The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1844-08-23

% OF OCtoOef an ektrdneouS Iesoiuuob,
founded on an er pdrfe presentment Of facts,
was put through the House, declaring that
Messrs. Claiborne aud Gholson were du-
ly elected Members Of The 25ii Congress
Meantime, the Governor issued his Pro-
clamaiiun for a General Election, setting
forth that "two Members of the 25th Con-
gress" were among the officers TO be cho-
sen. But portion Of the Locos, perceiv-
ing that their defeat, on full vote and in
the existing state Of The country, was in.
eyitable, resolved 10 disregard the Cover
nor's decision and not vote for Members,
trusting to The Loco-Foco majority in the
House to keep in Messrs. Claiborne and
Gholson. Another portion, however, see-
ing that here was an attempt TO CONT a
great fraud and wrong-since they knew
full well that the People had voted for
Members, not for the entire term but for
the Extra Sesnion only, went forward and
voted as usual. The result was declared,
S. S. Prentiss. Wing. 1851
Thos. J. Word, ditto, IL, l44
J. +. II. Claiborne, Loco, $500
Saml J. GholsoH, ditto, $500
Prenliss and Word chosen by some 1900
They Of course went on to Washington
and claimed their seats (at tie regular SEES
sion,) but found them absurdly occupied by
Mesrss. Claiborne and Gholson who in
sisted that the People, though they had
meant 10 choose them only for six-days'
term, had saddled themselves with them
for two years and could not escape them
Let US glance moment at the rival
case. Arch. Yell in July was chosen from
Arkansas for the Extra Session, and serv-
ed through it, In October he pas again
chosen for the reguldr t,ro years at the
regular Election, presented his credentials
founded on that Election, ard took his seat
without question. Now this same Yell
voted to keep ia Claiborne and Gholson
and shut out Prentiss and Word, yet he de-
clared tina, If he had not rtceired major.
tty in October, he rould hare rel,Rqnished
his seat
On the Both Of January, the House, in
regular Session, passed resolution NOV
ed by Hon. John Bell of Tennessee, rescind.
ing that which declared Messrs. Claiborne
and Gholson duly elected Members Of the
25th Congress: Yeas ll9; Nays ll2-7
majority against The usurpers, in House
largely Van Buren,. On the 18th of that
month a resolution had been offered, as
follows:
"Rssolred. That Msssrs. s. S Prenti.s and
T. J. Word are not Members of the 25th Con.
gFess, and are not entitled 10 seats in this House
aH such"
This resolution was in pal pable contra.
dctIon 10 the common sense and honest
judgment of every intelligent man in the
land. Certainly some Members of Con-
gress had been chosen frun that State the
House decided that Messrs. Claiborne and
Gholson we're not The men who then but
Prentiss and Word They had received
a large majority Of the votes, at the regu.
lar Election, appointed and held on the
regular day, when Members of Congress
were uniformly chosen; the notice Of that
Election expressly declared that it was to
choose Members for the full term, as that
for the Special Election at which Messrs.
Claiborne and Gho!son had been chosen,
specified that il was an Election for the
Erira Session only. Now ii is easy to see
that here was a chance for The technical
objection inIerposed by Messrs. Claiborne
and Gholson, that Members could not be
chosen for part OF term, unless for the
whole remainder Of it, and that Messrs.
c. and G.. were so elected for The whole
term. But il is manifest that this is to
inlerpose legal point to defeat a moral
right and 10 nulily the voice of the People.
Ii the election of Messrs. c. and g. was in.
yalld-if Mississippi had no rightto choose
Members for part Of term-that could
moi give 10 her special election an intent
aud effect never contemplated by il-could
not defeat her clearly expressed purpose in
choosing Messrs. Prentiss and Word, by a
much larger vote and larger majority,
for the full term. All these consldera-
tons, and many more were pressed with
unsurpassed cogency and eIoquence, espe-
clally by Mr.. Prentiss, who was heard in
vindlcation of his right, through the de-
bates on this occasion; until at last the
House divided: Yeas III; Nays III:
so the resolution was lost, until Jlmes X
Polk, Speaker, gaze the cdaing rote in
ne matioe and turned the fdiriy chosen
RfpreSentatires Of Mississippi oDt of the
Ho0se. The vote Of Archibald Yen, who
held his seat by just such certificate as
Messrs. Pfentiss and Word offered, made
the tie, and James X. Polk united it by
turning Mississippi out Of doors So the
Governor was compelled 10 order still
another Election in April, when Prenliss
and Word were triumphantly returned to
their seats.
. II was on the OCCASION Of Jas. X. Folks
giving this most uniighteous and anti.re-
publican casting vote that Mr.. Clay is re-
p2hed by GhoIson, (who appears to have
H0/Rsi mean enough 10 eves.drop con-
to have told Polk to Go home,
belonged But Mr.. Clay spoke
lksiihn the hearing Of PoIk-h.s
iignation at the lniqnty he saw
Red from the Chair rose TO his
WAS only overheard by those i'm.
ely around him. We rejoice TO
Wthal it was no Member Of Congress,
a an interloper. who would descend Ia 80