The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-03-12
THE MADISONIAN.
THE NEW JERSEY CONTESTED
ELECTION.
TO THE AMERICAN PEoPLI


whole country to the statement herewith exhi-
bied, rs a report prepared and presented to
the House of Representatives, by the minority
of the Committee on Elections, 10 which was
referred the contested election from the State
of New Jersey and we especially desire to
call their attention TO the novel, extraordinary
and appalling circumstances, which have
driven US to the necessity OF thus appealing to
TO the other and we do il with the confident
assurance, that they will give to the subject
that careful and unprejudiced consideration
which lis importance demands, and their own
future safety and interests, mperiousy re-
quire; that they will unite with Us in the be-
lief, which in the honest sincerity of our
hearts we entertain, that the Government UNI
der which we live, must soon become worse
than Turkish despotism, unless the People,
in the majesty Of their strength, shall arise
and rebukea the perpetrators Of the outrage
which has been committed on the Constitu-
ton OF the United States, the laws of one Of
the sovereign States Of this Union, and the
rights Of the great body of the People them
selves.
We will not enter into minute detail Of
the means by which five of the Representa-
tives of the State Of New Jersey, furnishing
the highest evidence known to the laws Of that
State, that they had been reg larly and con-
stiutionaly elected, were driven from their
seats, previous 10 any investigation whatever
and denied all right to participate in the or
ganiza'ion and proceedings of the House,
and much less will we undertake here, to pro-
nounce upon the motives which led 10 this
unparalleled proceeding.
We wish to take up this subject at another
point, and let the country know what are the
circumstances under which five other gentle
men from the State of New Jersey have been
voted into seats in the House of Representa-
tiyes, who have presented no return, no Gre
Dental, commission: and this done when
the members holding the commissions of the
Governor Of that State, under the Seal of that
Commonwealth, were at home by leave of the
committee, taking dispositions TO prove-what
they had at all times averred they could
prove-that they had received majority of
the laufm votes given at the polls.
The proceedings of the committee having
charge of this subject, will be seen by refer
ence 10 the report below, up TO the time that
the report of the majority of the committee
was presented, and we now proceed to give
statement of what has since transplred.
But it must be remarked in advance that the
Committee, having determined that if an in.
yestigation was to be prosecuted behind the
commissions of the Governor, every princi-
pie Of equity and lairness required that there
should be thorough search into the legality
Of the votes given tor each party, and finding
that there was no sufficient testimony before
them by which it could be ascertained for
whom majority of the qualified voters Of
New Jersey had cast their votes, such time
was granted as the parties themselves deemed
requisite to enable them to take such testi-
mony as they might think advisable to esta-
blsh their respective claims, and that accord
ingly the parties severally left Washington for
the State OF New Jersey where they now
are engaged in the prosecution of this work.
During their absence, and shortly after
their departure from the city, (no complaint
and no application coming from them TO the
House, J the Chairman of the Committee sub
mit,ed proposition to have the documents
relating to the contested seats printed for the
use OF the Committee. This furnished pre-
text for The introduction of another PROPOSE
ton, that the Committee should be instructed
to report forthuih which Of the parties had
received majority of all the votes given at
the election. After long debate, this was so
modified as to require them to report upon the
lawful votes, which expressly, as matter of
course, excluded, all uaiamfui votes.
The subject went to the committee with
precipitation which we deem in high degree
exceptionable. The majority of the commit
tee adopted resolution directing all the votes
given to be reported as ia'eful, under most
extraordinary mental delusion that the instruc-
tons required it, because the committee were
required to report )orih,oiih. All efforts TO
mined were successfully resisled--reasonable
time TO the minority to report these and other
facts to the House, denied. The report was
prepared, presented and received, without de-
Law, the title to which is well adapted to create
the impression that the votes reported were all