Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-04


-, -, @ ,;II a.hibi. few more. 1t has been iterated
and reiterated over and over that the whoe taDe u
nrecedents ancient and modern, 10 IN favor Oh re.e"s
thp certified members in this case SIR, am No' Sos
to risk my carcass and health, by sChg ihso g.
nn,Ybnlesone yupors Of the ombs OF antiquity NJ oh'y
or toad or snake to inhale, and m'nsie WIN nu sP'-
rte nc the dead to hunt up precedents; Dut WIZ tx
il BIZ what have found above ground ana those " mn
deru times hold in my hand book, containing az
the cases of contested elections since lhe
-. ,i.;s c,arnment worth recording. 1t IS a large
hoL. !, contains one thousand and twenty-five pages.
bn 20 tnrned over every page OF this og oook. IL is
full of contested elections have examined 'e Pons
,nop which every case it contains tnrns ano the pri.
ciple upon which each case has oeen DECIDED anu !
nnw that there is not decson between us has
, ll warrant the reception of the certificate mein-
bore 70 their seats and challenge successful contra
d;ction It's full Of precedens tat eher expressly
q, sustain the claims OF those members Win
the certified poll books showing mat they nave ma
80. os Tho votes will read one or two. The first
In which will ask yonr attention is the case OF spai-
dnu og,;nst Meade, D. ISL. The point upon which this
case turned 49, - u,; ,,ds or III.
e,ac,nns and returns well the qualifications OF It's MEN,
@ ona rho erns from State authorities are Primo face
svd inca onu Of election, and are not conclusive on le
will ask your attention to another. 1t is the case
&c M,liorv AGAINST Merrill, p. 325. The point upon
which the decision turned in this case IS:
.yotes fairly given party may he counted IN ms laVo'
though thew have returned TO the proper s ausaor
s the default OF return not beng chafseaoe upon ue
One more case, sir if you can have patience and
will trouble you more with Preceoens. ~ is the
case of Biddle and Richard against Wing, p 5O4. In
this case it was decided that:
result commissioner and they must certify 10 e % ay
them either through mistake design 70 be corrected by e
One more strikes my mind that is in point: Messrs
Dckerson and his associates present you the certicae
ne the Secretary of State, showing that they have the
m,;ortV of all the votes poed at the election OF which
thew claim to be elcced but this is contended not TO
be suficientevdence. Messrs. Claiborne and Ghoson,
mambers from Mississippi for the Twenty-filth Con-
rs ooneared at the commencement of the extra ses-
s;on of that Congress- and claimed their seats 1t was
objected that the erdence of their election was not su
fcent Il think they had the certificate OF the secfe-
tary of State) 80
Mr. MERCER of Va offered the following, viz:
.Rsrd That sufficient cvdsnce has not been Afforded 10 This
House John F. Claiborne and Samuel j. Ghoison are lawfully
The resolution was debated. The question was lad
IN the table by an overwhelming majority and Messrs
Cha borne and Gholson took their seats 80 SIR, mere
: an admission Of members on the certificate OF the
Secretary of State and here ends the chapter with me-
on pTcccdents -
Bu. SIR we have been told in tones of triumph, that
New Jersey has confirmed the fact that Messrs Aycrgg
md company were elected at the October election IN
1888 BY electng aeWhg majority 10 both branches OF
The State Legislature in 1885, and this fact para
are entitled to their seats in this Congress Yes, this
- the highest evidence that be demanded that Mr.
