Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-01-19

lie declined 10 answer. Mr.. Is. had not con-
scented TO serve on that committee. He early
took the only constitutional grounds, that we
were 10 be wilnesses-that we had no power.
1t was finally determined to foot up the re-
turns and
MIR. Whitman. Did we agree to that!
Mr.. Beaver. No, sir. | will do Mr..
Whitman the justice to say that he would
never agree TO any arrangement by which
Weller could not be cyphered out to have a
majority.
Interruptions from Burns, Whitman and
others.)
The Speaker, %(rapping on his desk,) Or
der, we must have order.
The Speaker decided all remarks upon the
general subject out OF order. The question
before the House was the correctness of a
particular portion Of the journal.
Mr.. Whitman. AS the Senator from Trum-
bull has gone into the history of that COM
mitiee, | will, also. In the first place, the
Senator from Trumbull, if he asserts that a
single member Of that committee wished 10
commit fraud, asserts that which is not true.
Every one knows what we afterwards claim
ed. No one knows who has tue legal ma
iority of votes.
The Speaker. Did the Chair not opeR
every return which he was Tequts ed to openl
Mr.. Whitman. Yes; but you know
when at the outset we claimed that all the
returns should be gone into, you know that
we were told we were mere dummies, with
no power whatever. The Wing members Of
the committee had gone in the.e with a pre-
concerted arrangement. They had gone In
there sir, to sustain you in acting out with
in the committee, the pant which we had de-
MED your power TO take, cut Ul II. The Sem
ator from Cuyahoga who took the Speaker
under his special care, and whose motives |
will not question, cannot deny this. Not a
member of that committee, not the Speaker
himself, can on his oath before Almighty
God, declare who is Governor.
Mr.. Whitman said he had lost the NODES
ty which he previously had. Hereafter, he
cared not whether he bored the Senate or not,
he would speak as much and as long as he
pleased. He had lost much of the feelings
Of respect with which he had previously re-
garded Senators. The Senator from Rich
land had called the Senator from Trumbull
an old lawyer. lie had a better name for
him. He would call him an old, crafty, willy
politician. lie used not this as a term Of
reproach. To De sure | would not be pleas
ed with it, but tastes differ.
Mr.. Beaver. | do not take it as a COM
pliment.
Mr.. Whitman. suppose not, ! will al
ter it and call you an old, crafty, willy, mod
est politician.
MIR. Beaver. Thank you, sir.
The Speaker. As my name has been
brought in, | will state my understanding Of
the matter. He stated that he believed it
his duty u%naided, to open and declare the
vote, but that as a matter Of comfy, out Of
politeness, he had said that he would ap-
point an informal committee to aid him IN
looking over the io~otings-that he would do
this before declaring the final result. This
happened before We went down IL the House.
lie did not lmpugn the motives Of Senators.
After some further explanation and discus
sion between the Speaker, and Msssrs.
Myers, Wilson and Whitman.
Mr.. Dennison hoped the Speaker would
not enter into any charges against his honor
and integrity.
Mr.. Backus's understanding of the COM
mittoe cCincIded with that OF the Speakcr,-
that 1t was merely an Informal committee 10
aid the Speaker IN adding up the tooIings Of
some returns supposed to be erroneous. Mr..
b. understood that there was no stipulation
on the part Of the Speaker to be bound by
the statements Of that committee. Mr.. God
ddrd declined when he was appointed
Why! Because he was not good at figures.
This showed the general understandings
Mr.. Il. stated that two modes were propo-
sed by himself. Eilher 10 be strictly tech
Meal III our examination, or that we would
give the Speaker our advice, as 10 the facts
according 10 the testimony that would be le-
galiy competent. ! understood the Senator
from Fairfield to be willing TO meet me half
way on both these propositions. That he
would agree TO be governed by strictly tech
meal returns where Ford had the majority,
and by liberal principles where Weller had
he majority.
Mr.. Whitman advised the Senator 10 state
his conduct correctly. He warned him in
time. He would not be faIsifed by any
man. He would brand him with falsehood.
Mr.. Backus was not 10 be ntimidated.-
The gentleman dare not deny that he insis-
ted the Lorain return without a seal should
be rejected, while he was willing to admit IA
supplementary abstract from Richland.-
This is what | mean by saying that The
gentleman is willing TO be liberal with Wei
Ter and technical with Ford. That is why |
charged him with being willing to meet me
half way. The gentleman says he did not
name Ford or Weller Oh no! Mr.. b. ar
gued with great force that the Speaker would
not have been justified in rejecting a county
without a seal. You have a right 10 call TO
your aid competent testimony 10 determine
an informal return. You have a RICH, 10 90
TO the Secretary of States office, ard exam
inc the other abstract deposited there accor-
ding TO the statute. For what purpose is
that copy deposited? Is it not to supply any
possible defects in your copyl That, then,
is competent testimony in such a case. |
say then, Mr.. Speaker, it was your duty to
examine that abstract, a duty which you owed
t. justice, 10 the people of this State. In ac-
cordance with this view | obtained it for you,
(clandestinely, as the Senator from Fairfield
says,) and presented it to your notice.
Let me do the Democratic portion of the
committee the justice to say, that they did
not agree with US to be limited 10 mere ad-
! vice. Il WIS ILrn snrnfsIeh thai The cnm-