Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-05-07

ing expose of the conduct of that party in
reference to the Woods case, which we
copy from the Indiana Journal. The
Shamocratic papers have the csfrontery re-
contly to accuse the Republican party Of
violating the Constitution Their cheeks
should mantle with shame at the mention
of the word Constitution No party. ccr-
tainly, ever Violated it SO frequently, or set
it aside with less ceremony whenever it
stood in the way of their party's advance
nt;-and yet they carp about the cOnsti-
ta.ion, and profess an excessive veneration
for that instrument What hypocrisyl-
But read the article from the Jorrno,
The Woods Case.
Leroy Wools held the Office of Senator
from Clarke County. While in possession
of it, he was appointed Moral Instructor
to the Penitentiary Tn, Constitution for
bids any man to hold two Offices of trust
an profit at the same time" Both these
/ offices were within this Constitutional de-
scription. To tn, first is attached a daily
| pay of three dollars during the session of
the Legislature, and to the last an annual
salary of five hundred dollars. Mr.
Woods. as proved by the receipts on file
in tho States archives. drew the pay of In
ssructor while holding the Office of Sena-
tor. Here was q plain violation of the
Constitution. One or the other Of these
Offices h, was incompetent to hold. The
decisions of Courts, and of the Courts of
this State, have rulel that the acceptance
of second Office vacatcs the first, ii it be
/ impossible to hold both. The law is rea-
soaable. Mr.. Woods had therefore vaca-
tel the Office of Senator. Yet he came to
the m,,ting of the Legislature, and parti-
| cipstcd in its organization and business
The Senate properly resented this intrusion.
and ask.l the Judiciary Committee to cx-
! amino the facts, and report if he could le-
gally hold the Senatorial Office. The COM
mite, reports1 at length, showing tho
facts We have stated, and decided that he
was no longer Senator. Th, majority
anxious to proceed with business wanted to
at at once upon his case. The minority
refused, and by 6reasiag q sgoram. a revo-
lutlonary movement, prevented action. In
this state of affairs, clearly violating the
Constitution. Mr. Woods took part in a
party caucus held in the Hall of the House
to select United States Senator's. lie, and
they with whom he associated, proiessed
to regard this selection as legal election.
lie and they knew that there could be TO
legislative at without the separate concur
renee of both branches, and that Joint
convention was q legislative act, and they
knew that the Senate not only refused to
concur in that act. but protested against it
every time 1t was performed. Thus hold
ing the Office of Senator contrary to the
constitution, be used it to violate the con.
stitution again. While in the act of COM
mitting the second violation, the Senate
which had not adjourned to attend the
"caucus," but remained in session without
pause or break in tbs business, took the
; committee e'sreport from tue table, and con.
Cured in it. Tins Mr. Woods was legal y
declared no Senator. This action was
tsice affirmed on the succeeding day by a
vote refusing to change the record which
stated his eviction. But the President oil
{ the Senate, contrary to law, declared that
: he would recognize Mr.. Woods if the Sem
ate did not, and by his own authority alone
tried to reinstate the man. The Senate In
sisted that It's own action should be rccog.
: nized. The President refused, refused to
allow any business to be done, and refused
1 to entertain any motion, unless his viii
was allowed to override the Senate Thus
I he "locke," the Senate FIVE days together
When the Miller case came up he agair
5 locked it in the same way TIL the last day
and then his partisans refused to allow
any vote to be taken. This is the Wood:
? case. -a 6-l
The only point any Democrat has cvel
J attempted to make, has been the assumed
absence of quorum when Mr.. Woods wa:
o ousted. There is nothing in the point. A
: quorum is presumed by law to be present
!, till official information is had to the con
trarv. Such information there was not has
: in this case. The Senate had been regular
ly in session for an hour, transacting bust.
p mss. Some Of the members, nobod,
: knows how many, went ont. Where they
went, or for what, was no affairof the Son
]; atc's. Members are always running ou
1 | and back from their seats. The Senat.
paid no attention to the absence of the few
who went away. 1t kept regularly in ses
s sion And in regular session. with no in
q formation Of any kind that quorum wa
q not present. oustcd Mr. Woods. The &C
d was as clearly legal as any act ever per
formed by any legislative body. He, a
9 the very moment. was committing doubl,
: illegal act. first in acting as Senator wlilt
y holding another Office, and second in at
: tempting to elect Senators contrary to thu
: Constitution, and by deliberate and ope1
$ fraud. Such man, the Democrats resort
d ed to revolution to keepin his scat. The,
I rioiated the Constellation to enable a man 4
: hold tuo Offices at once. This is the case.-
If any Democrat can view the conduct o
d his partisans without blushing, be is fit 70
y his associates.
o. ~. ~