Dickerson and his associates are not the choce OF
minority of the people Of New jersey. Sir, when
received the news of the Federal victory in New Jer
sew last fall | rejoiced at it. Such was the over
aow;pr tide of Democratic success over every part
and portion of the Union, that feared the conse-
ouences dreaded that apathy which never fails to
seize the unsuspecng Democracy upon universal VIC
tory | was afraid that they would be overaken and
L., th,tr, Slp
could be awakened to of their danger knowing
ms did, that the whole power Of Federalism, with all
its means will be brought to bear upon the contest now
commenced felt reoiced that we had met with tenn
porary defeat which could do no sertous INJURY TO our
cause but which would to keep at least our SEN
tinels from sleeping at their posts Thought and rea
soned as did Philip Of Macedon, when he heard, IN the
sace Of one hour Of his the chariot races IN
the Olympic games the victory OF his troops IN great
battle and Of the birth of his son, Alexander The
Papan raised his eyes and his hands towards heaven
and prayed, Oh We gods! send me some slight m,sor
tune that may not be overcome with this overflow
ing torrent of good news and lest some great mstor-
tune overtnke me- These my feelings and my
reflections, when heard of the Wing victory OF New
JERSEY But Sir, we have the fatal effects of poll
teal apathy by successive victory, in own time and
country History furnishes US with many fatal dsas-
ters both of political and military character, from the
same cause The immortal Hannibal successful
in his long and arduous march from New Carthage to
and in conquerng those who prepared 10 contend
against him. He was successful in ascending the
Alp, whose saow.covered tops seemed tn reach the
skies, and in routing the Gauls who defended their
passes His cavalry successfully fought and routed the
Roman horse on the Ticenus. The fields of Trebea
Welded him vctory the Roman troops of Thraysmene
fell before him fed like the timd hind Gamma pro-
claimed him victor and the plains Of Italy were his
The walls of Rome shook, and her citadel trembled
Mt his name. But the fatal effects OF uncheck-
ed success and unmixed victory seized INN. NOW,
said Maharbal is our time TO take Rome; her gates
will open To US. ! will think Of that, said Hann-
bal. Lnlled by mistaken security, which some
times besets the most vglant in successful career,
he took his winter quarters in Capua, where his troops
roted in the fashionable ndulgences Of that opu-
lent city, on the rich spois Of the conquered enemy
But when the spring campaign opened, they were no
longer the hardy soldiers of Hann;bal; Their bravery
and invincble courage and their capacity for toll and
fatigue exchanged for softnesc and effemlnacy
the offspring Of dleness and luxury, and their love OF
order and subordnatlon for contemptuous mutny SUI
pinencss, and rrcgularity and with all these, sunk
the power Of ever taking Rome-the glory OF Hannibal
furnished and his name made less immortal. Such,
sir is the fate of those who rest in security upon sue
cess and victory repeat, thought and reasoned
did Philip when heard of the Wing victory OF New
Jersey. But, SIR, there no Wing victory.
Sir j deny the position in fact and IN principle. |
deny that the fact that the Federaliss have majority
in the present Legislature s any evidence that maJo
rty OF the people OF New Jersey are w favor vi TIC
tifcate members and deny that majority Of the voters
of New Jersey have placed Federal majority in the
Legislature. l acknowledge that there is Federal
majority in the Legislature and will account for It.
Members of Congress in New Jersey elected by ge
neral ticket Members of the Legislature and OF the
Council are elected by counties and districts.
The Federasts have had the ascendancy in the State
Legislature for two years, and it is we'll known fact
that no small part Of their time and ingenuity have
been devoted to dstrctng the State so as to favor their
party and always secure Federal majority in the Lee
gsature and well have they succeeded that tede-
raj Legislature may be, and has been, elected by The
present district system while there is large majority
of Democratic voters in the State. Sir have not
pusi,ion, asserted fact but what have or
maintain, So proceed to maintain this viz that
far from the Governor being sustained his corrupt
course, overwhelming majority of the people of New
Jersey have expressed their dsnpprobation and indg
nation att Sir, the increased Democratic majority, of
the recent elections, the Democratic majority of
1885, is near two thousand votes Here is the proof;
here are the facts and gures read for yourself Here
i, table which shows the Democratic naiorties and
Why naiorities in the several counties, in 1888 and
t,o,, md asd.