Washington sentinel., 1856-07-24

To the People of the Seventh Congressional
District Illinois.

Address OF Hon. J. @. Allen.
To the People of the Seventh Congressional
District Illinois.
The contest so long pending between Col.
Archer and myself for seat as the representa-
tive from this District in the Congress of the
United States is at leugth settled.
The House on the 18th inst, by virtue Of
that constitutional provision which deyolves
upon it the duty of determining the election of
its own members, adjudged the seat vacant,
and referred the matter back TO the people of
the district
shall not at this time go into the history Of
the causes that led to this result, or make any
commentary upon the conclusions to which the
majority arrived in their investigations of the
law and the evidence.
The law of Congress prescribing the duty of
contestants and the course they shall pursue in
giving notices and in taking testimony, is as
plain and unmistakable as any law OF our State
The provisions Of this law were from the first
wholly disregarded by Col. Archer, both in his
notice of contest and in his subsequent proceed
ings; and 1t would have been folly upon my
part to have taken testimony in support of my
right to a seat with the hope that any
evidence ] might have taken would have re-
ceived moments consideration by House
that would disregard the plain and unmistaka-
BILE provisions of law Of Congress.
The election took place on the 7th Of No
vember, 1854. Col. Archer had from that
teen months,) to prepare his testimony. Much
of the testimony submitted by him was taken
without any notice whatever to me, and was
therefore er parte. A majority of the Committee
of Elections we're his political friends and ad-
visers, and played throughout the whole investi-
cation the part of partisans rather than judges.
They decided to receive and consider his evi-
dence, er pdrte as much of it was. They kept
the case open until he could return home and
get additional evidence, in violation OF all law
and all precedent; and in the report which the
majority finally made to the House, they dis
torted the testimony; they set at defiance the
law and all parliamentary custom; they violated
the well-setted law of evidence in their deduc.
tions from the facts proven; and yet, with this
nineteen months labor of COL Archer, und six
months labor and delay of the committee, with
all the appliances his party leaders, unscrupu-
lous as they are known to be, could devise, and
largely in the majority as they are, they have
succeeded in depriving this district of repre-
sentative.
In the meantime, have been pursuing the
even tenor Of my way" had been declared
duly elected, and had received my commission
under the seal of the State, and was endeavor-
ing to discharge my duty as your representative
under that authority. / took no testimony-I
asked no delay-I threw no obstacles in the
way Of an early report upon she subject from
the committee, other than to insist upon my
rights under the law; and with House two
thirds of which were opposed to me politically,
Colonel Archer was unable to get up such a
case as would justify them in giving him a
seat.
1t is proper that should advert to the vote of
the House on the resolutions reported by the
majority Of the Committee of Elections. The
first was one declaring that was not entitled
to a seat" On this resolution 81 members
voted yea, and 80 voted nay. Of the 80 who
voted against this resolution, believing that ]
was entitled to it. "a were politically opposed
to me.
On the second, which declared Colonel Ar
cher was entitled to the seat there were yeas
80, nays 9l-27 of the opposition voting with
my friends against the right of Colonel Archer.
1t was gratifying to me personally to be sus-
tanned by those who were politically opposed
to me, and with whom Colonel Archer had
been politically affiliated; and at the sa ne time
should afford conclusive proof to all biased
minds OF the gross injustice perpetrated in de-
priving me of o seat to which | had been un
questionably elected But have no com
plants to make. l will let the people of the
district redress their wrongs through the ballot
box, when | believe they will pnt their seal of
condemnation upon party whose leaders
have shown, in all their proceedings during the
present Congress, where party ends we're to be
subserved, an utter disregard of the laws Of the
land, and of every principle of justice.
IN will hacDp,a Aufv n oolact
to ell this vacancy during the coming fall.
Owing to the delay of the committee in calling
up this case for final hearing, it is not prob
able that an election could be ordered and
member returned before the adjournment Of
the present session. Although questions vitally
affecting the welfare of our country will doubt
less be before the House, that district can have
no voice in their consideration and adjustment.
This is much to be regretted, for if ever there
was time when measures Of just and hon
orable domestic peace we're demanded, that
time is now.
The widest fanaticism, fed by debauched
press and famed by horde Of reckless and
unprincipled Adventures, stepped in and reek-
ing with the dregs Of political infamy, has
raised the standard Of revolt against the Con-
stitution and the laws, and threatened the over
throw of our republican institutions and a dis
solution of the bands of common political
brotherhood.
For the first time in the history Of this Con-
federacy we have large political party organ |
lied upon purely sectional grounds, whose
+" watchword" is war upon onehalf the States
of this Union; over whose "club rooms" and
in whose public professions, are to be seen
banners with but sixteen stars. Such signs
are portentous Of evil and We ought not to |
close our eyes to the danger.
This sectional party have their candidates
in the field for the Presidency aud Vice Pres-
dency Colonel Fremont for President, whose
entire experience in the national councils is
covered by service Of thirty days in the Sem
ate Of the United States the other, Dayton, Of
New Jersey, who has been longer in political
life, but who acquired his principal notoriety
by abandoning Clay and Webster and allying
himself with Seward and Giddings in the
struggle over the Compromise Of 1850. Who
were the active friends Of this sectional ticket
in the convention that nominated it, and what
are their sentiments upon the subject Of the
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