The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-03-07


Correspondence efMe N. 7ribme.l
Contested Election from Enwa-Fa;r D..
posal Of Mr.. Miller, (Whis)-Ref.,os,
Of Thompson, (Loco.) 10 auLma = ~, w.
dccision cfMe People. '
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, Jan %
The excitement incident 10 the organiz,,;..
The House, has 50 absorbed public n,ten,;aa
well as my own, ns to prevent until this tma as
referring 10 the Contested Election case Gu. NY
Inc First G ,npressionsl District Or Iva. Lem n0a
MILLER (Wnig,) who is the CONTESTANT. .sn
4 THOMPSON (Loco-Foco,) who holds the cer,6oss.aa
aud by virtue Of which he claims his seal, Tl
probably never wns u greater Outrage upon ' ~
rights OF body Of freemen, than when ,bc cs @s
Thompson, who was beaten by Miller. by 10
majority. The excuse at the time for this az, ~
usurpation and despotism was, Po,,awa,s.4
Coun y, in that District, which was chiefly s'a
tied with Mormons, Ind not been legally 9,s ~
lied, and the votes therein cast, should M ~
counted by the canvassers. The noui,y ~ "
| lraud Of this decision has been admitted i, y, y
samc state authorities Of Iowa, having II ~
State Election in l849, counted the very s sH
votes which ut the Congressional EIec,on =
i l848 they declared TO be iusgal The rea.onta
this inexplicabie inconsistency is easily given
/ The rejection ofthe vote in $40 acas moi ne,,,.
l to give The Loco Focos, the State. The dsf.s
chisemeni of the same bo ly OF voters in laie,
absolutely necessary, to elect l. eco Eco 10 G.,
gress, md toexciude his Wing competitor ,bs.
from Who had receivcdA decided majority i Il
lst Congressional District Of tina, S ate. TN
J IRE the iacts rs they existed when Thomnso
(I.oco, } took ms seat in Tho House Of Rspte.pn,
tiscs.
I As soon as Miller could be heard he n,e,,,
ed his claim TO the seat now held BY Thomm.,
in violation Of the voice OF tho people Of H.
I Congressional District, and in deroea,ion al 4.
law of.he land. TWAS referred 10 the c ,mm,'..
| on Elections, where every species ortrckeU ~
pei,iioggng was resoried 10 hv Taompsop
procrastinaie the action Of the COMMITTEE and.
prevent an investigation by then. |, was M
days after the subject matter was referred, besr.
: Thompson could he urged TO file his answe,s
the memorial OF Miller, and when il was a,l,,
, filed, il was without dciinitencss, cer,ain,y
/ truth. lie did not deny thar MILLER had reett,
ed the mos, votes, hu, Insisted that some 50O
, the votes cast Tor Miller (aliuding 10 the NJ,
mon vote) were illegal and asked time 10 pss
. the polls.
> Saturday last was the EiurM meeting the Con-.
| mi,tee held, at which time, BY waaaifaou,.t
they admitted the whole OF MIXERS proofs. vita
son TO be 10. II the same rule is adopted
) this case tina, was laid dow ard earned out
I.ocotoeo Congress in the grea, contested ",
Jersey case, then Miller must take hi, sest Il,
> Committee having the evidence before ,hemt:
he has received decided majority Of the ,q,p
cast at TINT election. Tnen, the idea Of preyea.
ing the voice OF the people proclaimed BY i.
joriy, from being heard ii on the floors 81 O.
gress, was IN outrage not to be tolerated 4
| Mr.. Miller asks now is, that the same rule III
$ governed the Loco Focos then, shall prevail
his case. To he perfectly fair, however and
prevent the expenditure OF vast amount Of M.
ey, as well TO permit the people OF The lst c.
gressional District OF Iowa To be represcn,edbr l
/ person of their choice, and rejecting their vs.
es, Mr.. Miller, on Saturday las, filed villa 4.
Committee the following proposition:
GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMITTEE on ELEeriom-
/ Tae documents fourteen in number) wht.
have flied with You, taken in connection VI.
the laws Of Iowe, also laid before you, show i
am entitled 10 tho sea, in The House OF NJ
; senfa,ives occupicd~hv Mr.. Thompson 1s~
) documents prove that received SOL votes, .,
Mr.. Thompson but GAIL votes thereby bssa
him leo votes.
/. To deiea, ms right to the sea', NJ. rhom,s,
! alleges, in his answer to my M moral, that
2 whole vote Mt knnesvle was Illegal thai all
, the voters there were minor ba, they were
. naiura lied foreigner; that they were non's&
dents OF the State, had not resided 20 DAYS 10
county, &c, &c. Also thai in Dallas Cos.}
nnumber Of illegal votes were polled for m J, hs B
Mlhaska County number ofhis votes were
. jeetedb BY the County Canvasser ;,nd iha'hssa
! titled to more votes in Appnnoosc County hr
the returning officers give him credit To-; Il
. concludes BY asking for time to send TO lonI
. procure testimony in support Of the seStss
grounds Of defence set up BY him.
II is not for me in communicate OF O.
character to speak otherwise than respecfa s.
. the prctencrs on which Mr.. Tompson bases
deienc. and have therefore merely to say,
, it their investigation is gone into, am presa
both to meet, and refu,e them. IS
But taking into consideration the dis,ane s.
Iowa, and the Inconvenience of travelling L. s5
through the western part OF the State at this 81.
son OF the year, where the witnesses chiefr s2
, sid il will be seen thar the inv siga.ion classs
, cd by Mr.. Thompson must be attend with nc
cxpeEsa, as well as great personal diicuttss
and long delay. III
La my judgment, the people OF Iowa un3essss
J stand as well the facts and circumstances oa 81
, which has arisen this controversy between va
Thompson and myself, as we do ourselves 81
this Committee erer can upon the most hoEs5S]
investigation. With view, therefore. ofan7
ing such expense and trouble, and delay, r.
{ pose TO the Committee Gf Mr.. Thompson conss
that they shall lay before the House Of Req
sentatives as soon as convenient the laws and
pers which have in the case, with the ans
+ OF Mr.. Thompson constituting his defence,
report resolution thar The election be reftn
back 10 the people. And as the annual elesh
for township officers takes place in Iowa shcs
the Congressional canvass being fixed Oh
J same day, can be conducted without any
/, expense to the people ofsad State. luerdh
~ add, that il the matters set up by Mr.. Tac
son for his defence are based on Truth, snd
no. mere il ion filed for e!av, such is tbelsa
} Of the people four State, that in new cleo
they will certainly give him fair hecrias
, redress of his wrongs, II he hos suffered anr
II Mr.. Thompson consents TO this PROPOSE
he will sign his name below in the place ID
mated.
DANiELF. NIL Err. Contestant.
!, This proposition Mr. Thompson perempa
refused TO assent 10, and still persists in
course which in his judgment will cause
, greatest delay, and secure him the lonsss
5 cupancy OF 4 seat in Congress, held in oppos
to the majority of The ncople he vnisrcpresa