Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-01-14
POLITICAL.
VINO GEE

! STAYING OFF
The Opposition in Congress having failed in thei,
attempt to palm the five New Jersey members on the
House, by formal commissions covering fraud,
solved that the seal shall be broken by ti:,
Committee OF Elections, appointed expressly TO open
up the case upon its merits One world have supposed
that those who had expressed such desire that ~ Jer
sey should be represented in the Housewife looked
upon ever hour delay doing wrong TO State
would be the first to press for prompt action in bring
ing the question to decision upon the rights involved
without St,cht"g anyi longer iRhe hush, the lawyers
have IT. or rather in the lrar literally the fact in the
present case The truth is whatever professions the
federailsis may make, they will resort to every shift
every sort OF special pleading and chcnne, TO old
perfect examination and early settlement of the New
Jersey case There many badges of deliberate
fraud IN the transaction, the part of New Jersey
Whggery-so much in the testimony which the Oppo-
s'ton know will be adduced to stamp the character OF
the party that is wonder that they dcmur to every
thing and try to do any thing rather than Try the
| The position in which the Opposition stand in
relation TO the affair." explans sufficiently what they IN
tend After Taitinr days for the motion of Mr.
| KAXp6ifU, of New Jersey. tia sitting member, or
some ether o| the friends Of the rejected claimants, who
Ike Mr. RANDOLPH. had boosted they could make good
their right full investigation before committee,
Mr.. CAMPBELL Chairman OF the Committee OF Elec-
lions, moved the following resolution.
RcsOred, That all papers other testimony in pos
session Of within the control of this House, in
laon the late election in New Jersey for Represcn-
taivcs III the Twcnty-sixth Congress of the United
States, tc referred TO the Committee of Elections, with
instructions 10 inquire and report who entitled 10
occupy, members Of this House, the five contested
seats from that State, and that the committee have
power 10 send for persons and papers"
1t would exceedingly difficult 10 find an objcc-
ton 10 Tins universally adopted mode Of proceeding,
on the part Of those who have been thrice repellrd in
the attempts They have made TO take seats without sub
icc,ing their credentials 10 the ordeal Of inquiry
. IL. Il.
object 10 Mr. Camphclls resolution and seek again,
through the proposition of MIR. Bell to make their way
into the House in virtue of the Of the Governor,
against the decision Of the minority Of the people AT the
polls, and three decisions against them by the House
of Representatives. The design Of the present move
mcnt oih" Opposition is not made, however, tn get in
the rrpudatcd claimants. There be no hope of
this, unless il succeed through the death absence Of
members. Mr. Fillmore, who figures Of the
leading Ab"lonists Of New York, with more zeal than
discretion, repealed the motive Of the new movement
made by Nj: Hell.
Mr.. Campbell, who had originally voted in favor nr
admitting The Governors commissions p1ima iacjc
evidence 81 r"t only until The :;ght Of the spuriou.
members 10 the returns could be tested hy inquiry, cave
Mr. Bells new motion 4 decisive rcnly in very f..g
words:
'.Mr. Campbell replied that the credentials Of the
Governor had already been presented 10 the House.
and the House had decided that the gentlemen pre-
scnting them should not take their seats. His cx-
pcCtat!cnS, therefore, that the Committee Of cleo
lions would only consider who had the lr;,a facjs
evidence OF, but who entitled TO- the returns.
Mr.. Fillmore, in answer to th,s shows the whole
game Of tho Opposition
"Mr. Fillmore sad # that was :hc case, c would
venture TO assert that The five vacant seats ." the
hers from New Jersey would remain vacant until the
LIST ni June ncA He did not know whether the House
had Gnn" too far 10 rcccGc; hut he did hope that Il
mol yet beyond It's power 10 correct the into which
had fallen, and TO decide that some persons must take
seats rs Representatives from New Jersey. lie would
prefer that this resolution should be wordcd
tlorizc the committee 10 inquire who had the dccumen-
tary evidence Of membership; and afterwards they
should inquire II there was any evidence impeachng
Jersey, who had too long been deprived of her full
representation there and that the House had not adj
vanced too far TO deprive itself of the power to do this
act Of Justice.
1t is expected that Congress will adjourn in juno
next and until that tine it the fixed purpose Of the
Federal party 10 fight of the final decision OF the plain
est presented to the House. The fact that
tho Democratic candidates had the majority the
pos-tha two clerks withheld the votes of two town
ships without right, or even decent prccxt of right,
can be shown in two hours by the committee, and this
will establish right TO the returns. If the election
itself to lie contested under the plea that Illegal votes
given to the Democratic ticket there need be no
delay this score, for the Opposition candidates have
sfted every POLL and taken proof rs to all the votes
which they pretend were bad and given TO their De-
nocratic opponents If it be adiudgcd necessary
that the Democratic claimants shall meet these
pasIc proofs, they viii return TO New Jersey and
overwlcm them by testimony in very short time
Hir. Bell did not himself pretend that even the.
onc-s.drd evidence which Mcssrs. Aycrigg lialstcd
Nc, have been for months gathering, brings even IN
doubt the majority Of the highest the Democratic
ticket, and there is not the slightest question, If such
hearsay evidence that aGduccd by the Fedora! claim
ants showing how individuals voted by secret ballot
be deemed admissible by the committee, ten bad votes
can Sc proved the Aycrigg and Hastcd ticket for
one proved on the other. The public know what this
party were willing 10 do in regard to bad votes by what
they have done in relation to the returns and in ger
rynandering the State. The opportunity 10 com
nit al manner of frauds afforded them by having
the State fumctcnarcs their side. And when 1t
is considered what shocking violations Of the right
of suffrage were committed in the election frauds
purchased bv the Bank of thc United States in PhIla
dcphia only across the river from New lersry-that
the Bank actually sent It's DULLES and myrmdons TO
New York 10 force in tcir votes in that ctycan any
doubt chat it facilitated fnu voting for IFS friends in
New Jersey in the same pressing emergency: II u a
knowledge Of this that induces ir. Bell and his party
TO evade an enquiry before a committee. And they
will soon satisfy the State Rights who voted with
them on principle, that they would rather have the
State siranchiscd the end of the session, than have
The fraud uncovered, and the State truly represented
GiOLr