Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-29

thorzcd to report to this House such papers, and such
Of their proceedings they may desire to have printed
by order OF the House, and that they be instructed also
to report forthwith, which five of the ten individuals
claiming seats from the State of New Jersey received
the greatest number of votes from the whole State for
Representatives in the Congress ofthe United States
at the election of 1888 in said State, with all the
dence Of that fact in their possession Prorided That
nothing herein contained shall be so construed as
prevent or delay the action of said committee in taking
testimony, and deciding the said upon the merits
Of the election.
MIR. FILLMORE then said he returned his thanks to
the House; but he would not avail himself of the per-
mission 10 speak, inasmuch as he could never submit
that important right 10 the will of majority He
would seek other opportunity TO give his views
when he could exercise the right 10 do in virtue Of
the Constitution and not by the permission of ma
Jority lie would, however, SO far avail himself Of the
opportunity afforded him to speak, to amend the
solution Of Mr. Johnson Of Tennessee BY inserting the
word 'slegal before the word votcs," and to strike
out the word sstorthwth
Mr.. FISHER spoke at some length on the merits of
the question before the House, and in the course of
his REMARKS alluded to the the committee had
pursued in delaying the report 1t had frequently un-
done at night all which it had done during the day.
He adverted, also, to the of the Opposition in
staving Oft the question to who were entitled TO
seats, and the great unwllngncss they evnced TO rive
light upon the subject which was covered up in
the committee Mr.. F. adverted to the fact that the
certificate had pretended that they had majority
ofthe votes of the people ofNew Jersey, but placed It
on the ground that they held the certificate He argued
at some length 10 show that the vote of the people was
better evidence to enttc to seat that floor than the
certificate Of the Governor Of State, which might be
frauduently obtained. He viewed the subject in all
its constitutional bearings, in reply to the
heretofore advanced TO sustain the rights of the cert
hcate members. The certificate of the Governor had
been given in this one-sided view of the poll
as was fully established by the testimony which had
been referred by the House the Committee of Elec
tons. Mr.. F. also wished to dsabuse the public mind
of another thing whilst he up. The certificate
members, after the decision of the House against the
certificates, raised the question that they were also
titled to seats, because those which the Governor re-
fused to accredt had received two hundred and forty
three illegal votes list of which they handed in to the
House. and had referred to the committee accompanied
BY mass oftestimony in the form of dispositions taken
by them to establish the fact
Now, said MIR. F., there not shadow of proof in
the testimony to sustain the charge above but on the
contrary it was proved that there were only twelve H.
legal votes, and that these had been given to the GEM
tiemen who claimed seats on the certificates Anothe
allegation had been made by the same gentlemen, tha