justifilble in excluding Capt. Coes from
his seat uatillh fraud thus alleged TO have been
commued had been examined into Would Capt
Coles ave submitted to this outrage upon himself
and his constituents! Would Congress have per
mitted certificate made out BY the officer, and the
only officer known 10 the law, to be superseded and
nullifed By The coun,er-certfcate Of officers I'M
known TO the law : Aud yet this is precisely the
New jersey case FIVE entcmen present them
selves, as Capt. Coles does, with legal certificate
Of their election signed BY the Governor the Com
monweath, the returning Officer in New Jersey, and
they affirm also that they received, aud are ptepar-
ed to show that they receiveda majority of legal
votes at the election held IN that State but five
other gentlemen step in, (ke Capt. Wncher in the
case supposed) and. with certificate of the Secre-
tary OF tie State N. Jersey officer unknown to
the law in such cases, in their hands, affirming the
illegally OF the Governors certificate, claim the
seals in dispute. No ore would hesitate nome nj
in the case supposed by and yet it is clear that
the case in dispute hinges upon precisely The same
principles The truth Is, the five legally returned
members from New Jersey have ST much right
10 exclude the members from Massachusetts or
exclude them. The ri lit of all stands upon the
same basis precisey-thc certificate ofeeciion-be-
yond which, the Clerk or The House dare TO CO.
they open the door to endless fraud and confu-
sion
Even # the New Jersey Wings be admitted to
seats the contest for the Speakers chair will be
close and doubtful. Mr.. Bell is the choice of the
great body OF the Wing members--of nineteen
tweneths of them, al least. But there are some
half dozen mprdctieableS there, well as here, who
refuse vote for Bell and it is therefore probable
that Mr.. Dawson OF Geo will be the candidate, in
order to concilIae them! For my own part,
think it highly arrogant aud presumptuous in few
members OF any party to sci themselves up thus
obstnately against the general voice of their
tand when party goes directly in the teeth Of prin-
ciple honor the ebendencc which dares to fer
from aud TO denounce 1t. But ona question like