Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-11-14

The Boston Atlas of Thursday confirms the
dispatch received on Wednesday evening. inform
ing US that the Mayor and Aldermen of Lowell
had decided that the election of seven Free Sell
Representatives in that city was illegal, and had
appointed another trial, on the 4th Monday of the
month.
more high-handed outrage upon the rights of
the people, in the matter of suffrage, can hardly
be conceived Of, and it shows 10 what danger
Gus extent Of usurpation the Wings are willing to
go, in order again to secure an ascendancy in the
State.
The facts in the case, we gather from the
Wing Journals, are these In Ward Four, the
warden and inspectors did not conform to the
law, which requires the votes to be opened,
counted, declared, and sealed up in open town
meeting, but for some reason or other. counted
them in an office by to the ward room.
II is stlted. flrther, that the clerk of the ward
committed in the return made to The
Mayor and Aldermen, as to the whole number
OF votes, but it appears to be conceded that cor
recton was immediately made, and that there
was no error in his record, in the annunciation
of the vote to the meeting by the warden.
If the votes Of Ward Four were illegal, in con-
sequence f'being counted where they ought not
to have been, it is, most certainly, subject for
Investigation and inquiry. The men who had
this duty in charge all under oath, and it does
not appear that they intended TO do an Illegal act
If they have done so, the matter Of disfanchising
the nf tho in cF 81
neglect or misapprehension Of their duties becomes
question Of too grave nature to be suffered to
entirely upon the decision of Board Of Alder
men, who, under the circumstances, to say the
least, may be presumed to have bias towards
DISTINGUISHING the voters of thas ward. Throwing
out the vote of the 4lh ward on account of this
alleged illegaIlity Of proceedings the Wing repre-
sentatives in Lowell would have had majority
Of the votes and eight out of ten would have GER
tainly been elected. As the case stands, there
fore, either one party or the other entitled to
credentials, for one party or the other had made
an election. The coaiionists ligd elected all who
had majority Of The votes inqlAthe wards where
the voting was legal, Or the wings had majority,
and whichever party il was, should have had its
credentials.
There Is no authority either ip the constitution
or laws If MASSACHUSETTS,, which can justify
Mayor and AIderalen 10 making such an absurd
declaration as they have done, and ordering a
new election, for il is clear that a choice 1as
made, and choice being made they had no au-
Aoriiy 70 SET it aside. 1.-THE validity of the cleo
ton was to be contested, the House of Repre-
sentatiees was the proper arena for the contest,
for it alone IL the legally constituted Judge Of the
qualifications Of its members. 1t is one Of he
duties Of its committee upon credentials, to report
upon all cases where seats are contested. and
equally the duty of the Housed dispense impair
tial justice in all such cases.
We trust that the Democrats and Free Sellers
of Lowell will rebuke at the polls, on the 4lh
Monday, this insolent attempt to detraud the peo-
pie of their rights, and that shall have the plea
sure Of recording the Triumphant election of the
members Of the House, whom the Wing Alder
men of Lowell hope to deprive of their seats, up
on mere bubble, by an understandable Assump-
ton of power.