Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-08-29
p O u 7 N 7 O A u O
THE OUTRAGE ON POPULAR SUFFRAGE PER.
PETRATED BY JAMES X. POLK

In the great contest now in progress, we
choose TO deal as little as possible in person.
altIes, and lay stress only on the Principles
and Measures TO be established or crushed bv
the result. The act of James X. Polk. how.
ever, by which the State of Mississippi was
outraged and the Representation in CONGRESS
corrupted, was one SO alarmingly, flagrantlv
wicked IN lis character, so dangeiou as q
precedent, and shameful in its every ASPECT.
that we leel constrained to bring ii freshly TO
the minds oil our readers, that they NAV real
Ize how narrow, bitter and dishones. parl-
san is now held up by Locofocoism as a can
didate Tor President of this Union.
The facts, (and we shall state them careful
ly and impar,ally as if in q wi,ness-boy on
oath,) were as follow
Martin Van Buren, was inauqurated pres;.
dent on the 4lh of March, 1897: the old
Congress having expired by Limitation ON
The previous day. On the 10th of Nav. and
thereabouts, the Banks suspended Specie Paw
ment, payments of Revenue in anv Currency
nearly ceased, and The Government was nearly
run ashore for lunds.-Mr. Van Buren, sum
moned the new Congress, to assemble in Ey-
ira Session on The 4th of September Most
OF the States had already chosen Members of
| that Congress, or would choose before the lst
OF September. but Mississippi and Arkansas
neither had chosen nor would seasonablv
choose in regular course--lhe former not till
LIST November, the latter not ill October In
this dilemma, the Governors Of the two States
severally took the responsibility of appointing
Special Elections in each, expressly specify
ing that they were to choose Members of
Congress for the Extra Session only. A Spe-
cIal Election was accordingly held in each of
these States, and Loco-Focos elected. The
notice was short, the season that at which The
greatest number of Southern People are abb
sent from their homes and the rest did not
see INT 10 make great eXertion to fill seats in
| Congress which were expressly limited TO the
necessarily Short Extra Session, when regu-
lar Elections were soon to- supervene, where
at the whole People would be out and mem
bers be chosen for the regular term. The
vote in Mississippi stood:
}. F. II. Claiborne, Loco, 11,2O3
Sam ). Gholson. do. 1921
S. S. Prentiss, Wing, 7143
f.. l.. Acee, do 6692
Claiborne and Gholson elected by some
$500.
They received regular certificates from the
Governor, stating that they had been elected
to serve as Representatives in Congress from
the State of Mississippi for The Extra Session.
and departed for Washington.
But now commenced game of intrigue
dIsgraceiul to the actors and TO all who conn
tenanccd them. The new functionaries re-
solved to stretch their tenure of Office over the
regular term also! To this end, thew declined
exhibiting to the House their regular certificates
OF Election, but procured from the Secretary
OF State certificate of the state Of the poll.
and presented this to the House. The House
did not half understand this manauvre, but on
The Sd OF October an eXtraueous resolution.
founded on an eX parte presentment Of facts.
was put through the House, declaring tina,
Messrs. Claiborne and Gholson were duly
elected Members Of the 25th Congress
Meantime, the Governor issued his Procla-
nation Tor General Election, settlnp forth
that 'two Members Of the 25th Congress,'
were among the officers to be chosen. Rut
portion OF the Locos, perceiving that their
defeat, on full vote and in the existing Stale
OF The country, was inevitable, resolved 10
disregard the Governors decision and moi vote
Tor Members, trusting TO the Loco Foco ma
Jority III the House to keep in Messrs. Clai-
borneand Gholson. Another portion. howev-
er, seeing that here was an attempt to COMM,
great fraud and wrong-since they knew
full well that the People had elected Members.
not Tor the entire term but for the Extra SEES
sion only, wen: forward and voted as usual.
The result was declared
S. 5. Pren'iss, Wing, 1851